Winter Watering for Overnights Away

[wamtazlady]

I cover the top of the run also. Right now I'm using a tarp. Next summer I'm having someone put a roof on it. Had to get the neighor boy to shovel off the tarp last winter when had 2 feet of snow.

 

[Folly's place]

Consider snow load when roofing with anything! Having it collapse won't be better! My run area is now totally roofed as part of the coop, and it's great!
As an idea; walls of straw bales, reinforces with rebar driven into the ground, and 2x6" temporary rafters on top. Then plywood and you have a roof. Sloped, not flat. Is that a possibility?
I use some rolls that were here for gardening, clear, and attach it very securely. Pictures from last year. The upper foot or so in not covered for ventilation. The lower south coop window, and unseen lower west window, are covered in plastic too. There's a high vent on the west side. The plastic sheeting is doubles, stapled to the framing, and then 1x4" boards are screwed over the top. I've been able to reuse that plastic another year.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

My waterers are in the coop, one on each side. In warm weather, I've got waterers outside and in all four sections of the coop/ run, but in winter I just heat two waterers. By then the flock is down to the 'keepers', this year 42 birds. Mary

 

[NewYorkMama]

View attachment 1180997 View attachment 1180998 View attachment 1180999 View attachment 1181004 Consider snow load when roofing with anything! Having it collapse won't be better! My run area is now totally roofed as part of the coop, and it's great!
As an idea; walls of straw bales, reinforces with rebar driven into the ground, and 2x6" temporary rafters on top. Then plywood and you have a roof. Sloped, not flat. Is that a possibility?
I use some rolls that were here for gardening, clear, and attach it very securely. Pictures from last year. The upper foot or so in not covered for ventilation. The lower south coop window, and unseen lower west window, are covered in plastic too. There's a high vent on the west side. The plastic sheeting is doubles, stapled to the framing, and then 1x4" boards are screwed over the top. I've been able to reuse that plastic another year.
Mary

Wow, Mary, that's amazing looking! My husband built our run, and I think he could probably incorporate this kind of design with the coop - which already has a roof. I'll forward these photos to him. Thank you!

 

[blackdog043]

re: the nipple waterer... I read some scary things about chickens not drinking from them because they don't like it as much as open water, and then dying from dehydration! Am I just being paranoid? Is there a learning curve for the girls, or do they take to it right away? Most of my chickens seem on the intelligent side, one seems a little air-headed.

Yes, you are just being paranoid. Take all the other water sources away. Your chickens will be using the nipples within an hour, mine took about 5 minutes. Tap where the nipple is, they will see red and a shinny thing to peck at. It might seem like they don't get enough to drink because the water doesn't go down quick. That's because it's not evaporating into the air like an open container or metal waterer or being spilt. Just make sure you get the horizontal nipples!