Wintering my chickens

[coopy]

Can someone tell me what they do to get their coops ready for the winter. I have never had chickens when it was really cold out. What do I need to do to prepare their coop.
There is no door on the coop. It is just a little wooden building with an large open door area.
Any suggestions?

 

[Katy]

I'd suggest building a door for their coop.

 

[homestead5er]

Is the opening a standard size door opening, if it is you could buy a cheap storm door, It would stop the wind and give light to you coop.

 

[leslie]

I would t hink that at least put up a door. I bought a cheap used storm door at a junk store, but the glass got broken very soon. I took a used political sign and used small metal screws to fasten it to the door. yes.. im a maker doer.
I then got old card board boxes from a furniture store and stapled them to the inside walls of the coop. I put clear plastic over the window. Then I added a layer of fresh hay to the floor. Careful to staple down the corners good, fearful that they might want to eat it up..
I have the inside as secure as I can against the west wind and north wind that can be so brutal. Im still asking around about the difference in insulation and ventaliation. Not sure about that. but I do want to take advantage of the birds body heat and dont see how that can be done with too many holes in the place.
I also stapled sheet plastic on the ceiling. I figure it would help keep the body heat inside the coop. I placed strips as wide as I could find for the perches. I got them at a saw mill where they sell them for 10 cents each. some wider than 2 inches square. And I placed them a little closer than I would have for summer. Figured Id keep them closer together for warmth.
Thats about it.. In south Tennessee we have some cold times, not for very long but one cold bitter night of zero or less can keep me awake worrying about them although my grandparents chickens roosted in the trees year round.
Ive been told that in the morning they would shake the snow from their bodies and jump down into the snow and go about their days just fine.
Chickens are very hardy about cold weather and IVe been told that as long as they are protected from the wind they will be just fine.
If there are more suggestions Im anxious to hear about them.

 

[joebryant]

Ask yourself what you would do to it if you had to live in it with no furnace/stove.