Winterizing + Coop improvements PIC HEAVY!

[chickenpredatorkiller]

Ok so I have had chickens since the end of april this year, and I built a coop out of wood we had leftover from a house addition. I just wanted to know if there was anything else I could do to help winterize this coop, and if anybody had any ideas about how to improve it in any way. Thx!

Side View Before Insulation

A little Side latch door to get the eggs

Nest Box (I have 4 boxes and 2 Chickens and they both ALWAYS lay in that one box)

Nest Box 2

Another View of the egg-Collecting hatch

This is the gate. One of the girls has been getting out lately, So I need to secure the netting again.

This is the container where I keep the food. I give them layer feed of course.

Another view of nest box 1

Heat lamp and view of perch and some of the boxes

This is a ladder I made

Ladder and perch

Perch

Insulation at top

Insulation at other side

Watering bucket (I am probably going to have to move it to the coop during the winter)

This is what it looks like above the coop (Its in the woods)

So like I said if you have any winterization ideas or improvements then let me know.

 

[Wildside]

I don't know how cold it gets where you are, but here in PA that type of netting was sadly unsatisfactory during it's first (and only) winter season. My coop is also in the woods. First, the falling leaves piled up and made it sag down. Sticks mixed in with the leaves made it difficult to push the leaves off from underneath or on top. Then, heavy snowfall kept tearing the netting in many places. I had assumed that the snow would fall right through, but it did not. It built up like a blanket and sagged until it broke. Sorry to be so negative, but perhaps you never see the snow there? Good luck!

 

[chfite]

It appears that you covered your ventilation at the gable end. Ventilation is important. I doubt it will get too cold for chickens here in the upstate.

I am going to put a birdbath heater in the water supply, and call it a day. It never goes below zero here. I think the chickens will be fine.

Chris

 

[chickenpredatorkiller]

Does anyone know if its bad if my girls don't roost in the coop, and instead just sit outside at night? I get kinda worried about them because I don't know what the do when its raining or what they will do if it snows.... Any advice?

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Make them go inside & lock them up. They should not be out at night in the wind, rain & cold, or for predators to have easy access to them.

How old where they when you got them in April?

I know with mine, one night, we were going to be home 1 hr past sunset. I gave my neighbor my house key and asked her to shut the girls up for the night. They had chickens, so they understood my concern. Mine put themselves to bed, I just have to shut the door.

 

[chickenpredatorkiller]

Quote:
I think they were a couple days old. I got them at TSC as chicks. They are both laying now.

 

[chickenpredatorkiller]

Oh yeah, and does anyone know how cold it needs to be before i turn on my heat lamp in the coop or if its even needed?

 

[flowergirl60]

Quote:
I wouldn't think you would need heat where you are located. My girls did fine last winter with no heat and it got down to 17 degrees for 5 days. It was the summer that nearly killed them.

 

[Grumpy Goats]

I would think your coop looks great for winter.