Worried About the Weather

[Naturegirl155]

I want to thank everyone who took the time to respond and offer reassurance, suggestions, links, and photos. I feel much better about the measures I have already taken to winterize and have more specific guidance on how to improve some things.

I'll be insulating my water bucket today and switching to horizontal nipple waterers and I have plans to tarp over the top section over the coop for more snow cover.
Here's what I've already done in the meantime with supplies I already have ...

I added a second water bucket at the end of the run under the bench. I filled it with bricks in the middle and although it freezes, the bricks prevent heads from dunking into the bucket while acting like a conductor when I pour warm water in it in the morning.

I added a fresh layer of straw under the A-frame to give them a place to warm their feet after walking in the snow.

I used the leaf blower (I can't believe I didn't already think of this) to clear a path for the chickens to walk and to clear off spots for them to hop up out of the snow. This was so much easier than sweeping!!

Thanks again for all the support and encouragement! I was nervous about posting my first question on BYC and you have all made me really happy I did!

 

[tigger19687]

Wow, NICE RUN !!! I am sure your hubby will be able to make a great coop that is bigger.
Only thing I would do is wrap the outer area around the coop so they have a spot that won't get snow and rain on them.
Hard to tell from the pic but i think that is what you did.
They should be good.

BTW we all think we have more to do when Winter comes

 

[rjohns39]

Be careful, you can get lost in the coop and run forum.

 

[daxigait]

I use one for feeding goats and having a mobile shelter for kids. This is after winter. The tarp had to be replaced before this winter, but otherwise it has been really good.

 

[aart]

Should thread into the same holes, unscrew the cups - screw in the HN's.
I use foil bubble wrap, covered with a feed bag (they like to pop bubble wrap too!) for insulation.

I should have thought of bubble wrap! I just finished an engineering challenge with 3rd graders where they were testing thermal insulators and bubble wrap is one of the materials I provide.

Wanted to explain further the feed bag, it's just part of one cut out to cover the bubble wrap. Will get some pics later.

 

[Naturegirl155]

I’ve seen some pallet coops on here. If I find anything, I will pass it on.
I’ve had my coop since October. It’s not doing too bad. But, I made sure the coop/run was secure with extra hardware cloth and landscaping stones that we had just lying around.
We’ve had some good winds and it is still standing. I reinforced the latches with eye hooks and carabiners - or added it in addition to the latches.
I also gave it a good coat of Thompson’s water seal. I think that has really helped. With the snow, I can see where it blows in when the vent window is open and it’s coming from just the right direction. Grrr... I will remedy that - hoping this weekend. But, so far it’s doing what it was meant to do. We built a cattle panel run around it covered with welded wire after my in-laws dogs were able to get to the chickens with small run extension made of lattice that I didn’t reinforce at first.
We are planning on adding something to the top of the cattle panels so that they are safe from birds of prey. But, the chickens are only allowed out in that when I’m out there and confined to their coop/run set up when I’m not.
I added plastic around the part of the run that is under the coop - then added a tarp to the lattice extension so that they have areas that are dry and can still utilize when it’s snowing.
They seem secure enough, but you just never know with all of the stories I read here.

Thanks so much for taking the time to offer advice! I will DEFINITELY waterseal in the spring if it isn't too late.

Before we had chickens, I spent a lot of time watching the wildlife in our yard and loved checking the trail cam to see what was visiting when we were sleeping (or the dogs randomly barked in the middle of the night). Along with the usual raccoons and skunks and deer we expected to see, we also have fox, coyote, and a 300+ pound black bear who eats my neighbors bird seed and uses my yard as an outhouse!

I know our fence isn't foolproof for anything really determined to get in and I'm semi-prepared to deal with that. I'm hoping the biggest deterrent I have are my dogs who peacefully co-exist and share (and scent mark) fenced in yard space with the chickens.

My pitbull is especially protective of her "babies" and doesn't even let my Coonhound steal food from their feed bucket. Both dogs have been with the chickens since they hatched. Here's a pic of my roo in simpler times! Lol

 

[daxigait]

Good call! New England can be unpredictable and if I prepare for the worst, we'll have another rainy warm winter but if I don't prepare, I'll be up to my eyeballs in snow damage.

I do have a few 8 foot landscape boards in the garage that can be used as mid supports. When I was designing the run, I was trying to balance cost, size, and strength. I initially wanted to go 16ft wide with posts running down the middle of the coop supporting the 2x4s on top but my post hole digger(aka my husband lol) vetoed that design and we compromised at 12 feet with no support and landscape posts on deck in the garage just in case.

The only thing that kept me from using plywood over the coop section was a desire to keep as much natural light streaming in to warm the coop as possible ... but if we get snow dumped, the sun's not going to shine through snow blanketed plastic!

You have been so helpful in assisting me in thinking through all of my options. I love figuring stuff out and part of being an elementary school science teacher is teaching kids how to learn from their mistakes (like I often do), but I also try to teach by example the importance of collaboration and I don't want to make a costly mistake with the lives and health of my little flock!

I started following you as I'm sure you have already answered questions for others on BYC that I will no doubt have as well!

What about that semi transparent plastic they use for green house type sheds. It is like a plastic version of barn tin?
Corrugated polycarbonate roofing panels I think.

 

[aart]

Wanted to explain further the feed bag, it's just part of one cut out to cover the bubble wrap. Will get some pics later.

Here's the waterer.

....and the 2x2 run roof prop, there's notch cut in end so it doesn't slide off.
This one stays up all winter in a weak spot, I have others if we are expecting a heavy overnight snowfall.

 

[tigger19687]

My carport frame had a ton of Cinder blocks holding it down, plus those metal tie downs you screw in ot the ground. Worked great for 4 years.
As you can see I only have a small section covered, just not had the energy to fiddle with it
Next Tuesday is going to be 45 f !! What is with this silly weather !
I may cover most of the carport for them that day.

 

[aart]

Do you get a lot of snow?
Not sure that run roof will hold up to much.

Those water cups will not stay thawed, switch them out the horizontal nipples and insulate the bucket.