Worried About the Weather

[rjohns39]

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

 

[Naturegirl155]

The key is good ventilation (about 1 sq ft per bird), dry and draft free. Wider roosts help them keep their toes warm. It looks like you're pretty well set, but without knowing your wind it's difficult to say for certain.

Thanks for the feedback! I read a couple of posts about using 2x4s on the flat side to make wider roosts. The roosting bars that come with the coop look like they'd be great for bantams but Sven (my roo) has massive feet - at least I think he does ... I don't have much experience to compare!

I'll probably replace the bar in the caged part of the coop with a 2x4 (unless you have a different/better material suggestion) in the spring. The wind whips through my yard pretty good (I've lost hammocks and small greenhouses) but as long as the burlap holds, I think I should be okay. If my windbreak system fails though, I'll swap out the bars sooner.

 

[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.

 

[Naturegirl155]

Sounds like you've done everything I've learned to do. The only thing I'm going to add to my run for the winter (with Christmas I haven't been able to buy the plastic I want) I'm going to buy some heavy duty reinforced plastic to wrap around part of the run just to give them an area out of the wind. This is the area that the coop is in, so it should be helpful to them. I'm hoping this is the coldest we're going to get before the new year... its kinda cold early for Ct.

Thanks for the feedback! A lot of the learning curve for this seems to be "read the advice and find out what works for your flock". It's really helpful to hear what other people in our climate zone are doing... I think I read one too many winterizing advice posts from Michigan!

I was surprised to go out to the coop this morning and find the gate and the coop frozen shut but that's what I should have expected after rain and a temperature plunge! Did your girls get soaked yesterday too?

 

[Naturegirl155]

CT represent!

Yeah, I added plastic around the lower part of my run, too, as additional windbreak. My chickies were all just fine this morning, and ran outside for treats. I did give them warm water and warm scratch (I added boiling water and let is sit a bit).

It was really cold this morning! I boiled water to thaw out the bird bath in my garden. The heated water bucket in the run just had an ice crust on the cups. Tonight it's supposed to be much colder so we'll see what the morning brings!

Were your gates or doors frozen shut this morning?

 

[Altfrizzle]

No, probably because they were thoroughly dry.

I brought them water 4 Times today! It kept feeezing. I did put a small waterer in the coop for a bit this afternoon because I’ve got 8 week olds out there that weren’t venturing out. It was still liquid 3 hours later, so I know they’re warmer in there.

I still put in more bedding today, though.

 

[Altfrizzle]

I have an overhang over both the people door to the coop and the chicken door to the covered run. So the doors don’t really get wet.

What does, and then feeezes is the water I spill on my deck stairs bringing it out to them. I’m gonna wipe out one of these days.

I have a heated bowl but I also have crested polish and she will get her head all wet.

 

[Naturegirl155]

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

Thanks so much! I've been contemplating covering the spot over the coop with some heavy duty plastic but that might have to wait until we have a little more budget freedom...and I caught my husband browsing bigger coops on-line!

 

[Naturegirl155]

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

I spent the night here instead of working on lesson plans!

 

[Naturegirl155]

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.

I thought of insulating the bucket or just making a new one out of a water cooler. Can I put the horizontal nipples on the HD bucket or should I just start with a new one?