Would this work?

[CandiceN]

Hey all- I'm looking into getting the coop ready for winter. Here's my coop, and the plan we've got in place:

For the run - Hay bales around the outside, 2 levels tall with plywood across the top (over the run - from one row of hay to the other to support the weight) to protect from snow and to insulate a bit. We will leave gaps for airflow. I know to not set these up until necessary so the little varmints don't make a home in them.
The coop - lock the windows down, add one gable vent on each end up above roost level (we have these, just have to cut the holes and screw them in w/hardware cloth behind them). Also considering adding a heat lamp to keep the inside warmer but this is still up in the air. I am concerned with the water freezing, so I am not sure what to do about that. We may need to grab some caulking of some sort and run it along a few gaps to decrease drafts.

Anything I'm forgetting? I'm in NH, so we'll be looking at snow, ice, and COLD temps...

Thanks!!

 

[FireTigeris]

That sounds like more then the Alaska ppl do, find some Alaska chicken raisers and ask?

 

[CandiceN]

Quote:
So are you saying I'm overdoing it? LOL

It's my first winter w/chickens, so I'm not sure how much is too much, honestly!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Add the vents like you said, I wouldn't caulk. If you get a lot of snow you probably will need some sort of support for the run top but I'd just use a tarp not plywood. As for winter water invest in a 3 gallon heated waterer, they work great.

This is my coop with a tarp on three sides and top of run, broomed the snow of after this picture. Last year I left the run open to give them the shoveled paths to roam and under the deck. Used an old child gate stuck in snow before the driveway to keep them penned. No heat lamps, no problems.

 

[Ole rooster]

Looking at that picture I love Georgia more and more. More with each picture of snow like that I see. I have a buddy in Conn and he send me pictures every winter showing the snow. He doing his best to keep me here. And it's working.

And for the run, from the looks of that snow, don't look like you can use to much snow support.

 

[CandiceN]

I don't trust just a tarp on top of the run, we need the snow load to be supported above it, hence the plywood across the hay bales we are planning.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[SteveBaz]

Quote:
X2 in fact 3/4" plywood and you will have it forever.