Winterizing the Coop-I want to hear from you

 Those of you who get cold weather back in October already winterized your coops. Here is Austin we don't usually see many bone chilling days (to us they are) until January.  I used to employee the use of a clamp lamp and 100 volt bulb placed in the coop to keep the girls warm but I keep reading it is just not necessary.  It also one more hassle for the pet sitter if I need to leave town.  Our lows rarely dip into the teens. his week we are seeing temperatures in the twenties and thirties. Not a big deal for you cold weather types in cold weather land. The week ends with highs in the mid 60's.

What I have found is a  car cover is the best insulator. It has kept the coop dry when it rains, dries quickly itself and helps keep the coop warm. Last night the temperature inside the coop was 40 and outside 30. This was without the use of a light. However, once the wind started blowing, the temperature was the same as it was out of the coop. Bummer.

I use a thin plywood on the west side of the coop and on part of the east side to keep drafts out. I leave the south open because the girls still need fresh air. Their nests are lined with newspaper then layered with hay and newspaper. The egg door has a plastic cover over it that has kept moisture out. The roof of the coop has a folded car cover that is clipped to the roof. I then have canvas painter's cloths covering the coop. These stay up year round as I have found it helps keep the coop cooler in the summer. The car cover and plywood are for cold blasts.                                                              

 I have noticed egg production dwindling without the use of the light. This week I have only one egg as opposed to the 6-8 I'd have on warmer Tuesdays. I think the light keeps them warm but everything I have read says don't do this. In fact I was told  of hens that roosted on a fence post in an ice storm. They had ice covered backs but their owner said they were doing just fine, warm feet and a nice toasty body.

What do you do when it gets cold? What are your tips and what do you think about using a light with temps in the 20s and 30s?

The Poop in the Coop

I deal with chicken shit daily. I notice the slight variations like odor, texture, color. I use to panic when I'd spot something I had never seen before. It's been almost two years since I spotted anything to worry about. One thing I don't like is a chicken with a dirty vent and a messy, slimy poo. While I don't fly off the handle like I used to, it is a situation that still concerns me.