A lot of people wonder what I do with my chickens in the winter. Don’t they get cold? My short answer is that they stay warm because they wear little down coats. My long answer is that it is more the cold wind/draft that bothers them more than the cold.
Neil wrapped a plastic tarp over the open (wire) part of the run. The green part is insulated and even has a little door that I can close. If the temperature drops below about 25 degrees F, I will close the little door at night. They generate enough body heat to keep themselves warm.
During the day they walk around in the covered run, which is kind of like a mini-greenhouse. I open the door to the extended run, so they can decide if they want to brave the elements or not.
I also have an electric water dispenser, which keeps their water from freezing. But that’s basically it. I don’t heat the coop and I haven’t knitted them little sweaters. I don’t put vaseline on their legs and combs to prevent frostbite. I would do that if I lived somewhere *much* colder, but it’s never been a problem here.
Call me what you will, but I don’t think we need to extend helicopter parenting to our chickens.
