# Winter protection for hens



## morningsidefarmva (Nov 21, 2014)

what does everyone do when it come down to cold temp and the hens. I am talking freezing temp. Last winter it was very cold & wet and my hens got a respiratory problem that took me months and the loss of several hens to get them better. Do not want 5his again. I use to put heat lamp in the coop but hear not to do that. So I am open to ideas.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

To keep from sending you off in the wrong direction or to a direction that isn't necessary, knowing where you are, what your setup is is very helpful. 

Freezing really isn't a concern if it's not zero or below. Even then appropriate ventilation is really all they need. 

Describe what you mean about getting wet. Is it a drainage issue?


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## morningsidefarmva (Nov 21, 2014)

What I am concerned is with the below zero day and wind chill. I have a coop that was built in the 40’s and all wood has windows that open and close. The construction is board butted together but there is space between some as much as a 1/4”. I have a rooster know wand when he and some of the girls roost they go to the top very close to the roof. The floor is wood. I have shavings in there for the winter at least 6” deep. I have a tarp under their roost to collect dropping daily. Now that is the coop.
I have another batch of hens with a rooster in part of our barn and this is new this year as far as hens being in there. Last winter I had an issue with hens getting sick and I isolated them from the healthy ones. The barns area was built in the 40’s as well but it does have wider spaces in the boards plus the roof is up high so there is more area for heat to rise to the top whatever heat is in there. I could cover the openings between the boards with my feed bags I saved so air doesn’t blow in them. So this is what I have. Thanks.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You could do a board and batten type thing with the coop. Nail narrow strips of wood over where the other boards butt up to each other. Wind is the biggest threat for frostbite of their toes and combs when it's too humid in the coop and cold wind is blowing in. Because of their feathers the rest of them is plenty insulated against the cold. 

The birds in the barn sound as though they're getting up above the wind that could be coming into the barn.


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## morningsidefarmva (Nov 21, 2014)

No they are on the ground level not up high.I have saw horses set up in there for them to roost on.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm surprised they're not taking to the rafters to roost on at night.


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## morningsidefarmva (Nov 21, 2014)

Couple have but the rest go for the saw horses.


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