Redoing the Chicken House

The winter chicken house

So, I've been ready for winter for a few weeks now and today, while it was raining I decided to redo the chicken house.  To give myself at least a little credit for my tardiness, I was offered a corn crib on Thanksgiving day.  One of my cousin's inlaws asked me if I hauled it away, I could have his old corn crib.  It was in his way and he didn't have the time to take it in for the money.  I went over with the trailer yesterday to see if it was anything I wanted. When I saw it an idea just popped into my head.  Two panels of it together would make a nice dome house for my chickens to have an outdoor run this winter.  I had some old greenhouse plastic that was too cloudy for a greenhouse, but it would stand up to the cold and wind of winter. I brought it home and set it up in about an hour.  I butted the one end up against the coup itself and the other end I put on corrugated plastic panels.  Even with it raining and the wind blowing it was 14 degrees warmer under the dome than it is outside.  My biggest worry may be that it will get too hot in the spring sun.  I may have to take it down early so I don't roast my chickens.  Now my chickens won't be forced to stay inside once the snow flies, they can run out under the sun and scratch in the dirt.  If this works I my use the other panels to set up similar houses throughout the barnyard for some of the other fowl to get out of the snow.  Little mini greenhouses for the birds.  LOL

The new winter chicken run

Left over panels

Chickens are still too nervous to try out their new run.:-)