In the fall, no matter where you live, this is the time to prepare your chicken coop for the upcoming winter season. Two of many important considerations include coop bedding and insulation.
Coop Construction
It’s good to take a thorough look at your coop’s construction. Examine its wind, weather and water proofing. The coop should be warm (but not too warm) and dry, with gentle air movement. The coop should allow air flow and fresh air without being drafty or cold. Some people choose to use screened windows that can be closed or shuttered at night. Others have effectively used screens in small areas such as under roof overhangs, which allows moisture build up to escape without allowing direct wind flow. It’s important to insulate yet still create ventilation opportunities. Over-insulating without ventilation can trap the moisture from the chickens inside along with the ammonia from their droppings inside the coop. This can lead to disease, damaged lungs and even death.
In the same way, ensuring that your coop is fully water-proofed so than rain, sleet or snow cannot fall within the house is essential. The screened openings which do exist should be created so that they don’t allow moisture, while still allowing moisture to escape.
Coop Bedding & Absorbency
This is where especially absorbent bedding – like EcoPett Natural Pine Coop Bedding – is key to chicken health. EcoPett Coop Bedding is extra absorbent, quickly trapping moisture and ammonia to keep the coop clean, dry and safe for your chickens. With straw and shavings, whole areas of bedding become wet with moisture and can quickly lead to infection. Instead, EcoPett Coop Bedding traps moisture into small clumps. These clumps can easily be scooped and removed while leaving the remainder of the bedding dry. EcoPett also is proven to be a quick and better option for absorbing ammonia gas. (All this means less cleaning time and cost, too!)
In winter, even more than summer, it’s critical to monitor the bedding and remove moisture areas and clumps frequently. You may wish to add a little more bedding to your coop in winter to create little deeper layer during this season.
Being vigilant about bedding, air flow and insulation is a great way to help prepare your chicken coop for winter and to have healthy chickens in the spring.
