How to Winterize a Chicken Tractor
See how to winterize a chicken tractor with plastic sheeting!
Homestead Winter Prep: Winterizing a Chicken Tractor
Winter is on it’s way! There is a lot of homestead winter prep to accomplish before the cold weather hits. The garden area needs to be prepped, the harvest needs to be preserved, and the animal shelters need to be modified to keep them warm in the cold.
This week I winterized the chicken tractor that my chickens use for eating, roosting, and nesting. If you have a chicken tractor, whether it is built like mine or not, you should be able to use the same process that I did.
Steps to Winterize a Chicken Tractor
#1 Gather Supplies
You will need:
- 6-10 mil plastic sheeting
- Staple Gun
- Zip Ties
- Knife, hole punch, nail- just something to pole holes with.
- Duct Tape
- Scissors
#2 Wrap Plastic
Wrap the plastic over the coop. Be sure to leave some space open for ventilation. I left a space on both sides of the door open for this. If you don’t leave any spaces open, the chicken tractor will become an oven for the birds.
#3 Staple Plastic to Frame
Staple the bottom of the plastic sheeting to the wooden coop frame with a staple gun. Be sure that the plastic is pulled taut so wind isn’t able to flow underneath.
>>Winterizing a Chicken Tractor TikTok Video<<
#4 Secure Plastic to Front & Back
If you have wood on the front and back of your chicken tractor, then you can staple this part. If not, then you can zip tie or duct tape the plastic to the netting or metal panel. I zip tied in the front and duct taped the back.
#5 Cut Off Excess Plastic
Use scissors to cut off extra plastic from the bottom. Be sure to leave a small overhang for rain runoff.
Hello! Thanks for this quick and easy winterization idea. I’ve recently discovered that my concerns about “protecting” the chickens in winter is somewhat excessive; it sounds like they only need shelter from the wind, rain, and snow. In which USDA zone do you live? I’m in zone 6, and we’ll have some long periods with single digits (or lower), but definitely months at a time in the teens and 20s. The chickens should be fine with this simple setup, correct?
Hey Joe! I am in zone 7 in TN. This is the setup that I use for my chickens over the winter. I do keep their chicken tractor more stationary in wintertime so I can add some bedding to the bottom for extra warmth, but they do well with this!