Winter is coming what do I do

[sarahbear9]

Hello well need help I live in mi and we are about to get a bad winter again and well my hens where free ranging until my neighbor came over screaming about them being in her back yard by the farmers corn field anyways sorry well so we have been keeping them in re coop and there run I am worried about them getting board and pecking each other and injuries we were thinking about a flock block and having my kids make toys well treats for them . We have 12 chickens all hens and we only get 7-8 eggs a day if am worried that it might go down to . I was wondering if anyone had any advice . Please

 

[Judy]

They need a generous run to avoid problems. and your setup needs to provide snow free outdoor areas unless you have a very large coop, as well.

Here are a couple of articles wirtten b a Canadian that pretty well cover any concerns you might have about keeping chickens in cold weather:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

 

[aart]

How big is your coop?
Do you have a run?
Is this your first winter with chickens?
Pics of your coop and run would help immensely for giving advice.
Sorry for all the questions, but good to narrow things down.

Flock block is junk food, I'd avoid it.

 

[sarahbear9]

Here is a pic o coop and run we were gonna make it 8 ft bigger and about 16ft or so longer in the coop we have 4 nest boxes they don't use and like a little play area for them to perch on ! Thank you all do te advice I will check out that site

 

[sarahbear9]

The run is under construction cause they use to free range and now they have to stay in run and coop till we get a fence up next spring :-(

 

[aart]

That look like a pretty good sized space for 12 birds.

Looks like you need some ventilation..... Great article on VENTILATION.

Make sure the snow load will not crush your run roof.

 

[sarahbear9]

Thanks we have 2 windows in coop on back side we were going to do one on the side where wind is blocked more and maybe we were going to do chicken fence e on roof then tarps to keep snow off or plywood