1st Winter in the north east!

norahschicks

In the Brooder
10 Years
Sep 9, 2009
17
0
22
NH
Hi All
I think we are headed for a rough winter in the northeast!!! this will be my chickens first winter! What do you all do for water, do you change it daily or use a warmer? will my chickens want to be out in their run as much, ( i guess if i shovel it for them) and for the corn.....are you guys cooking it then giving it?? HMMm ut should be interesting. their coop is my old dog house transformed to chicken home. I shoved hay all under their home for insulation, hope it works!!!


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4 Red Stars, 1 lab/husky.......intraining to not be a bird dog in our yard!!!, 1 very large cat, 3 year old gal and newborn sister.
 
I live in Upstate NY, north of Saratoga. In the winter I use a metal heated base to set my metal 3 gal waterer on, on top of 2 cinder blocks. Even when it occasionally gets down to 20 below zero I've never had the water freeze. I imagine its not 20 below in the coop with all the heat from the chickens but it is very cold. I have never had any kind of heat source in the coop either. My chickens always seem to be happy and as long as they don't have a wind blowing on them they are ok. My Chicks do not like to go out on the snow. This year we covered half of the outside run, so perhaps they will venture out. One problem I do have is when I am lucky enough to have eggs laid in the extreme cold they freeze before I can collect in the evening. I leave for work at a ski center too early in the am, eggs are not layed yet~amyone have any suggestions?
 
I remember how nervous I was! We use an electric dog bowl, which works better indoors than out. I'm a believer in fresh water so it's changed twice a day. Is your run roofed? Some people tarp and/or use barriers on the sides to keep the snow out.

I use layer pellets and very little corn,. though there is some in the wil bird I use for treats and I offer wild bird suet for energy. The birds may eat up to 3X as much in winter.

To reassure yourself, it helps to know what others did. Here are a few thoughts, it's cold here early, too, and we've been pressed to get things set up for freezing weather. We're putting up our snow boards next week, maybe sooner-

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693-seasonal-concerns
 
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The corn people are talking is cracked field corn...you purchase it in a feed store. Some pet stores will also carry it, as well as big box dept stores as feed for the wild birds/squirrels.

And you feed it as is...dry and hard:)
 
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