- May 9, 2014
- 31
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Hello all,
I am still new to this backyard chicken experience and we are coming into our first winter for the girls. We live in upstate New York and I am double checking my decision for my girls and NY winter. I have read both for heating their hen house and not. I have heard people say chickens have been around for thousands of years during times where there was no heating especially not for farm animals. Then I've heard of people bringing the flock inside their home to sit by the fire, LOL! I've read that if you put lighting in their house they will produce eggs on a regular all year even during winter months, then I've also read that doing this could shorten their life span because naturally they are supposed to go through the seasons with less light and have a break from constant egg laying. So I have decided to let my girls go all natural. They free range in my yard, I will not put light or heat in their coop/henhouse, and we made sure they have many vents at the top of their house. Just wanted to ask your opinion if these are good decisions we've made. I've only had house pets my whole life so bringing the animals inside or giving them heat in some way would be my first reaction to the cold winter months, but then I also read that my birds are hardy winter birds that will adapt well to the temperatures in NY that's why they were available here. Their body heat will be enough to keep them warm and their house to protect them from the harsh elements. And that if I were to give them some sort of heat source it could either cause a fire or if we were to lose power and they would lose their heat that they are used to and they would not be properly adapted for the cold they would experience at that time. Are these all correct statements in your eyes? I just want what's best for the girls to be comfortable and especially to survive the cold winter. Again I guess chickens have lived for many years without heat but just thought I'd ask! Thank you
I am still new to this backyard chicken experience and we are coming into our first winter for the girls. We live in upstate New York and I am double checking my decision for my girls and NY winter. I have read both for heating their hen house and not. I have heard people say chickens have been around for thousands of years during times where there was no heating especially not for farm animals. Then I've heard of people bringing the flock inside their home to sit by the fire, LOL! I've read that if you put lighting in their house they will produce eggs on a regular all year even during winter months, then I've also read that doing this could shorten their life span because naturally they are supposed to go through the seasons with less light and have a break from constant egg laying. So I have decided to let my girls go all natural. They free range in my yard, I will not put light or heat in their coop/henhouse, and we made sure they have many vents at the top of their house. Just wanted to ask your opinion if these are good decisions we've made. I've only had house pets my whole life so bringing the animals inside or giving them heat in some way would be my first reaction to the cold winter months, but then I also read that my birds are hardy winter birds that will adapt well to the temperatures in NY that's why they were available here. Their body heat will be enough to keep them warm and their house to protect them from the harsh elements. And that if I were to give them some sort of heat source it could either cause a fire or if we were to lose power and they would lose their heat that they are used to and they would not be properly adapted for the cold they would experience at that time. Are these all correct statements in your eyes? I just want what's best for the girls to be comfortable and especially to survive the cold winter. Again I guess chickens have lived for many years without heat but just thought I'd ask! Thank you