Official BYC Poll: With Winter Upon Us, What Preparations Have You Made For Your Chickens?

[Apis mellifera]

A cold hardy breed is a huge plus. 5 below wind chill and the roos are out crowing early this morning and the hens are laying. Nobody's pulling dog sleds with chihuahuas

 

[bonnyrae]

I fenced off an 8x8 area in my insulated garage for my 3 girls, then installed a doggie door that leads out to their run. I put a Sweeter Heater (I think that was the name) behind the roost so they can snuggle at night (and during the day when it's cold). I leave the lights on during the day in winter, the summer I can leave the garage door open for light, they also have a strong light activated night light. I use hay as bedding, keeps the garage smelling great. They get meal worms or grubs every morning and during the winter I will bring them a warm treat (oatmeal, scrambled eggs, sweet potatoes, etc.) They have one of those sad little coops in the run for a play house, I took the door off so they go in to stay dry while they scratch around, I mixed up a dusting bath so they have a dry dusting area also. They have a swing and toys in the garage coop area (I have never seen them use them).

 

[goldenyears]

We live in southern VT and still are using a tarp over the run. We did replace it this Fall as it got cut in a few places, bungies work good to hold it in place. We use a wide broom with long handle to push off the snow. 2nd winter working well so far!

Keeping chickens safe and healthy over the colder months is a big concern for their keepers as winter and the extreme weather conditions experienced in certain parts of the world can cause problems such as frostbite and in some cases losses of birds. So With Winter Upon Us, What Preparations Have You Made For Your Chickens?

Place your vote above, and please elaborate in a reply below if you chose "Other".

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Further Reading:

Top 5 Ways Of Keeping Your Flock Warm In Winter
Caring For Chickens in the Winter
Chicken Coop Ventilation
To Insulate or Not To Insulate
It's Cold - Keeping Flocks Warm And Healthy In Winter
Deep Litter Method - The Easiest Way To Deal With Chicken Litter
Cold Weather Advisory - A Detailed Look At The Question of Supplemental Heat

(Check out more exciting Official BYC Polls HERE!)

We live in southeast Michigan. I previously covered two runs completely and two runs partially plus have a small coop with space underneath for mama and three chicks. Isn’t the “correct” answer to add more chickens so they can cuddle???

 

[catballou]

I do exactly this.

I do something similar. My coop is in my barn with doors opening facing south. I block off the coop windows with plexiglass, cardboard or wood but leave an opening by their heated dog dish.
It's not entirely closed up but it's 10 to 15° warmer in there than outside.

I put down extra bedding, throw straw out in the snow and give them extra treats.

 

[3KillerBs]

A cold hardy breed is a huge plus. 5 below wind chill and the roos are out crowing early this morning and the hens are laying. Nobody's pulling dog sleds with chihuahuas

As we so often say, Climate Matters!

What breed do you have?

 

[Apis mellifera]

As we so often say, Climate Matters!

What breed do you have?

HISTORY OF THE CHANTECLER CHICKEN​

In the early 1900’s, Dr. John E Wilkinson of Alberta Canada was appalled by economic losses encountered by poultrymen due to the freezing of the combs (on the head) and wattles (under the chins) of chickens in the winter. He decided to create a breed of chicken that could withstand the harsh cold of the Canadian prairie winters, would be a good winter layer of eggs, and still have a good carcass when harvested for the table. He also wanted a bird that had camouflage to hide from predators.

Accepted into American Poultry Association Standard Of Perfection

Dr Wilkinson called his creation “Albertan” (for the Alberta, Canada region they were created in). In 1935, his “Albertans” were accepted into the American Poultry Association (APA) Standard of Perfection as a color variety of "Chantecler" because of their similarity to a white bird created by Brother Wilfred, a Trappist monk on the eastern side of Canada a few years earlier. Many claim Dr Wilkinson was "devastated" by this news but the 1935 Canadian Poultryman article posted at the bottom of this page was written by Dr Wilkinson himself and tells a different story.

Origin of the Chantecler Name

Edmond Rostrand, who wrote the popular Cyrano de Bergerac, wrote a play in the early 1900's where the main character, Chantecler, believes his crowing causes the sun to rise. Earlier origins of the name come from Chanti-cler in medieval English or early French meaning to "sing clear". "Chanticler" has been a name used in fables for a rooster as far back as the middle of the 12th century.

WWII and the Decline of Exhibition Poultry

Dr Wilkinson died shortly after the Partridge Chantecler was accepted into the APA. World War II started and was devastating to the exhibition poultry. About this same time, a new industrial way of quickly and economically producing livestock for food was devised that relied on separate large factory farms to produce poultry, livestock and eggs and the dual purpose farm livestock of old was replaced by poultry genetics selected purely on the ability to create the most meat or eggs in the smallest space, on the least inputs in the least amount of time.

Return to Historical Form

The Partridge Chantecler is a “composite” breed of poultry where Dr Wilkinson used several different “foundation” breeds in its formation and then selective breeding was done to refine the form and function. Our job as breeders today is to return to Chantecler to the historical form and function desired by their creators and outlines in the APA Standard of Perfection.

Dual-Purpose Breed

Today, there is a resurgence of homesteads, small farms and backyard poultry enthusiasts that desire to raise beautiful old fashioned authentic heritage birds that will provide them with a balance of egg production and meat for the table all in one breed. The problem is that the utility value of these old breeds has been neglected and many are in danger of being lost once again.

Keep in mind, the Chantecler is uniquely suited for regions with cold winters because of the small comb and wattles that are less likely to become frostbitten - which would lead to less eggs or loss of weight or condition. They do NOT thrive in heat or hot climates - it is not where they are meant to live.

Canada Poultryman article by Partridge Chantecler Founder Dr John Wilkinson

 

[3KillerBs]

Keep in mind, the Chantecler is uniquely suited for regions with cold winters because of the small comb and wattles that are less likely to become frostbitten - which would lead to less eggs or loss of weight or condition. They do NOT thrive in heat or hot climates - it is not where they are meant to live.

Thank you. That was interesting.

I admired the beauty of the White Chanteclers in the hatchery catalog but struck them off my list when I learned that they were a far-northern adapted bird.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Thank you. That was interesting.

I admired the beauty of the White Chanteclers in the hatchery catalog but struck them off my list when I learned that they were a far-northern adapted bird.

You're welcome. Nice thing about BYC people is that they care about their livestock and if I had to guess Im sure White or Partridge Chanteclers would do just fine in N Carolina.

 

[3KillerBs]

You're welcome. Nice thing about BYC people is that they care about their livestock and if I had to guess Im sure White or Partridge Chanteclers would do just fine in N Carolina.

We have several months when 95F at 95% humidity is a normal day so I was careful to choose birds with an eye to heat tolerance.

 

[theoldchick]

I use feed bags to create wind breaks. I also may make 'hay huts' during extreme cold (below 10 degrees).