Preparing Your Flock & Coop for WINTER

[Blooie]

We live in Iowa and have some seriously cold, wet, windy nights. This is our fourth winter with chickens and have learned really to just let them adjust. I get the heaters out for the waters and make sure to close up the shed at night for them but that's it. I'd do more but we have nice big cold hardy girls that's (besides one roosters comb getting some frost bite) have never had any problems. I'm surprise to see folks who get only down to 30s and 20s doing so much to lock them up tight. I really think just acclimation and dryness is key. One thing I am wondering is what to do with winter feed. My girls free range on the farm and do go get stock piles of corn from the steers pen but I give them all you can eat straight layers feed. I know people warn about over corn eating but there's not much I can do about keeping them out of the lots and plus they enjoy being free birds everyday on our 10 acre farm. I'm going to try supplemental lighting this year for more eggs and worried that I may need to give them some more colories in there coop (especially for those really terrible nights that I can't get back there to open the coop until afternoon)

Sounds like you've got the cold figured out very well. Being from the Sioux Fall area myself, I know exactly what kind of the winter you deal with! As far as what they're eating, I say if it ain't broke, don't fix it! So they're getting more corn than some say they should have - seems like they're doing fine so why worry? If you are planning supplemental lighting, just set the timer so it comes on way before dawn. Some say to have it come on before sunset and stay on til 8 or so, then on again before the sun comes up. But that plunges them into unexpected darkness at night instead of gradually dimming light, and they can get caught unable to get to the roost because they can't see.

 

[cricketmt]

Sounds like you've got the cold figured out very well. Being from the Sioux Fall area myself, I know exactly what kind of the winter you deal with! As far as what they're eating, I say if it ain't broke, don't fix it! So they're getting more corn than some say they should have - seems like they're doing fine so why worry? If you are planning supplemental lighting, just set the timer so it comes on way before dawn. Some say to have it come on before sunset and stay on til 8 or so, then on again before the sun comes up. But that plunges them into unexpected darkness at night instead of gradually dimming light, and they can get caught unable to get to the roost because they can't see.

That's smart....I hadn't considered that yet. Mine have been up on the roosts even with the inside light on when I go out in the evening. Days are getting short here and I wasn't sure how to deal with the "surprise! It's dark!" problem yet. Thank you!

 

[lindan3754]

This is my first winter with chickens and living in Southern California we sometimes get in low 40's we did get a new coop yellow house is night coop which is attached to there day run ....so will see how it goes . Anything I should no ? To be more prepared I No day run may not be totally water proofed will see ...

 

[Zores Mother]

Thank you for starting this post. I have been wondering what to do for the winter. We live in NE Texas (between Royse City and Greenville). I have 8 buff orpingtons. I purchased sleeping bags at a thrift store to staple to the inside of the coop along the walls for insulation. I hope this works. We normally don't get to cold here, but there are times we do have a few days of really cold weather. I also plan to put pine needles into the run to help with keeping there little feet out of the dirt.

Anybody else live out this way? Your ideas more welcome as I am new to this and have only had my girls since March of this year.

Thank you,

 

[TalkALittle]

Thank you for starting this post.  I have been wondering what to do for the winter.  We live in NE Texas (between Royse City and Greenville).  I have 8 buff orpingtons.  ​I purchased sleeping bags at a thrift store to staple to the inside of the coop along the walls for insulation.  I hope this works.  We normally don't get to cold here, but there are times we do have a few days of really cold weather. I also plan to put pine needles into the run to help with keeping there little feet out of the dirt.  

Anybody else live out this way?  Your ideas more welcome as I am new to this and have only had my girls since March of this year. 

Thank you,

What are the average winter temperatures in your area? What are the very lowest temperatures you get? What is your coop like? It seems as though your sleeping bag idea might block any ventilation you might have. You don't want to button them up so tightly that you compromise air quality or end up with high humidity in the coop.

 

[JackE]

Thank you for starting this post. I have been wondering what to do for the winter. We live in NE Texas (between Royse City and Greenville). I have 8 buff orpingtons. I purchased sleeping bags at a thrift store to staple to the inside of the coop along the walls for insulation. I hope this works. We normally don't get to cold here, but there are times we do have a few days of really cold weather. I also plan to put pine needles into the run to help with keeping there little feet out of the dirt.

Anybody else live out this way? Your ideas more welcome as I am new to this and have only had my girls since March of this year.

Thank you,

Your Buffs don't need any help, to keep warm. They can easily handle cold weather, you will never see in Texas. The coop doesn't need to be insulated either. The chickens already come with perfect insulation of their own, and really don't need any "Help" from us. Whats the benefit of insulation, in a chicken coop, if the coop is well ventilated as it should be? The answer, NO benefit at all, just a waste of your time and money. They will probably tear those sleeping bags up, just for fun. Look at the pic below, the temp is just under 10F, and look at those Buffs looking out, and enjoying the day. That's right, the whole front wall is wide open, and that's the way it is, year round. Don't worry about your birds in cold weather. As long as they have a dry, WELL ventilated coop, they will be fine.

 

[vajjslayer09]

Your Buffs don't need any help, to keep warm. They can easily handle cold weather, you will never see in Texas. The coop doesn't need to be insulated either. The chickens already come with perfect insulation of their own, and really don't need any "Help" from us. Whats the benefit of insulation, in a chicken coop, if the coop is well ventilated as it should be? The answer, NO benefit at all, just a waste of your time and money. They will probably tear those sleeping bags up, just for fun. Look at the pic below, the temp is just under 10F, and look at those Buffs looking out, and enjoying the day. That's right, the whole front wall is wide open, and that's the way it is, year round. Don't worry about your birds in cold weather. As long as they have a dry, WELL ventilated coop, they will be fine.

thats a very nice coop snow and rain doesnt blow back in it tho?? does it have electric?? if not how do u keep water from freezing???just a newb lookin for advice

 

[JackE]

thats a very nice coop snow and rain doesnt blow back in it tho?? does it have electric?? if not how do u keep water from freezing???just a newb lookin for advice

In the warmer months, when all the windows are open, some rain can blow in. I stress, SOME. It may get damp under the windows. Never back in the roost area. But within a day after the rain event, the coop totally drys out with no problem In the winter, the other windows are closed, except for the open front. As there is no other openings, the wind does not have a path through the coop, so nothing more than a dusting of snow,(If even that) gets into the coop. Yes, electric has been run out to the coop. It is used to power up a cookietin water fount heater. And that's it, no other heaters, or lamps. One of these days, I'm going to install a light with a switch, so I don't have to use a flashlight at night. It's on my list, just gotta get to it.

 

[vajjslayer09]

In the warmer months, when all the windows are open, some rain can blow in. I stress, SOME. It may get damp under the windows. Never back in the roost area. But within a day after the rain event, the coop totally drys out with no problem In the winter, the other windows are closed, except for the open front. As there is no other openings, the wind does not have a path through the coop, so nothing more than a dusting of snow,(If even that) gets into the coop. Yes, electric has been run out to the coop. It is used to power up a cookietin water fount heater. And that's it, no other heaters, or lamps. One of these days, I'm going to install a light with a switch, so I don't have to use a flashlight at night. It's on my list, just gotta get to it.

you could get one of the led lights u just put batteries in and stick it to the wall..can u close the windows up if u want?

 

[lazy gardener]

That's smart....I hadn't considered that yet. Mine have been up on the roosts even with the inside light on when I go out in the evening. Days are getting short here and I wasn't sure how to deal with the "surprise! It's dark!" problem yet. Thank you!

I light my coop in the evening to boost egg production. "they say" it should be done before dawn to prevent the bed time surprise of sudden lights out. But, my girls are fast learners. They're always on the roost before lights out. I prefer not to have my roo crowing at 2:30 AM, which would be happening if I had light only in the morning. After the time change, I'll have lights on at 6:30 AM - 10:00AM, and then on again 3:30 PM - 8:30 PM for the 14 hours that they need.

This is my first winter with chickens and living in Southern California we sometimes get in low 40's we did get a new coop yellow house is night coop which is attached to there day run ....so will see how it goes

. Anything I should no ? To be more prepared I No day run may not be totally water proofed will see ...

Any windows in that coop? If not, I recommend that you cut in some windows, and be sure they are secured with 1/2" hardware cloth for predator security.

Your Buffs don't need any help, to keep warm. They can easily handle cold weather, you will never see in Texas. The coop doesn't need to be insulated either. The chickens already come with perfect insulation of their own, and really don't need any "Help" from us. Whats the benefit of insulation, in a chicken coop, if the coop is well ventilated as it should be? The answer, NO benefit at all, just a waste of your time and money. They will probably tear those sleeping bags up, just for fun. Look at the pic below, the temp is just under 10F, and look at those Buffs looking out, and enjoying the day. That's right, the whole front wall is wide open, and that's the way it is, year round. Don't worry about your birds in cold weather. As long as they have a dry, WELL ventilated coop, they will be fine.

Jack, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your coop.