Preparing Your Flock & Coop for WINTER

[RnRRidgerunner]

I have found that battery powered lights, at least the ones I have bought, are not reliable, if left out and exposed to single digit temps. In the pic I posted, the windows are shut. In the warmer months, the side windows slide open, and the upper windows are hinged at the top, and open out. The wire front, is ALWAYS open. I'll get to that light and switch someday. But right now, I'm like the one-legged man, at a butt kicking contest.

Hey JackE I have five of these led solar operated lights. They go on by motion and stay on up to 2 minutes or as long as you keep moving. lol I love them and if you get the Harbor freight warranty you are golden.
http://www.harborfreight.com/60-led-solar-security-light-69643.html

The battery lasts over a year so far, they have smaller ones but I like the 60 led one. I have one on the coop to ward off predators.

 

[RnRRidgerunner]

I'm from Virginia (the South). Our winters are cold and yes my chickens will eat the foam so I am using the clear vinyl to position on the run with about a five inch open around the top of the sides. My chicks love the run and I don't want to take all the ventilation from them. They have a closed in shelter with sort of a press wood paneling! I will be taking their feeding and watering containers inside for the winter. I leave the run open on both sides to grant them freedom to enjoy sunlight as desired. My husband and I are considering using heating bulbs but are afraid that if we don't use guards, they will peck them as they do everything.

CAUTION!! heating bulbs such as the ones for baby chicks are the number one cause of coop fires and if it is near a building it to could burn.

 

[mom98312]

winter in the PNW can be wetter rather than colder on the Western side of the state ... keeping things dry is my focus.. I tarped 1/3rd of their 30 foot run for them to have a dry nap area and dust baths. They seem to enjoy having the security of a tarp overhead and down the south side to keep the weather out.There was already chicken wire over the top of the run so the tarp easily laid over it and tied down with zip ties. I tossed in some Timothy hay for them to scratch through and some extra sand/ashes for dusting. there are two roosts at each corner to allow for some UP time and the gang seems very please with the improvements. The poor hens are molting and keeping them warm is a priority but also keeping them dry.

 

[OneACluck]

Faithfully have taken a list of supplies to buy for this. Too cool. Grit for one, calcium shavings for layers, and a couple for feeders. I only need the cap for the feeders.

i made these but my chickens still make a mess and scatter the food all over, how do i stop this ?

 

[kristalb]

Really interesting. Can you elaborate at all? Which products did you use? I looked at both sites and I am largely unfamiliar with these products. I will introduce the idea to my brother-in-law who is is an engineer, to get a little help with the project. But would love to know how you made it work in more detail! Thanks in advance.

 

[kristalb]

Both Auber Instruments and Omega have solutions for the concerns of using heating solutions. They work by providing a temperature probe for your water. This controls a relay which provides power to, for example, an extension cord your infra red lights plug into. When the water temp is too low, power comes on, and then turns off again when the water temp gets high enough. By keeping the high water temp low enough, you limit the amount of time the lights are on. The other nice thing about a solution such as this is that you don't have to be aware of when the temperature is changing. A little trial and error on a cold day and you can adjust the height of the lights; what the low temp should be (to trigger the lights to warm up the water faster than it can freeze), and the high water temp.

Really interesting. I'm new to this site, so not great with it yet. But per above comment would love a little more detail about how you made it work!

 

[HeatherTheMommy]

My run does not have a roof. It is covered wih fencing to keep hawks out. Will i have to shovel out snow in the winter?

 

[cometscowgirl]

Agreed. Last winter the temperatures dropped pretty low here. Granted I live in KY, but still it was below freezing and tons of snow. I was new to owning chickens and super concerned because we started building my chicken house and never managed to finish it. So instead they were living in a large dog crate at I wrapped with a tarp to keep the wind out in there coop. I was terrified the below zero temps would kill them, but they were fine. I made sure they had plenty of fresh water and food. I also made sure their bedding was dry and clean so that there little toes wouldn't get too cold. They did very well. I only four total. This year I managed to get their house built and I left one end slightly open for ventilation, but other wise it is pretty well enclosed. I will probably stick some hay in there this winter so it seems a little warmer. I never used anything to heat. Being I have such a small house It is awfully difficult to hang a light bulb or put a heater in it safely. I may consider the dog bowl heater if I can find one that is somehow battery operated. Running electricity to the coop can be a bit of a hassle.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Wait so are the lights necessary? Because I keep hearing the hours thing but then it seems others let the birds rest in winter and/or just don't have lights at all? So confused haha we only want a few eggs for us so not too concerned with them cranking all the time

 

[Sonya9]

OMG! When you said you shovel everyday I was thinking "sheeshers why not just walk on the snow" until I saw this! If I lived there (and I wouldn't, because of the snow) I would have thought about a covered walkway from the house to the runs! If the roofs didn't collapse it would be the "chicken snow caves" all winter long.