Winter is almost here!! Share your tips and tricks for coping the elements with your chickens!

[RodNTN]

I usually just make sure my birds have ventilation, lots of pine shavings, unfrozen waterers, cracked corn or scratch feed, lots of layer pellets, greens, a covered run to keep out snow, and my birds are good to go.
I usually get 4-7 inches of snow and lots of windy BITTER cold nights. In January and February (those are the coldest months) the temperature can get down to the 20s (sometimes lower!) A year or two ago it was below zero and my chickens made it through that. I have very cold hardy birds. When it gets bitter my Silkie usually just snuggles down into a nice warm nesting box or corner. I don't use hay or straw for my birds. But I just got eight White Leghorns this spring and its my first winter with a non cold hardy breed. But I have 20 other birds with my Leghorns so I'm sure they'll stay warm. (I hope!

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[Braxton Brigade]

hey guys I'm new to the page and its my first winter...i just started raising them Feb. i have 19 chickens from 3 leg horns 3 black and 2 red sex links 3 rhode island reds a white rock, 2 spekled sussex and 4 that are mix..that just my layers in 30×30 area of the yard with a 8×8 coop framed with 2×4...my main concern is I have three 6×6 lots with one having 1 roo 2 hen porcelain duccle...one with 5 hens 2 roo Seramas and the other has 3 Millie duccle hen and 1 roo. they all have lil 3×3 coops 3 foot off the ground with 2×2 legs...I'm really concerned with them staying warm...i breed them for sale...i have 3 amaricana hens and roo i also breed for sale...and 1 boy and girl Silkie...any ideals on my lil ones staying warm..i just live in harriman tn so the average lowest low is 35 at night it gets colder but not alot...

Indoor brooding or a heat source of some sort will be required of any little ones (unless they are under a broody).

 

[heatherco]

This is my first year for chickens. We are in Northern Colorado. We got the chicks late July So they are still getting their feathers. We have a heating pad and since it gets freezing cold I purchased a radiant heater that turns off at a certain temp. We keep it in low. We added to the coop so the covered part is 5x4x4 and added some cardboard on the north facing wall. The coop has ventilation on the north facing wall as well as some small gaps. We are using a mixture of sand with some straw for them to nest in. We also have some roosting bars but they don't use them. They prefer to cuddle in the nesting box and sleep. We extended their run under a trampoline and will tarp it as well when the snow begins. We have also added tattoo to the east facing side and South facing side. Once the cold weather comes in We will tarp the north and west sides as well. My concern is water. Everyone has an opinion on if you keep out inside the coop or not. If I have good ventilation is it a problem to keep a small water bowl inside? I've also heard that you should put Vaseline on their combs to keep them from getting frostbite. How often do you apply it? We are also looking at growing fodder for them. I have 4 chickens.

 

[Mrs. K]

July chicks should have their feathers, and not need additional heat.

Remember to keep chickens dry, not warm. Dry chickens are warm chickens, even at -20 degrees. When you start adding heat, there is a terrible temptation to lock things up tight to keep the heat in, and that traps moisture. Much better to open ventilation and keep them dry in fresh air.

As for water, I use black rubber bowls, I have two. I fill one, and keep it outside. The black rubber will keep it pretty open if in the sun most of the day. Chickens do not drink in the middle of the night. Once it gets dark, they are roosted up until day light. By having two bowls, in the cold snap, I will flip the frozen bowl over upside down. The sun on it, will melt it enough to loosen the block of ice, and it falls out. The next morning, I flip the other bowl, and put warm water in the first one. Saves stomping, unless you get really cloudy days.

In very severe cold weather, add more scratch. Scratch is an energy food. Energy is what they need to stay warm.

Mrs K

 

[wamtazlady]

I usually get 4-7 inches of snow and lots of windy BITTER cold nights. In January and February (those are the coldest months) the temperature can get down to the 20s (sometimes lower!) A year or two ago it was below zero and my chickens made it through that. I have very cold hardy birds.

When the temperatures are in the 20s I don't even bother to close the window of the coop unless it's really windy. Even my 2 week old chicks were running around, eating, and drinking when it was 28 degrees a few weeks ago. As someone said earlier, chickens are a lot hardier than many people believe.

 

[wamtazlady]

This is my first year for chickens. We are in Northern Colorado. We got the chicks late July So they are still getting their feathers. We have a heating pad and since it gets freezing cold I purchased a radiant heater that turns off at a certain temp. We keep it in low. We added to the coop so the covered part is 5x4x4 and added some cardboard on the north facing wall. The coop has ventilation on the north facing wall as well as some small gaps. We are using a mixture of sand with some straw for them to nest in. We also have some roosting bars but they don't use them. They prefer to cuddle in the nesting box and sleep. We extended their run under a trampoline and will tarp it as well when the snow begins. We have also added tattoo to the east facing side and South facing side. Once the cold weather comes in We will tarp the north and west sides as well. My concern is water. Everyone has an opinion on if you keep out inside the coop or not. If I have good ventilation is it ra problem to keep a small water bowl inside? I've also heard that you should put Vaseline on their combs to keep them from getting frostbite. How often do you apply it? We are also looking at growing fodder for them. I have 4 chickens.

Your chickens do not need a heater. In fact, there is a greater chance of them dying from a fire from that heater than there is of them getting sick from the cold. My 13 girls were averaging 10 eggs a day when it was -10 last winter. I am in northern Montana so it gets cold here. Whole kernel corn was a great treat for them before bed.

Not a good idea to let them sleep in the nesting box. You might want to put boxes or something in the nesting boxes so they can't get in them at night. If they get used to sleeping there, it'll make your eggs dirty because they'll poop in the boxes all night long. You really don't want to have to wash the eggs as it will remove the bloom that helps protect the eggs from bacteria.

The best roosting bars for a cold climate are 2 x 4's with the 4 inch side up. That way they can cover their feet with their bodies and keep their toes toasty warm during the night.

I have a 6 by 8 foot coop. My vents are 2 1' by 3' vents under the eaves on opposite sides plus a 2' by 2' foot vent and the pop door. There probably should be more vents but the window never fogged up so it seemed to work.

I have never used Vaseline. My chickens don't get handled. I'd have to go out there at night to put that on their combs. Last year I only had one rooster that got a couple spots of frost bite on his comb. It wasn't bad enough to worry about. I have heard that the Vaseline does help. I think people who use it put it on about once a week.

I was just watching youtube about how to do fodder. It's sounds like a really good idea.

 

[birdladiusa]

I saw a guy on you tube explain draft vs. Ventilation using strings. Very intesting. Maine here.

 

[NorthWestSHTF]

Looks like you all have given some good tips out there.......
One I have not seen since I haven't read completely thru all the responses is the need for enough "light" in the day for the chickens to have proper laying habits. I had an issue the first few winters when the days were short and the nights were long. I started to see fewer and fewer eggs being produced. I couldn't understand why!
They weren't molting.......?
They weren't sick........?
They had plenty of food and water which was being consumed......
They , all but a few of the 60 chickens that I had stopped laying eggs???
This went on for weeks....
Well , it came down to economics!
The cost of food vs egg production....

Getting 3 to 5 eggs a day out of 60+ birds was not gonna fly!
So I started asking around to some of the other local farmers and ranchers in my area.
I talked to this one Ole fella.....he asked if they were getting enough light during the day.......?
I said , well as much as the Sun has to offer in any given day?
He told me that when the days grow shorter and the nights longer the chickens will slow down on there laying production. ....IF..you don't give them enough Light during normal day time hours!
I said..What!!! Seriously! !
He looked at me like I was Stupid

He said just put a drop light in the coop with a single bulb and leave it on for 12 hours during normal daylight hours.
So I did!

By God! He was right!
Within a few days ....egg production started to increase!

Soon I was seeing 30....40....50...+ eggs a day! Hot ****!
I gave that Ole fella a few dozen eggs that next month!
So......to make a Long story short!
Add supplemental lighting to your coop!
Now I just have a "bright Daylight white" CFL bulb that takes much less energy to use....and the chickens lay eggs right on thru the cold short winter days...Good Luck to you all!

 

[MollySunshine]

I saw a guy on you tube explain draft vs. Ventilation using strings. Very intesting. Maine here.

I just viewed this explanation. I found it quite helpful. I am thinking that perhaps I will hang random string in the beginning as a gauge to determine how I'm doing.

 

[Griffin6659]

...

I just viewed this explanation.  I found it quite helpful.  I am thinking that perhaps I will hang random string in the beginning as a gauge to determine how I'm doing.  
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what was the video named