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

[RodNTN]

(That's my coop in the back

).

 

[CuzChickens]

That is a pretty picture, it looks like a little cabin in the woods!

 

[Griffin6659]

I know somebody that lives in Alberta! I have thought about getting those nipples, let me know how you like them.

I found these on eBay are the what you referre to as horizontal ones

 

[Griffin6659]

This is the vent holes i left do they need to be different

 

[wamtazlady]

I found these on eBay are the what you referre to as horizontal ones

Those are NOT horizontal nipples. Here are horizontal nipples
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=HORIZONTAL+POULTRY+WATERING+NIPPLES

The ones in your picture will freeze up fast. The water sits in the bottom of them, exposed to the cold.

 

[wamtazlady]

This is the vent holes i left do they need to be different

Those are awfully small vents, but it's hard to tell how large they are by just looking at these picture. Also, will rain and snow blow in them? Your eaves don't seem very big. My main vents are 1' by 3 ' covered by hardware cloth on opposite sides of the coop, under the 2 foot eave overhang. Another vent I have is 2' by 2' covered by hardward cloth in the back of the coop where there is no wind and also protected by the large eave and my house. So far the vents seem to be working although I was worried I didn't have enough.

 

[Griffin6659]

I didn't think those were the nipples that they was more cups cause the others are lil circles they peck

 

[Griffin6659]

Those are awfully small vents, but it's hard to tell how large they are by just looking at these picture.  Also, will rain and snow blow in them?  Your eaves don't seem very big.  My main vents are 1' by 3 ' covered by hardware cloth on opposite sides of the coop, under the 2 foot eave overhang.  Another vent I have is 2' by 2' covered by hardward cloth in the back of the coop where there is no wind and also protected by the large eave and my house.  So far the vents seem to be working although I was worried I didn't have enough. 

There only 2inch wide My coop is 8 foot by 8 foot and 8 foot tall there's a door on that wall and there's one on the left I was thinking about cutting a 1 foot by 1 foot door at the bottom of the one in the picture so that as much air couldn't get in this winter and only they could walk in and out of it...what do you suggest

 

[crealbilly]

What the best/most economical way to keep this double walled steel waterer unfrozen during the winter? The waterer is kept outside, holds 5 gallons of water, I live on southern IL, temps get into the single digits and I have electricity.

 

[bobbi-j]

What the best/most economical way to keep this double walled steel waterer unfrozen during the winter? The waterer is kept outside, holds 5 gallons of water, I live on southern IL, temps get into the single digits and I have electricity.

If you have electricity, you might want to consider a heated dog dish.