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

[rudekoolaid]

I am very interested In this thread. Great tips so far. I live in East Tn. I have plans to add heat lamps and a digital thermometer to the inside of the coop. I have 23 chickens today Dom, RIR, olive eggers l, BCM, Americana and Polish

Following Thanks
Angela

 

[CuzChickens]

I am very interested In this thread. Great tips so far. I live in East Tn. I have plans to add heat lamps and a digital thermometer to the inside of the coop. I have 23 chickens today Dom, RIR, olive eggers l, BCM, Americana and Polish

Following Thanks
Angela

Welcome to the thread, Angela, I am glad you have found it to be helpful!

 

[cavemanrich]

I am very interested In this thread. Great tips so far. I live in East Tn. I have plans to add heat lamps and a digital thermometer to the inside of the coop. I have 23 chickens today Dom, RIR, olive eggers l, BCM, Americana and Polish

Following Thanks
Angela

I would be inclined to think that in your location, heat lamps for adult chickens of your breed should not be necessary. If you do decide to do it, here are my thoughts; Make sure that you do not create a fire hazard. Place in such fashion as not to overheat your chickens. Once you do start to provide heat, your chickens will be acclimated to such warmth, and loss of electricity and heat due to power outage or other could give you VERY UNSATISFACTORY results.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

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.

I just read a tip on my local or state thread from a person who is an experienced breeder to not use metal in the winter. Wattles and combs that may get wet...then stick to frosty metal. (Think of kids sticking their tongues to cold flag poles in the school yards.) She said she removed these in the winter as the birds would get sores and scabs on their wattles and combs from sticking to he metal. I use plastic founts and the cookie tin heater. I set it on a couple old bricks. Or you can find metal base heater (available at many farm and fleets) are what you need to keep founts open. I find the founts will freeze up beyond what the heaters can do at about -15F or so.

 

[rudekoolaid]

I would be inclined to think that in your location, heat lamps for adult chickens of your breed should not be necessary.  If you do decide to do it, here are my thoughts; [COLOR=FF0000] Make sure that you do not create a fire hazard.[/COLOR]  Place in such fashion as not to overheat your chickens.  Once you do start to provide heat, your chickens will be acclimated to such warmth, and loss of electricity and heat due to power outage or other could   give you VERY UNSATISFACTORY results. 

Thank you I am very new to chickens. I hatched mine starting around May with most recent are a week old(they are in my house). How low of a temperature is safe for them? Thanks again

 

[wamtazlady]

Thank you I am very new to chickens. I hatched mine starting around May with most recent are a week old(they are in my house). How low of a temperature is safe for them? Thanks again

My pullets were laying great when it was -10 here in northern Montana. In the forum members have said their chickens do fine in the -20s. With proper ventilation, food, and thawed water the birds are very cold hardy. Your new chicks should be fully feathered in about 8 weeks. You can gradually get them used to the cold over a week or so of time by leaving them out for longer periods of time.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We started to build the bantams hay bale tunnel to keep wind and snow from blowing in the pophole, and so it doesn't have to be closed every night, they are already enjoying it.

 

[rudekoolaid]

Wow thanks !

 

[Braxton Brigade]

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.

I just read a tip on my local or state thread from a person who is an experienced breeder to not use metal in the winter. Wattles and combs that may get wet...then stick to frosty metal. (Think of kids sticking their tongues to cold flag poles in the school yards.) She said she removed these in the winter as the birds would get sores and scabs on their wattles and combs from sticking to he metal. I use plastic founts and the cookie tin heater. I set it on a couple old bricks. Or you can find metal base heater (available at many farm and fleets) are what you need to keep founts open. I find the founts will freeze up beyond what the heaters can do at about -15F or so.

I tend to agree with @Bogtown Chick .

A plastic waterer sat on a tin water heater would do well.

 

[crealbilly]

I tend to agree with @Bogtown Chick
 .

A plastic waterer sat on a tin water heater would do well.

My experince only... but there isn't a plastic waterer on the market thats worth wasting money on and one that wont shatter, crack or split when it freezes in the dead of winter. Plastic become very brittle when it gets cold add in expansion of frozen water and its just a recipes for trouble. I wasted my money multiple times last year on plastic waterers, just plain garbage if you ask me.