Winter is Coming! Checklists, tips, advice for a newbie

[EggShelli]

Thank you Alaskan! All good info - I will keep an eye on them. Funny thing, though. They frequently huddle together, even when it's warm. Like yesterday I went out to check on them - and it's 60 degrees - and they are all in a tiny bunch against the wall. As soon as they hear me, they run around everywhere making welcome noises, but if I sneak up on them, they are usually huddled. I can see them from the window at night and they seem to move around a lot when it's dark.

I have had a light on in the coop for the two nights they've been in there - is that a good or bad thing? Should they have complete dark if no heat lamp is needed? They seem like such babies yet, so I'm trying to make sure they stay safe and happy!

 

[MEMama3]

Thank you Alaskan!  All good info - I will keep an eye on them.  Funny thing, though. They frequently huddle together, even when it's warm. Like yesterday I went out to check on them - and it's 60 degrees - and they are all in a tiny bunch against the wall.  As soon as they hear me, they run around everywhere making welcome noises, but if I sneak up on them, they are usually huddled.  I can see them from the window at night and they seem to move around a lot when it's dark.

I have had a light on in the coop for the two nights they've been in there - is that a good or bad thing? Should they have complete dark if no heat lamp is needed? They seem like such babies yet, so I'm trying to make sure they stay safe and happy!

Red light is better for heat because it doent distrupt sleep patterns. White light is frequently used to extend daylight hours to promote egg laying. Since your girls are so young, you don't need white light.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

So Bogtown Chick, what you are saying is my roosts are too high? Even though they have room to "fly" to the ground and have thick bedding for a soft landing?

Boy it looks cozy in there. You might be okay. I had a Rooster lose a toe after he had broken it first...and it just couldn't stay warm enough with the injury and it froze off. My problem was that the roost was too high and he caught the toe on a 2x4 of the framework of the coop I'm sure. Too much momentum and weight coming down. Those are just my strict guidelines now after all my hulla-balloo last winter.

 

[minmin1258]

Oh ok. I don't want to endanger my girls or Redman. Thank you for the info appreciate your input.

 

[wantedman66]

Thank you Alaskan!  All good info - I will keep an eye on them.  Funny thing, though. They frequently huddle together, even when it's warm. Like yesterday I went out to check on them - and it's 60 degrees - and they are all in a tiny bunch against the wall.  As soon as they hear me, they run around everywhere making welcome noises, but if I sneak up on them, they are usually huddled.  I can see them from the window at night and they seem to move around a lot when it's dark.

I have had a light on in the coop for the two nights they've been in there - is that a good or bad thing? Should they have complete dark if no heat lamp is needed? They seem like such babies yet, so I'm trying to make sure they stay safe and happy!

I agree with alaskin I don't use heat lamps either but at that age and with a drastic temp drop like that you have to be care because chickens can catch colds and there immunity is not 100% yet, just keep it high enough where they can stay comfortable from the cold.Also you don't want them to warm because it will lower there resistance to the cold,and as far as the huddling together that is very normal because they are social animals and like the conact with eachother,good luck and welcome!!!

 

[K Epp]

Thank you Alaskan!  All good info - I will keep an eye on them.  Funny thing, though. They frequently huddle together, even when it's warm. Like yesterday I went out to check on them - and it's 60 degrees - and they are all in a tiny bunch against the wall.  As soon as they hear me, they run around everywhere making welcome noises, but if I sneak up on them, they are usually huddled.  I can see them from the window at night and they seem to move around a lot when it's dark.

I have had a light on in the coop for the two nights they've been in there - is that a good or bad thing? Should they have complete dark if no heat lamp is needed? They seem like such babies yet, so I'm trying to make sure they stay safe and happy!

What part of the country are you located. I'm in the south and our temps are up and down. I keep a heat lamp in my coop, but don't use it unless we have weather like you are expecting. I believe the fast change is hard on them expecially as young as your babies are. I would at least get one up and running so if you do need it you won't be out in the cold trying to get it going. I also zip tie my lamp about a zillion times so there is no danger in it falling.

 

[TulsaChick]

So I found my first small mouse in the coop tonight. Will it spook the hens?

 

[Hokum Coco]

Hens eat mice.

 

[Alaskan]

Hens eat mice.

Mine don't seem to be fast enough.

I saw a vole hop into their feeder, grab a mouthful and then scamper across the shed floor and none of my hens even blinked.

 

[Hokum Coco]

My Golden Comets would play foot ball with a mouse. They would be on it like white on rice to coin a phrase. It death would be torturous.