Winter is coming...What is left on your to-do list?

[alwaystj9]

Although our winters are generally mild, I still have to do a little prep.
I have to reroof one of the smaller coops. I have a fraying tarp on it now (I know, I was being lazy) I noticed all the tiedowns are swinging freely in the breeze so it's past time. I usually use corrugated wood strips under tin roof panels attached with roofing nails. I think I am going to step into the modern era and use fiberglass panels and some kind of adhesive. I couldn't find the corrugated strips anywhere and had to get the local hardware to order them.
I also need to take down the poultry netting, clear off all the leaves and sticks, then put it all back up. I need to find some taller helpers...this job is a major PITA.
I will accept any advice on the poultry netting job!

 

[rosemarythyme]

That's why I only rake once - after all the leaves have fallen, otherwise it's a neverending rinse and repeat

I tried that one year, but because I gather up dried leaves for storage, the leaves don't dry out on their own if I let them get too thick, so now I gather as I go until I just get tired of it. I leave about a third in place to compost down into the grass and gardens.

 

[fluffycrow]

I'm done !

 

[Sally PB]

We have oak trees. They shed forever. Then they drop the last of the leaves in the spring when the new leaves come out.

 

[fluffycrow]

Me too. Then again the extent of my winterization is simply: 1) make sure there's still some wood chips in the run and 2) plug in the heated waterer. So most years it's just #2.

I'll continue dumping leaves in the run but it's less about adding to the run litter and more about getting rid of leaves, so not quite the same.

Mine was: 1: put tarps over certain areas of the pens, leaving ample space for proper ventilation 2: place a flat roosting bar in the pen that needs one oh and I almost forgot number three . 3: have the pep talk with Ursula (the silkie feathered girl) about her affinity with water and the inherent issue with this

 

[rosemarythyme]

I agree about them not drying out well if they get to thick. I use these bags to collect and store leaves etc plus empty chicken feed bags. I thought because they were inexpensive they wouldn't last but I've had them 2 seasons now and they're still like new. Saves a lot by not having to buy bedding and the chickens love getting leaves to play in especially when the weather is lousy and they don't get to go out.

I use paper feed bags and paper lawn waste bags. They generally last 2 seasons,d depending on if they get damp at all (either from leaves that aren't fully dry, or from water dripping into the greenhouse), are free/cheap, and are compostable afterwards.

Sometimes when it snows I get lazy and just dump a bag of leaves on the snow rather than shovel.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Here we go New England winter coming in quick. Mornings have been around mid 20's and the girls show their displeasure by coming out and all standing super still like a bunch of statues! I always make a little mash with their feed, oatmeal, BOSS, and warm water. I make sure everyone gets a big bite and then i wait to see how everyone reacts. Eventually everyone starts walking around and being normal. Good. As for the coop prep for winter: I wrap the coop in green house white tarp and get the winter water-ers out and plug them in. I also gather as many leaves as I can and pack those away for when the white stuff comes. Good luck everyone! I already had one mishap when I dropped my electric water-er and it cracked. I have a back up that I hope works cause not wanting to spend $50 on a new one. During winter the gals get more grubs and anything with some extra protein (gals love to molt in the winter!) pics from this morning (2 freezing hens), lol

 

[DLA]

I tried that one year, but because I gather up dried leaves for storage, the leaves don't dry out on their own if I let them get too thick, so now I gather as I go until I just get tired of it. I leave about a third in place to compost down into the grass and gardens.

I agree about them not drying out well if they get to thick. I use these bags to collect and store leaves etc plus empty chicken feed bags. I thought because they were inexpensive they wouldn't last but I've had them 2 seasons now and they're still like new. Saves a lot by not having to buy bedding and the chickens love getting leaves to play in especially when the weather is lousy and they don't get to go out.

 

[DLA]

just need to swap out the shade cloth for a queen of tarps and insulate the floor of the coop when i reset it next. and of course sweep the leaves off the roof and then into the run, eighty or ninety more times
i wish i was exaggerating, buuuut its a mast year and its a big leaf maple. so loads of leaves all bigger than my face lol

I didn't know what a mast year was and I've never seen a big leaf maple. I looked both up. Very interesting! and wow those leaves are huge!! Thanks for sharing.
I have mostly norway maple (lots of those), a couple silver maple, one sugar maple and one crimson king purple maple. the norway maple produce seeds every year and all have leaves that don't get much bigger than my hand, the rest have leaves smaller than that. I can't imagine having to clean up leaves so big. The only thing I have that gets leaves even close to that size is northern catalpa trees and even they aren't that big.

 

[alwaystj9]

just need to swap out the shade cloth for a queen of tarps and insulate the floor of the coop when i reset it next. and of course sweep the leaves off the roof and then into the run, eighty or ninety more times
i wish i was exaggerating, buuuut its a mast year and its a big leaf maple. so loads of leaves all bigger than my face lol

So I had to look up "Mast Year".
"Every few years, some species of trees and shrubs produce a bumper crop of their fruits or nuts. The collective term for these fruits and nuts is 'mast', so we call this a mast year."
So I learned something! Not a term I have heard down here in the south. My acorn amounts seem normal but I have a bumper crop of pecans!