Anyone with chickens can benefit from this detailed helpful article, especially for newbies, which I basically still am, with our little flock raised as newly hatched RIR’s, 2 yrs. ago. It’s very specific to doable methods that will help protect the flock inside the coop and outdoor run. This includes tips around snowfall and how it can impact not only their little feet but can keep the humans from easily accessing their territory. If someone has the opportunity to build or renovate a chicken house this article clearly will help in major ways. One example is how critical the roof design itself is, by the angle and position, whether or not it covers prime spaces like windows. Another most important subject is how to create enough ventilation areas high above the roosts in order to have air circulating yet not placing any gaps or spaces where cold air could blow directly into the chickens’ roosting areas. That is an issue year round, no matter the temperatures dipping, there must be a healthy amount of air flow. It’s helpful to check in here to learn more about those low temperatures, when to consider providing more protection like when your area has below zero or below 20 degrees F temperatures, so there are options, and some folks in more extreme freezing weather can possibly and do build their coop attached to a warmer building, whether a barn with other animals on other side of their area, next to a well house or even your actual house. As we all must learn it is never safe to use the plug-in standing or wall-mounted heaters. It’s simply not worth ever taking that risk of a fire and in most of our environments, like mine, Piedmont of N. C. where we do have real winter but the standard is around or above freezing, with lowest of 20 degrees F that normally comes and go. Speaking of freezing there are good tips around watering the girls and Roos.
I also like reading about how to address their winter-boredom and the simple but clever things that can help entertain while also providing wintertime food including creating a suet that helps them stay well and warm. It does make sense to toss dried leaves into the run on hand every so often as it keeps them curious and busy while helping protect their feet from any water and cold ground. Using wood chips and finding a local saw mill or other source is definitely on my to-do list!
Thanks for a great well-written article. By the way your landscape and views are stunning, makes me miss mountains and snow.
Best to all! Stay warm.
