Alright y'all, I want to hear how you are all winterizing your coops!!

[Pozees]

Just to make sure...you will have vents open for winter as well? If the coop is air-tight moisture combined with cold causes frostbite, and may cause respiratory distress. No one wants to breathe in their own CO2

Absolutely, just want to be able to close them in extreme weather, and we will be making them horizontal sliders so they can be partially closed.

 

[adgcountrygirl]

Our coop is an open air coop, but it has a solid roof and a windbreak on the North wall. Last year we did this and only used one heat lamp. We used the deep-litter method which was easy until Spring Cleaning. It kept the drinking water, combs and wattles from freezing, and I even got eggs from time to time even though that was not my concern. I can live without eggs during their resting period, so long as they are healthy and happy. As long as your chickens are adults and are able to stay dry, you don't really need all that much heat even in freezing weather. (I know this is hard for those of us who baby our birds... believe me, it took my husband a very long time to convince me too.) My husband told me about a truck that turned over near their house. It was transporting chickens. The owners managed to catch all but one rooster. The rooster stayed on his family's ranch for the rest of his life. He roosted in an old Oak tree, and even lived through a blizzard. I guess it is possible for Texas blizzards to be warmer than say Colorado, but either way, I was impressed. Last year our coop roof leaked in 2 spots, but everyone was fine, so this year I'm not at all worried.

 

[LOTSAGIRLS8]

THANK YOU, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF PICS WITH CHICKENS RUNNING AROUND IN THE SNOW. I THINK I WORRY TOO MUCH.

 

[BGinVA]

I live in Central VA and honestly I'm not doing anything. I don't do anything special for my outdoor dogs come winter except ensure if we have a long cold spell that they have unfrozen water available. As someone else mentioned chickens have done just fine for many generations without modern day conveniences. I will just monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary.

 

[Jenny1]

Yeah... our Phoenix winters are pretty rough... someitmes we get a light frost. Maybe I will knit them all little Snuggies- its a blanket with sleeves!

 

[blondiebee181]

Yeah... our Phoenix winters are pretty rough... someitmes we get a light frost. Maybe I will knit them all little Snuggies- its a blanket with sleeves!

Bwahaaaaa!!! I'm having hilarious images of chickens wearing snuggies and sitting on their little couches watching Wheel of Fortune with hot cocoa while it blizzards outside!

 

[blondiebee181]

On a somewhat related note, does anyone know whay 2-3 of my hens are trying to roost for the night on top of the coop instead of inside? They only recently started doing this, and the coop has plenty of room for 5 hens...I really don't want to have to tromp out there at 8:30 when it starts to get really cold to stuff them in like I've been doing....

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

They want to fall asleep looking at the stars? No, seriously, they want to be as high up as possible and are trying it out. They might be liking it too, so figure out a way to deny them this fun before it becomes an ingrained habit.

 

[Jenny1]

Could you put something slippery on top, like newspaper so that when they land on it they fall off? (I am picturing the newspaper sliding too, and being held up by a small pebble or something...

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Do you have a garden hose? Actually, not knowing your coop and set up, makes it hard to offer much. If the coop is in an enclosed run I wouldn't worry about it. I've had chickens roost on top after missing curfew, and found them perfectly OK up there,surrounded by a snowdrift. They do pretty well in the cold...imagine going outside in the winter...wrapped in a down filled sleeping bag...not too uncomfortable actually.