Beginner !!

[cmrogers0424]

Hey there me and my family are new to the chicken business, we only have 9 but have become apart of our family. We put plastic around their coop and fresh bedding. Is there any things else I need to do for my girls for cold weather? their coop is pretty insulated.

 

[chfite]

Where are you? What is the climate there?

 

[debid]

Careful about using plastic. If you button your coop up too tightly, the moisture can't escape and wet air that's chilly is much worse than dry air that's cold.

 

[hen101]

give them some apples they love apples at least mine do they love themselves so apples

 

[hen101]

be carfull about the plastic

 

[cmrogers0424]

We are in the north georgia mtns. Hiawassee GA its been really cold here for us right now. Our chickens seem to be doing good with the weather. They was down to 3 eggs aday and went up to 5 since we tried to fix their coop for winter.

 

[rikithemonk]

Your chickens should be good down to zero, as long as you have proper ventilation and roosting bars that let them keep their feet flat so they can cover their toes with their feathers. Roosting bars that they grip expose the toes to the cold and are difficult for the hen to insulate. Here in Florida, it seldom gets below 40, so I can't give advice on vasoline and its use on wattles for frost bite. Keep a close eye for issues by examining the birds for things that just don't look right.
.

Too little ventilation keeps in moisture and ammonia. This will cause respatory disease.

Riki

 

[debid]

We are in the north georgia mtns. Hiawassee GA its been really cold here for us right now. Our chickens seem to be doing good with the weather. They was down to 3 eggs aday and went up to 5 since we tried to fix their coop for winter.

Your weather probably isn't much different from TN. My coop isn't insulated and I don't cover vents for the winter. I shut the windows once we start getting night temps down into the 40s (the windows are at roost height) but will leave the venting above their heads open (6" at the top of two 8' walls) year-round. Last winter, I didn't have any condensation on the windows or frost on the walls which is AWESOME. No frostbitten anything and they kept laying right through the coldest weeks. Winter concerns here are making sure their water doesn't ice over and keeping the run from becoming a mud bath (I use huge quantities of fallen leaves for that).

 

[hen101]

can you post pics of your chickens

plzzzzz