Can You Keep Young (8 wk) Chickens in Freezing Climates?

[chickens really]

Quote: I do not see why not??
Just get your Coop set up and be prepared for things that might not work.....Once Chicks are feathered they are tough little buggers...I know and have friends that do not heat their coops here in Alberta...I for one do heat mine...Not hot by no means..About 3 to 5 degrees Celsius all winter..ENOUGH TO KEEP MY WATER FROM FREEZING..

Thanks for enjoying my info....I only know what works for me...

Cheers!

 

[Marilynn]

Thank you everyone. I only have one coop and I have three hens that my Reds will not except. I have tried twice and both times they pinned them down and just pecked on them. So I put them back in the extra dog run I have. They have been there almost all summer and I tried the other day and I got the same results. I have a large square dog house in there and today my husband put a roost in and I put a box for the one that doesn't roost. I plan on putting Styrofoam planes on the north side and on the east side of the fencing and I'm just going to hope for the best. The bottom of the dog house is filled with pine shaving. I'll put a cover over the opening. I think a canvas tarp will work better then one of those you buy at Lowe's.
Marilynn

 

[Mrs. K]

just a note: They will eat styrofoam, so you need to cover it, maybe you are, but I was not sure.

 

[QueenMisha]

just a note: They will eat styrofoam, so you need to cover it, maybe you are, but I was not sure.

Quite right... my childhood coop was purchased from a goose owner so it had exposed styrofoam panels on the roof (too high for the geese to reach so they never covered them)... chickens ate it right up. Didn't lose any but doubt it was good for them. Stupid birds think the stuff tastes delicious.

 

[Marilynn]

I never thought about them eating the Styrofoam. I'm just worried about them. I could put the Styrofoam on the outside of the fencing? Maybe? Well, I'll think of something.
Thank you so much for answering me.
M

 

[QueenMisha]

I never thought about them eating the Styrofoam. I'm just worried about them. I could put the Styrofoam on the outside of the fencing? Maybe? Well, I'll think of something.
Thank you so much for answering me.
M

Just make sure they can't see it. You could board it up, heck even just staple some shade cloth over it.

 

[Marilynn]

I have a huge roll of the black stuff you use in pond pots or the flower beds. Thank you, GOOD IDEA. It is getting chilly now so I'll work on it next week. I also asked my husband to please put some cinder blocks under the dog house to make it a little higher. I took out the roosts I had in the fencing and they slept on top of the board that covers the rabbit cage. I took out the board and the rabbit cage. So they slept on top of the dog house. I just came in from putting them inside the dog house and when I left they were still inside. So much for that.
M

 

[KatyushaB]

Started working on the coop the other day. Today I'm gonna try to build the walls. I don't know if it'd be ready by winter but I think making progress is still gonna be a good idea.

EDIT: It looks smaller in the picture then it actually is.

 

[aart]

Nice!
What are the dimensions?

 

[KatyushaB]

6 by 4. I'm building my coop out of a book (with some adjustments of my own). The book says it can fit 12 chickens but it probably means: "Can fit 12 chickens with discomfort' I'm only getting eight so it should be good enough.