Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[bobbi-j]

I told this guy one time that I grew chickens.......... he said how do you grow chickens.............. I said the key was to plant them in the ground head first.

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

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[armorfirelady]

Well, let me be tactful and at the same time forthright. How's that for a tight rope act? LOL

Are your hens large fowl? Are we to assume you've not kept birds through a NY winter yet? You are in the snowiest place on earth!!! Just south of Buffalo. LOL Well, I know that there are different "snow belts" in that region, but still. I live in an awful cold valley. We're colder than most of the Upper Peninsular, on statistical averages. We get 100" of snow, on average, but still, you get more, I'll bet. Here's a photo of just a normal, winter day on our barn. Don't know the temps that day, but I'd guess around ZeroF.




Now try to imagine a 4 foot drift virtually covering your little coop, with a nice 8 day streak of single digit weather rolling in behind it. How are the birds going to cope being stuck for days and days in the coop? I find myself asking these questions. I sincerely hope you hear my questions are genuine concern and not some kind of put down.

They are 15 week old Partrige Rock pullets & have never seen a Buffalo winter. Yes we are known as the snowiest area around. I tend to get hit with the snow that hits the southern snowbelt and the city as well since I am near Lake Erie and the lake effect machine seems to think where my house is a good place to drop snow.

That area where the coop is does not normally get high drifts with the veggie garden in front of it and the wind tends to blow the drifts in a different direction. As for temps we can range from the 20s-30s and can have a few days in the zeros but thats usually the wind chill's fault.

I do have a few pieces of insulation covered with plywood on 2 inside walls of the coop to give them some protection. And I plan of having plenty of straw in the coop for the winter. As of now they all fit on one roost at night. I have 2 roosts in there plus the nest boxes are attached on far side (where garage door is) There are 2 ventilation holes for them plus the roof has some where it doesnt meet the sides (manufacturer made that way) So I dont think moisture will be a problem.

I have no problem putting a tarp/plwood cover on top of the run or even the side of the smaller run where you see the pvc pipe to block the snow/wind. Thats probably the spot that will get the most wind. But that area also gets the most sun as well since its there from sunrise till about1 or 2 pm.

Are you suggesting Fred I should make the coop/house larger for winter? I can easily close in the small run below the house for them for the winter. Their access tunnel runs from the small run to the larger one right there but I highly doubt that will allow feet of snow in the little run.

Someone had suggested putting hay bales around the perimeter of the run to block the snow & keep the wind out. Not all the way up to top of run but like 2 high.

I was thinking a heavy duty tarp on top of the large run to stop feet of snow from covering the run with hay/straw bales 2 high or 1 bale on its side around the large run to help block the wind.

Since you seem to get snow/cold there what are some suggestions that you have? As a newbie I welcome the advice of the OTC's since they have so much more experience than me

I guess I could always run them cable or get them some board games to keep them occupied

I want them to be safe & warm for the winter but not pampered......I am a one woman show.....I have other critters that need tending to!!

And Fred if I didnt want the OTC's straight up & truthful advice I would go to another thread where they primp & pamper their chickens. I want chickens not more house pets (Why would you put a bow in a chickens feathers??!)

 

[Fred's Hens]

OK, armed with your great information, I will venture make a few suggestions.

The cold isn't the issue. It just isn't. Rocks were bred in New England for goodness sake, so they aren't wusses. But, they get bored easily in winter. If you could manage a way to extend their run space to as large as you possibly can, I only see that as a good thing. As far as their sleeping quarters, be sure you have a roost that is 6' long. They'll want to roost side by side and 4 full grown Rocks take a foot of roost space per. You'll also need a freeze proof watering system. There are a great number to choose from. I simply use a heated dog dish, the jumbo size, and place a small bucket of water in it. Works great. Plus, I don't have to mess with water outdoors in freezing temps.

Lastly, is the human connection. The keeper must maintain pathways to and from the coop and have access to the eggs for collection. Collecting eggs, in the winter, is a twice a day job, unless you are fortunate enough to have all your birds be bing, bang, boom, done within an hour of each other. The keeper must also have a plan for clean up during the winter. It's all fun!! Well, not so fun. LOL

 

[thedragonlady]

How true............ most of us know more or less where are birds will be placed but that's not the part we enjoy the most. We enjoy seeing our friends we haven't seen all year and talk birds and such, now that is the real fun. I bet I may walk 10 miles in that dang show barn looking at birds and walking from area to area with our friends looking and talking shop, then it's a good lunch where the conversation is none other than birds LOL. You can learn more at one show than you can reading the BYC for 5 years heheheheee.

It's a shame that there are now so few 2 day shows. You barely have time to coop in now, before you're cooping out, it seems.Two day shows give you time to really talk to people, and to look at the birds. Great for new comers to be able to do that, as well as look at the placings, and learn.

 

[armorfirelady]

OK, armed with your great information, I will venture make a few suggestions.

The cold isn't the issue. It just isn't. Rocks were bred in New England for goodness sake, so they aren't wusses. But, they get bored easily in winter. If you could manage a way to extend their run space to as large as you possibly can, I only see that as a good thing. As far as their sleeping quarters, be sure you have a roost that is 6' long. They'll want to roost side by side and 4 full grown Rocks take a foot of roost space per. You'll also need a freeze proof watering system. There are a great number to choose from. I simply use a heated dog dish, the jumbo size, and place a small bucket of water in it. Works great. Plus, I don't have to mess with water outdoors in freezing temps.

Lastly, is the human connection. The keeper must maintain pathways to and from the coop and have access to the eggs for collection. Collecting eggs, in the winter, is a twice a day job, unless you are fortunate enough to have all your birds be bing, bang, boom, done within an hour of each other. The keeper must also have a plan for clean up during the winter. It's all fun!! Well, not so fun. LOL

I did my research and wanted hardy birds for our cold winters.
I eventually want to expand their run but thats a project for next spring. As of now I try very hard to let the girls out to range in the yard for at least an hour or so a day so they get some more room to run and some yummy bugs & such as well.
The house is not wide enough for a 6' roost. I have 2 2ft roosts in the house for them now. ANd those girls put out a lot of heat !!! When I do a head count before bed I like to scratch them & they are hot little hens in their house lol
I have a heated dog bowl I plan on using for the winter for them. I was going to put it in the small run under the house since that is where their pellets are located. (white pvc pipe in pic)
The coop is located right next to the house so I can easily shovel a path to the coop to check for eggs twice daily and check on them. As for clean up I am using the deep litter method so I figured some hay/straw/shavings on a daily basis will help with the snow ?

Do you think I should enclose the lower run around the coop for the winter? What about a tarp over the big run?

 

[fowlman01]

It's a shame that there are now so few 2 day shows. You barely have time to coop in now, before you're cooping out, it seems.Two day shows give you time to really talk to people, and to look at the birds. Great for new comers to be able to do that, as well as look at the placings, and learn.

Move to Cali......out of about 15 shows only 2 are one day shows. I don't like them. They are less expensive for the people who who have to stay over though.

w.

 

[loanwizard]

Al..... Al.... Al.... How could you lie to the poor fella? Planting Chickens head first are a sure way to A: get lopsided offspring as their necks are not strong enough to hold the body, much less the chicks. B: you cannot possibly get enough oxygen to the planted bird without that $1100.00 tubing system replete with goggles and patent pending chicken oxygen mask. C: you risk chicks with an inability to see in daylight due to the parent being eyes underground for 3 weeks.

Everyone knows you plant them feet first giving them a strong foundation. I thought you were a true Old Timer.... depressing. If you are going to dispense advice, at least make it plausible.

 

[JulieNKC]

Al..... Al.... Al.... How could you lie to the poor fella? Planting Chickens head first are a sure way to A: get lopsided offspring as their necks are not strong enough to hold the body, much less the chicks. B: you cannot possibly get enough oxygen to the planted bird without that $1100.00 tubing system replete with goggles and patent pending chicken oxygen mask. C: you risk chicks with an inability to see in daylight due to the parent being eyes underground for 3 weeks.

Everyone knows you plant them feet first giving them a strong foundation. I thought you were a true Old Timer.... depressing. If you are going to dispense advice, at least make it plausible.

But what about planting ostriches? Those go head first right, and preferably in sand?

 

[loanwizard]

Yes. Because of their size and propensity to pas gas, the preferred method of raising Ostrich is still both feet with the head in the sand for extra support and so they don't die of the smell.