Cold weather coop

[JackE]

Sure, you can waste your money on unneeded insulation, and needlessly run up your electric bill with heatlamps, (You could also burn your coop down with an unneeded heatlamp) Your choice, it's a free country, for the time being. ))
Jack

 

[Going Quackers]

Thanks everyone for the advice!! Here's a different question, with a cold hardy chicken in the winter what can you do to help with the production of eggs?

Some articles I've read say they stop in the winter. But having light in the morning to give them a long day will help. Anything else besides light?

Well i don't do anything, as i said i have a nice big window so the girls get whatever light there is, to give an idea i am averaging 2 eggs a day, mind you yesterday i got 3 some days i get 4.. it's definitely still winter, although we are seeing daylight past 4 'o clock.

I prefer to let the girls do what they can naturally, there only 8mths, i don't want to rush the process they only have so much laying in them, i have no desire to quicken this.

 

[Baker Farm]

I'm in eastern Ontario and my coop is not insulated. When I got my first 3 hens I had them penned in my garage with a light on a timer. I got an egg a day from all 3. Now I've got 6 hens in the coop, and since its almost 100 yards from the house and its off the grid production is a bit worse, bit I'll attribute that to the lack of light. I'll be setting up a solar lighting setup soon enough.

So far, my eaves are all still open to allow air flow to pass through and the birds don't seem to mind. Some day I might make an adjustable flap to choke down the air a bit, but lots of ventilation is good.

 

[bj taylor]

at times like this, reading this thread, it makes me grateful to live down south. i worry about my birds when it gets 30 degrees

. now come summer while y'all are taking it easy i'll be using every tactic possible to keep my girls from croaking.
my coop is inside a hoop house. the sides are hardware cloth on the inside of the coop. when i had chicks i used old drapes to pull across the open sides to minimize drafts.

 

[Baker Farm]

It gets pretty darn hot here in Ontario in the summer, and very humid. I think we get it bad winter and summer. I love spring and fall. Haha

 

[bj taylor]

yes, i agree. spring & fall are the best. i was surprised my girls survived last summer. it was nip & tuck for awhile. i get the impression (i'm no chicken expert), that chickens deal better w/cold. all that pretty down serves them well. i'm shocked people in alaska can raise chickens.

 

[lisamaasch]

I was wondering what you all do in the winter for bedding in the coop and then cleaning. We live in northern MN and we took an old concession stand and converted it into a coop. It works great but it still needs some modifications. I put hay down for the for bedding but man it freezes and it is a bugger to clean. I would love to hear what everyone else does. Thanks!

 

[Hokum Coco]

Check out this Thread of mine:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/738994/chickens-arctic-conditions-prolonged-period

 

[4 the Birds]

I was wondering what you all do in the winter for bedding in the coop and then cleaning. We live in northern MN and we took an old concession stand and converted it into a coop. It works great but it still needs some modifications. I put hay down for the for bedding but man it freezes and it is a bugger to clean. I would love to hear what everyone else does. Thanks!

I use pine chips mixed with a little straw for the nests. They stay clean since the girls don't mess in the nests. I use plenty of pine chips for the floor and refresh with some more every few weeks. Some people use hay in the nests but I don't since it holds moisture/mold too easy.

 

[lisamaasch]

I use pine chips mixed with a little straw for the nests. They stay clean since the girls don't mess in the nests. I use plenty of pine chips for the floor and refresh with some more every few weeks. Some people use hay in the nests but I don't since it holds moisture/mold too easy.

My hens mess in their nests...why is that? I have eight laying boxes and they seen to lay in two at a time. I will have to try the pine chips! Thanks!