Cold weather question...

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

I keep trying to think of ways to help my birds stay warm this winter. I know, it's a ways off, but Colorado can have the craziest weather. Snowed on July 4th once... I'm not really worried about them in the coop (Eglu Cube) but I want to avoid cooping them up when the weather gets cold. Could a saddle work like a jacket? If I leave it on for a few days would it cause sores? Would putting a clear plastic tarp/cover over the run be good or would it cut down on ventalation too much??

I am receiving 3 EE chicks next week and they'll be about 4 months old when it starts getting cold out.

 

[pennie1]

I always have a good deep bedding on the floor and in nesting boxes. The floor bedding is a good 9 or 10 inches deep and I build the bedding up along the walls as best that I can. You could try to put a heavy tarp over the top and maybe 2 or 3 sides (the sides that the wind comes from the most).

I have never lost a chicken to the cold (I live in northern Wisconsin). I take room temp water out to them several times a day when it's below zero. I think water is very important, but they will eat the snow too. I also feed more whole and cracked corn during cold weather.

Good luck.

 

[pennie1]

Oh, I forgot. You can also put a heat lamp in the coop, so if they get cold they can sit under that.

 

[gryeyes]

Chickens are remarkably hardy when it comes to cold. They gots feathers! Personal insulation WE put inside our cold-weather jackets.

The deep litter in the coop is one great method to support them in the cold. I wouldn't put a heat lamp in a coop for adult birds unless the temperature dropped to zero or below. Honest! (And I live in a very temperate climate, so I doubt I'd ever have to do that. I've just read a WHOLE lot on BYC during this past winter.)

 

[patandchickens]

See the 'cold coop' page linked in my .sig below for a bunch of the sort of suggestions you are looking for

Chickens profoundly do not need jackets, they are already wearing them, and anything you put on them would be likely to make them COLDER anyhow by just squishing down the feathers of their natural insulation.

You can tarp (or whatever) part of the run to cut wind and reduce snow, but you mustn't cover too much of it or you'll get real bad humidity problems, also be aware that a tarp is going to come down when snow starts to pile up on it, and is likely to take the wire top of your run WITh it unless things are very very seriously built.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Thanks everyone! I definantly feel much better about snowy weather now.

 

[HarryBun12]

I'm in WI and experienced my first winter with chickens last season. I put thick plastic 3/4 of the way up on the run on all sides but the south and that was great keeping the snow out. It seemed they had plenty of ventilation and they all made it to see Spring..... My coop is close enough to the house to run a long extension cord out for a heated water dish and a flat panel heater inside the small coop. I only plugged that in when it got below 10 degrees and it just heated things up to 20 degrees or so (balmy). I kept 3 bantams and 2 big girls and they all did just fine.

 

[Lifetime chicken lover]

Thanks patandchickens!!! That was very helpful!!

 

[Jeremy Parker]

I'm in Canada, way cold in winter

My roosts are 2X4 on sides then they can sit on there feet keep warmer! I would not use plastic on a coop creates humidity issues!

I don't use heat of anytype, lots of bedding is a great idea I start with about 4" by spring there is 10" as I build up till spring.I also rake it all every couple of days to mix it. I give my girls a little extra corn,make them work for it by sprinkling on the floor of the coop(Like scratch). Make sure you have good ventilation its important to keep humidity out.
Really try not to use a heat lamp it will create humidity in the coop then you could be in trouble

There is lots of great information already been posted in the past go looking

Blessings,
Jeremy