First coop chicken built update and questions about winter!

[Smartlink]

Greetings;

It took a while, but the coop and run are almost done. This weekend we will paint the exterior and the project will finally be completed. Never expected it would turn out so nice. I got so many information on here, it's was a really helpful to search around the forums.

I am having a dilemma about the waterer and feeder, even after reading the 1001 posts about them.

I live in Québec, Canada, It can get pretty cold up here. Like really cold. We can see -20C, (or -4F) a couple of times a year, even a few days below that. If I have a portion of the run that is covered from 3 sides, do I leave the waterer and feeder, or should I move them in during the winter months? I will use a heater in the water of course to help prevent freezing.

I will have a single 50w light on a timer inside the coop to keep a 15-14 hours light cycle. It will be set to be off when "natural" daylight floods the coop through the window.

Or maybe be I should let birds' natural laying cycles play out and forgo winter eggs in order to let them live most like they would in nature !!?? What do you guys think ?

How cold does it get for you guys ? And do you leave the waterer and feeder outside? or Inside? Do you use an artificial light source in the winter?

Thanks Forums.

 

[azygous]

I can answer the water question. I live where the winter temps are almost as cold as yours, maybe as cold. I solved the water problem after several years of using cookie tin water heaters, but when I switched to vertical nipples on five gallon coolers, I was facing frozen nipples. (I can hear you laughing.)

I solved the problem by strapping small heating pads ($9 at Walmart) over the Bright Tap nipple systems and wrapping a water heater blanket around the whole waterer. It kept the water from freezing, even the tips of the nipples which can freeze if the temp gets to 0C for even one minute.

I give my chickens fermented feed, and it freezes if they don't eat it right away. So sometimes I set a cookie tin warmer under the feeders.

 

[fightingbunny]

I chose to not add light. I heard that if they lay less eggs per year, then they will lay for more years because a hen has X number of eggs in her. I am keeping my chickens for the duration of their natural lives and would rather have less eggs per year and stretch their laying over more years. Also, laying an egg taxes the body a lot and I believe a rest period will help the hen be healthier.

 

[fightingbunny]

Btw, your coop is so beautiful! I love how you worked with the space and came up with such an innovative layout. Is that a waterfall next to the run? Pampered chickens

 

[lazy gardener]

My winter temps get as low as yours, if not lower. I keep the water in the coop (though that may change this winter). I use a heated dog bowl, with a gallon milk jug set in the middle to create a moat. This keeps the birds feet and wattles out of the water, also provided extra water volume so I can easily top it off when I go out to gather eggs. My flock also gets fermented feed, so the heated bowl may need to be used for that this year. It's always a work in progress: managing the flock from one year to an other.

The most important thing I've done to help my flock through the winter is to provide a sun room. 3 sides of their winter run wrapped with plastic, as well as a green house tarp over the "roof". Deep litter keeps the birds scuffling through it for goodies all winter long. They also get sprouted grains/seeds during the winter.

My birds are on a timer for light: ON 6:30 AM - 10 AM, and again 2:30 PM - 8:30 PM. Warm spectrum 9W LED. I'll start the light when they've had a bit of a natural Fall slow down in their laying.

 

[fightingbunny]

What type of seeds do you sprout? What sort of pot/pan do you use that isn't too big but big enough? Do you sprout them inside and then carry out or do you have a greenhouse?

 

[Smartlink]

Btw, your coop is so beautiful! I love how you worked with the space and came up with such an innovative layout. Is that a waterfall next to the run? Pampered chickens

Yep that is a pond with waterfall next to the coop, the other project I had to do this summer Thank you for the compliment. And the feedback on the light.

 

[Smartlink]

Following Lazy Gardener advice, I have wrapped the open area of my run for the winter. I also installed two light socket inside the coop the supplemental light, will run it on a timer, probably on the same times 6:30 AM - 10 AM, and again 2:30 PM - 8:30 PM. Got a heated waterer too. Going to pick up the ladies on Saturday.

My wife is putting the finishing touches to the coop, curtains for the nesting boxes and installing the roost bars... Took us a long time to finish because we only worked on it on your spare time... But at last! The ladies are about to move in!