Free ranging in snow?

[katsdar]

I didn't think that chickens molted in the middle of winter, but I would make sure she is out of any drafts and that she is warm, I would not give her a heat source since that could slow her feathers coming in, just make sure she has a clean draft free, well strawed or other bedding box or something and give her extra protein since that helps to raise their body temps.

 

[MsChickenMomma]

It was pretty cold today, and before turning off the lights tonight I put vaselin on all of my chickens combs for the first time. Let's just say it wasn't a very fun and exciting first time. Made me laugh though! I couldn't even get any on one of my roosters, and the other rooster was all curious about what I had on my fingers, so he wouldn't hold still. Most of my hens did really well and held nice and still. The rest wouldn't stop turning around or moving. But I got a good amount on everyone's combs except Randy. (My rooster)

Hopefully it isn't as time consumming the next time! Lol

 

[katsdar]

Mschickenmomma you put Vaseline on my head and I wouldn't sit still either

 

[MsChickenMomma]

katsdar Good point there! Lol!

 

[centrarchid]

I do not apply anything to combs of free-ranging birds to prevent frost bite. When it occurs which is not very often, afflicted bird is either in poor health or poor nutrition. My preferred management strategy to is provide locations where birds can loaf out of wind but in sun while standing on dry, wooden surfaces. This is done to control cold stress. My birds with ability will fly to avoid walking through snow although they will walk if they have to.

 

[minpins99]

They freeze shut without any visible ice. As soon as we get a good frost, they freeze. I don't bash 'em with the hammer; I use the claw end to pry the door open. I can't open windows if I can't open the door and the windows aren't power windows. With the hatch, I can put a good deal of muscle into and lift it. I'm buying a car from my brother and just might use this car as my new coop! LOL! Thanks to whoever posted about vaseline on the combs; great idea. I think I'm starting to get a better idea about wintering chickens but forgive my stupid questions. For example, do you open the coop to feed them and give them the option to go out and leave the coop door open? Maybe I could incorporate a weather resistant run for them into my coop plans. Hmmmm.......

 

[bruceha2000]

Good grief! Stupid phone.
Bruce, the ice is from an ice storm. Not melting snow. Right now the snow is a few inches deep. IDK what I will do about letting them out with a foot or so of heavy snow and /or ice blocking the run door. A large piece of plywood leaning against the door might work. As long as it doesn't blow away in a strong wind!

Ice storm

OK, skip the plywood sheltering the door, it WILL blow away if you have strong winds. I guess I would go for a short enclosed entry porch

Say 14" deep and 14" wide and 12" high. Maybe put a 12" door on it that swings IN. Of course I have no idea how the chicken's coop door opens so this may not be a great solution if you wouldn't be able to operate it. IF the door is operable from outside without having to get down to its level, you can also make a U shaped tunnel so no snow, ice or wind can get close to the coop door.

I'm trying to decide if I should just build a run around and against my house, since that's the only place in winter where the snow isn't piled up....lol

Great idea.

They freeze shut without any visible ice. As soon as we get a good frost, they freeze.

For example, do you open the coop to feed them and give them the option to go out and leave the coop door open? Maybe I could incorporate a weather resistant run for them into my coop plans. Hmmmm.......

Re the car. Geez, what a problem. Without visible ice! Yeah, maybe the silicone on the rubber so it is less likely to freeze together.

I would definitely make a side and top covered run if you can. Since you are designing now, look into the heavy duty clear plastic tarps for the sides. They have woven tape on the edges and grommets every 2'. See what sizes fit your needs and design the run so it is easy to put the tarps up for winter and take them down for the rest of the year. The run will, of course, be covered in 1/2" hardware cloth whether the tarps are on or not.

I open the girls' door and let them decide if they want to go out or not. If they are happier being inside, then they should be inside.
They always have food in their coop. I made a cheap feeder from a piece of PVC pipe and the plastic pot tray. It holds three 57 oz apple juice jars of feed so I don't have to fill it every day - though they sure are going through it now that it is colder and there is not much in the way of forage.

Bruce

 

[debir1966]

They have pretty much tramped down the area between the coop and the barn. They have been wasting extraordinary amounts of food (we had been feeding them in a gravity feeder in the coop), and this is where we had piled up some of the wasted food from the coop floor. They seemed to eat it better out in the snow than on the floor of the coop. We have since changed to trough feeders and only feed once a day versus free-feed (they were picking out their favorite pieces and scattering the rest). Because they have not cleaned up the spilled food from the floor, nor are they rushing the daily ration when we set it out for them, I am thinking I am still over-feeding them! In this picture, I had just thrown out a handful of BOSS for them to pick at.

So far free-ranging in the snow has been working out just fine... but we do not have much yet! I will keep posting as winter goes on and we get more accumulation

 

[gratzalk]

Only one chicken is molting at this time. Should I separate her (possibly in the garage or something) so as to keep her away from the others while she's going through this or is it okay to just leave her out with the others as usual? I have a heat lamp on in the coop some nights.

 

[katsdar]

I would leave her with her flock, you remove her then she will have to re-establish herself in the pecking order.