Free Ranging - in the snow?

[Mrs. K]

I do a lot of free ranging, but sometimes it is nice to have a way to lock up the girls so they can get into the coop or out into the run. Especially if I am going to be gone for a day or two.

 

[debir1966]

Yeah that is another reason we would like a secure run. We do want to be able to go camping, etc, for a couple of days. Since we have had the chickens (this last summer) we had my Dad come out in the evening to put them up and again in the morning to let them out. I would prefer to either get an auto pop door or a secure enough run to leave the chicken door open to it.

 

[leighwb]

I'm free ranging in the snow...mountains of Colorado at 8700'. I'm new to BYC and to raising chickens, so I have more questions than answers at the moment. I have a mixed flock of 29 that are 17 weeks. They have the option of coming and going from the coop during the day, where I have deep litter and 2 plant lights over the roosting area for warmth. But, the litter and droppings are frozen solid. I can't turn them in. What can I do about this? Does it mean my coop is too cold?
Also, my girls just started laying today! Yeah! Only problem is they chose a nice spot behind the wood pile in a snowstorm!!!. All but 1 egg was frozen by the time I found them, which was probably just under an hour. I'm embarrassed to say they caught me by surprise, and I don't have nesting boxes ready. Will I have a problem getting them to use them in the coop when I get them installed this weekend? Will I need to worry about the eggs freezing in the coop, since the droppings are?

 

[Mrs. K]

frozen eggs won't hurt things, but usually the shell cracks, which will let in bacteria, when mine freeze, and they occasionally do, I just use them up in a day or two.

I am not surprised that you were surprised, 17 weeks is early to start laying. Sounds like you got more than one! Adding the light might of helped get them to lay early, although my pullets started laying this week too. Put the nesting boxes in, add hay and a round rock or golf ball in each nest.

I do not add any heat to my house, and often the poop is frozen. I would assume that you are colder than us though for longer periods of time. We are quite quite dry, so that helps too.

What I have found out with the cold is that not all cold is the same. Dry cold, wet cold, windy cold and and just **** cold, haha

If you have good protection from the wind, but not air tight so that the humidity builds up, birds breathing, put out a lot of humidity. You are fine without added heat IF you have enough feed. Enough birds help too, more birds mean more heat.... but more humidity too. 29 birds should put off more than enough heat, I don't think you need the light.

Birds that are younger, healthy, and have enough to eat can take **** cold weather and not even seem to notice. A lot of coop fires are caused by added light or heat, which is another consideration.

As for the poop, it really does not stink or decompose or add a health issue as long as it is frozen. When it thaws, your nose will tell you, and you can mix it then or pull out the big clumps.

MrsK

 

[leighwb]

This is very helpful, MrsK!

Yes, I got 5! It was my Barred Rock girls. I have 3 of them. I tried to stick with breeds that were listed as winter hardy. I ordered straight runs of Cuckoo Marans, Barred Rocks, Golden Laced Wyandotts, New Hampshires, Buff Orpingtons, and my personal favorites...Old English Games all hatched Aug 1st...that's more like 20 weeks...oops! I missed a couple weeks in there! How time flies...

Anyway, I put a box in this AM to tide the girls over till we can get them built this weekend, but didn't know about the golf ball/rock, so will go dig in the snow for some. We have about 2ft of beautiful fluffy snow, and it is still coming down! What a blessing! It has been so terribly dry and everyone is excited for a white Christmas! But, my new layers were standing at the door this morning looking at the deep deep snow looking very confused. It would be impossible for them to navigate to the wood pile.

I was going to cull 5 of the cockerels last week, now I'm glad I didn't. They are adding to the body heat Our coop is log cabin style, with lots of ventilation. It's fairly protected by the tractor barn, although, I have to use tarps to block the really harsh winds. I then remove them on warmer days. I keep the food bin full. I'll consider weaning them off the heat after this cold snap...-17 below wind chill...brrrr! It'll keep the poop frozen, that's for sure!

Leighwb

 

[leighwb]

This little girl just won my heart! What fortitude...laying in a snow storm of all things! I debated on what to do, but couldn't bear to see the wind whipping snow in her face, so I brought her in and put her in the nesting box with some fake eggs I found in my floral box and shut the coop door. Every time I go to check on her, she's standing at the door wanting to go back out, but no eggs in the nesting box, yet.