Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[chickmom3941]

Hello neighbor.

Ready for the storm and cold this week?

Ugh, no not really. Heard it may get about -5 degrees I think it's on Friday night. I worry about my chicks when it's that cold. We used to use a heat lamp on really cold nights, but after reading about a few coops burning down, I really don't want to use any heat at all anymore. It's like you want to, but don't want to at the same time. Do you heat your coop when it gets real cold?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ugh, no not really. Heard it may get about -5 degrees I think it's on Friday night. I worry about my chicks when it's that cold. We used to use a heat lamp on really cold nights, but after reading about a few coops burning down, I really don't want to use any heat at all anymore. It's like you want to, but don't want to at the same time. Do you heat your coop when it gets real cold?

I have never heated anyone in winter. I have a big shed where my large breeds and a few bantam roosters live. That one has a west facing door that is always open for the donkeys. I also have a bantam coop on the backside of our barn.

I see chickens looking cold sometimes, occasionally one is shivering, but in general they do fine. I also get the guilt, but I know nature has designed them to have a thick warm coat. Most will sit close when it's really cold, and hunker down.

I have kept silkies, and currently keep a few frizzle bantam cochins and they do fine. A few of my large breed large combed roosters get frostbite on combs and wattles. They recover fine.

Most fires that aren't houses around here are caused by a heat lamp. I'd rather my chickens be slightly cold on those bitter days than cooked chickens from a fire. I also don't need that constant worry about it. I haven't lost a chicken yet to cold weather. Be brave.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Today was a digging day, dug up 3 stumps so hubby could cut them off. I got sick of falling over them up by the coop.
Dug up a Mule load of sand, manure and bunny poo. Drilled holes in two big planters , filled with dirt and put in bulbs. Going to be a lot of flowers around here come spring. Cleaned out part of the coop and that went into the compost.
It was so nice outside today i was just wearing sweats and t shirt. Hard to believe it is December! 60 out there today.
Oh and i painted the rest of the inside of the goat shed, except the 2x4s which i plan to paint another color.

 

[chickmom3941]

I have never heated anyone in winter. I have a big shed where my large breeds and a few bantam roosters live. That one has a west facing door that is always open for the donkeys. I also have a bantam coop on the backside of our barn.

I see chickens looking cold sometimes, occasionally one is shivering, but in general they do fine. I also get the guilt, but I know nature has designed them to have a thick warm coat. Most will sit close when it's really cold, and hunker down.

I have kept silkies, and currently keep a few frizzle bantam cochins and they do fine. A few of my large breed large combed roosters get frostbite on combs and wattles. They recover fine.

Most fires that aren't houses around here are caused by a heat lamp. I'd rather my chickens be slightly cold on those bitter days than cooked chickens from a fire. I also don't need that constant worry about it. I haven't lost a chicken yet to cold weather. Be brave.

Thanks, that's encouraging. I know they are wearing down coats, but still can't help wanting to keep them from freezing when it gets cold. I think I'll just stand firm, and not use any heat. Now just have to convince Hubs - he's a big softie at heart, and loves the chickens!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thanks, that's encouraging. I know they are wearing down coats, but still can't help wanting to keep them from freezing when it gets cold. I think I'll just stand firm, and not use any heat. Now just have to convince Hubs - he's a big softie at heart, and loves the chickens!

Just let him know that any extra heat will interfere with their ability to acclimate to the winter temperatures. Just like us humans, the warmer you keep your house, the less you tolerate cold temperatures. We acclimate too.

Put on your best winter coat and sit in your house. It won't be long before you get too hot, and want your coat off. Chickens can't remove their coat.

They do sell flat panel wall heaters that are a better safer choice if you can't convince him. I've seen them sold at Fleet farm, I think you have those in Minnesota too?

 

[henless]

We don't even have a wheelbarrow. Hubs has carts that hook up to the riding lawnmower, and they are good for lots of different chores, including hauling firewood up to the porch. I decided last summer that I want to get a wheelbarrow for next year. There are a few places that the mower w/cart can't get to, where a wheelbarrow would come in very handy. I've seen people give them away on Craigslist every now and then!

Wheelbarrows or pull carts are very handy. I even use my granddaughters red wagon sometimes, depending on what I need to do.

We got a 2 wheeled wheel barrow but it is kind of awkward for me to handle when loaded. I bought a garden wagon with a dump feature and we have a Mule with a dump bed. Hubby has to dump that when loaded. Just not as strong as i used to be.

Thanks for the tip about a 2 wheel being awkward, I had never thought about that. I will try one out before bringing it home.

I loooove my Honda! I have a trailer I hook up to it and use it for hauling leaves, lumber, limbs, feed just all kinds of things. But, it won't go everywhere.




I found a wheelbarrow at Atwoods, but I was afraid it would be too wide for my coop doors. My wheelbarrow is a 6 cu ft and that one was an 8 cu ft. If it won't fit into the coop, then I'm not going to get it. I didn't try it out since they had them cabled to each other. I will try it next time I'm over there.

 

[GardenTillers44]

I'm taking advantage of the next few days of nice weather (40-50's) and try to finish some outdoor projects. Three neighbors are helping me with an old fashioned barn raising, well actually a conversion. We are turning an older storage shed into a 3 bay small barn to store the tractor, mower and organize all things garden related. This will give me my workshop back. Right now I have to pull the tractor and mower out of the garage to have any working space. I'm using the salvaged lumber from the shed demo to add another 12" to our raised beds in the garden. They won't look as nice as @oldhenlikesdogs, but will be functional. We framed out the roof today. Hopefully drying in tomorrow.

 

[GardenTillers44]

I have never heated anyone in winter.

Thanks, that's encouraging. I know they are wearing down coats, but still can't help wanting to keep them from freezing when it gets cold. I think I'll just stand firm, and not use any heat. Now just have to convince Hubs - he's a big softie at heart, and loves the chickens!

We have never added heat or light either. Birds are built to survive cold weather without any supplemental heat. Their specialized feathers trap air against their body, and that air layer is an excellent insulator. As long as you provide adequate shelter and stick with breeds that are cold hardy, you should have no worries. We have friends in Homer, Alaska that provide a well built lightly insulated coop with roof vents to wick out moisture and elevated perches. Their girls do fine. It helps to have 2x4's flat side up for perches so the chicks can get full feather coverage of their feet on the roost. You have a very functional, well thought out coop that your chickens are lucky to have! They'll be fine.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Kind of bummed i have to go to Lynchburg tomorrow because it is going to be an awesome day outside. But as long as i am driving that far i might as well shop so i am going early. I have a MD appointment in the afternoon.

 

[chickmom3941]

Just let him know that any extra heat will interfere with their ability to acclimate to the winter temperatures. Just like us humans, the warmer you keep your house, the less you tolerate cold temperatures. We acclimate too.

Put on your best winter coat and sit in your house. It won't be long before you get too hot, and want your coat off. Chickens can't remove their coat.

They do sell flat panel wall heaters that are a better safer choice if you can't convince him. I've seen them sold at Fleet farm, I think you have those in Minnesota too?

Oh yes, we certainly do have Fleet Farms! It's like our favorite place to shop in the spring for all sorts of flowers and veggies (any that we haven't grown from seed). They just opened one in a town that's only about 15 minutes from our house - woo hoo!