General Winterization Thread

[Kafen]

We’ve had a warm fall here, but I know that won’t last very long! I won’t be adding heat into my coop, since it normally only gets to -25C/-30C for a few week periods. But thats not prolonged. It’s not insulated either, but very sturdy and draft proof with aThere’s lots of ventilation, which I positioned so it’s protected from the wind, which can get pretty fierce at time

I’m a little worried about the snow drifting into my covered area, so I think I’m going to add a short snow fence to stop that. I’d like to expand the covered run space as well since I don’t particularly want to shovel out everything else!

As for water, I’m going to get a couple 2.5 gallon buckets and put horizontal nipples on them. I’ll swap them out twice a day, and pop a water bottle with hot water in it to keep it warm for a bit longer. I’m thinking about making something like a tea cozy to slip overtop. Hope I can get away without electricity, but we’ll see how it goes!

 

[aart]

I’m thinking this year’s winter will be colder than others. It’s going to be 45°F tonight.

How often, and for how long, does it actually freeze in AL?

 

[HuffleClaw]

How often, and for how long, does it actually freeze in AL?

It doesn’t go below 32°F very often. When it does it’s usually on and off a week or maybe just a few days.

 

[HuffleClaw]

I guess what I consider cold is different than what other states might call cold

 

[CatSeg57]

The only thing I do to winterize is plug the heated bases into the outlet. I do not add supplemental heat for any bird, unless I have chicks, which I now use a heat plate for. I love that heat plate.

What kind of chicks did you get? I'd love to see them!

Hi, by heated bases I'm assuming they are for water. This is my first winter so I'm thinking of a heated base. My question is, does my waterer have to be metal to use a heated base or can I use the Igloo water cooler I'm using now? Does the heater get too hot for the plastic?

 

[NatJ]

It doesn’t go below 32°F very often. When it does it’s usually on and off a week or maybe just a few days.

Then my "winterizing" tips would be:
--go out each morning with fresh water, in case it froze during the night.
--check water again in the afternoon, to make sure they can drink before bed.
--make sure at least part of their living space is sheltered from wind. (That might mean something like a tarp on one side of the run, and at least 3 mostly-solid sides on the coop.)

And that's about it.

 

[KelseyBoxer]

The Igloo is insulated. It may melt or just not work because it doesn't conduct the heat.

 

[aart]

It doesn’t go below 32°F very often. When it does it’s usually on and off a week or maybe just a few days.

I guess what I consider cold is different than what other states might call cold

For sure!!
It stays below freezing 24/7 for weeks on end here...often with feet of snow.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Hi, by heated bases I'm assuming they are for water. This is my first winter so I'm thinking of a heated base. My question is, does my waterer have to be metal to use a heated base or can I use the Igloo water cooler I'm using now? Does the heater get too hot for the plastic?

I wouldn't use the metal base for a plastic waterer. They can get pretty darn hot, I'd be worried about it melting the plastic.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Hi, by heated bases I'm assuming they are for water. This is my first winter so I'm thinking of a heated base. My question is, does my waterer have to be metal to use a heated base or can I use the Igloo water cooler I'm using now? Does the heater get too hot for the plastic?

Not designed for use with plastic.