Get Ready for Winter

[CapricornFarm]

Hi lcwmt,
I give my chickens any leftovers from the kitchen so they get carbs, protein and veggies at a low cost. I was wondering about feeding that suet that you can buy for wild birds, probably a small amount would help them stay warm. And i feed mine a bit of scratch for instant energy carbs. Of course meal worms are a favorite.
Sorry you are having issues with your overhang, sure would think a foot would be enough. I was thinking about putting a little roof over the door on my hoop coop.

 

[lcwmt]

Hi lcwmt,
I give my chickens any leftovers from the kitchen so they get carbs, protein and veggies at a low cost. I was wondering about feeding that suet that you can buy for wild birds, probably a small amount would help them stay warm. And i feed mine a bit of scratch for instant energy carbs. Of course meal worms are a favorite.
Sorry you are having issues with your overhang, sure would think a foot would be enough. I was thinking about putting a little roof over the door on my hoop coop.View attachment 1178979

thanks for the feedback. We are in MT, it's windy at times. One would think the overhang would help. Maybe it does? It's a sloped roof, metal, with a n overhang on the South side as well as the North.
Scratch, BOSS, tidbits from the (vegetarian) kitchen, plus they free range when they want to. And always, a balanced feed and OS.

We'll see. So far the eggs and their shells are amazing.
This morning I used commercial eggs for something and thought, yikes!!! what is wrong here. then realized..... not our eggs. <G>

 

[CapricornFarm]

thanks for the feedback. We are in MT, it's windy at times. One would think the overhang would help. Maybe it does? It's a sloped roof, metal, with a n overhang on the South side as well as the North.
Scratch, BOSS, tidbits from the (vegetarian) kitchen, plus they free range when they want to. And always, a balanced feed and OS.

We'll see. So far the eggs and their shells are amazing.
This morning I used commercial eggs for something and thought, yikes!!! what is wrong here. then realized..... not our eggs. <G>

Got a picture of your coop? I have yet to get an egg, but not expecting any until February.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Tomorrow if no rain i plan to dig up the sweet potatoes. Hope i get lots! The vines grew well but whichever varmint got in there sure chewed a lot of leaves off. The plants did come back pretty well once i put up an electric fence. Time will tell.

 

[lcwmt]

Got a picture of your coop? I have yet to get an egg, but not expecting any until February.

On the left is the "penthouse" shut down for the Winter. It's our refurbished pre-fab coop.
The new coop has poly carb to the left of the door, provides nice solar gain, lots of light. The attached hoop run will get another clear tarp later this week to provide additional snow free space. we hope. In Summer we'll put the pneumatic tires back on if we want it mobile. It was designed to dock to the penthouse, which also has wheels.

New coop is 4x6x6. Run is 4x10'x5.5". The chickens (4 BO, 2 EE, 1 Bantam) have full free range from about 8 am until dusk - if they want it. Last snow was October 1. It was warmer and they didn't seem to mind being out and about. Life is different 10 degrees cooler.
The entire upper South edge of the coop is open for ventilation as is the corresponding North side. However: wind!!!
This photo was taken yesterday: 9 above, a foot of snow since Friday. Am I ready for Winter? There's a little tweaking to do for the girls but basically, yes.

 

[CapricornFarm]

On the left is the "penthouse" shut down for the Winter. It's our refurbished pre-fab coop.
The new coop has poly carb to the left of the door, provides nice solar gain, lots of light. The attached hoop run will get another clear tarp later this week to provide additional snow free space. we hope. In Summer we'll put the pneumatic tires back on if we want it mobile. It was designed to dock to the penthouse, which also has wheels.

New coop is 4x6x6. Run is 4x10'x5.5". The chickens (4 BO, 2 EE, 1 Bantam) have full free range from about 8 am until dusk - if they want it. Last snow was October 1. It was warmer and they didn't seem to mind being out and about. Life is different 10 degrees cooler.
The entire upper South edge of the coop is open for ventilation as is the corresponding North side. However: wind!!!
This photo was taken yesterday: 9 above, a foot of snow since Friday. Am I ready for Winter? There's a little tweaking to do for the girls but basically, yes.
View attachment 1180200

Looks good! No trees around there? Looks barren without them. How about your house and or garden if you have one? Are they ready for winter? How do you heat your home?

 

[lcwmt]

Looks good! No trees around there? Looks barren without them. How about your house and or garden if you have one? Are they ready for winter? How do you heat your home?

We are below the tree line, and above the creek and Missouri River. It's a semi-arid zone (less than 12" moisture annually). At 4200' elevation, we are zone 4B. sometimes.
Being two miles from water and in a dry foothills area, we have minimal concern with the usual predators.
Two years ago we put in drip lines and have been planting trees. North of the coop there are chokecherries, East is the orchard: apples and cherry. Around the perimeter of the area the house sits on we've planted shrubs and some trees - all selected for habitat and pollinators (we keep honey bees, or like the chickens, they keep us <G>).. Placement is careful to not obstruct the view of the mountain ranges, river and sky. One of us is an amateur astronomer. Telescopes are important to us and we generally have amazing skyviews.
here are some of the neighbors, looking West (we also watch hundreds of mule deer and elk, cattle and the twice a year sheep round up. There's very little traffic on our road. We are 10 miles from the County Seat, a town of 2000.:

the view from the deck - that's our road, going North.



and dawn, with the river in front of the snow capped Elkhorn Mountains:


The house is maintained with propane but our "heat" is from a pellet stove.
Gardens are raised beds, well covered by snow right now.

I think I answered your questions but really should have done this little tour as a separate thread. No I am not ready for Winter, the house is, the chickens are doing ok, ravens are around, bird feeders well used.

 

[CapricornFarm]

We are below the tree line, and above the creek and Missouri River. It's a semi-arid zone (less than 12" moisture annually). At 4200' elevation, we are zone 4B. sometimes.
Being two miles from water and in a dry foothills area, we have minimal concern with the usual predators.
Two years ago we put in drip lines and have been planting trees. North of the coop there are chokecherries, East is the orchard: apples and cherry. Around the perimeter of the area the house sits on we've planted shrubs and some trees - all selected for habitat and pollinators (we keep honey bees, or like the chickens, they keep us <G>).. Placement is careful to not obstruct the view of the mountain ranges, river and sky. One of us is an amateur astronomer. Telescopes are important to us and we generally have amazing skyviews.
here are some of the neighbors, looking West (we also watch hundreds of mule deer and elk, cattle and the twice a year sheep round up. There's very little traffic on our road. We are 10 miles from the County Seat, a town of 2000.:


View attachment 1180288
the view from the deck - that's our road, going North.

View attachment 1180289

and dawn, with the river in front of the snow capped Elkhorn Mountains:
View attachment 1180291

The house is maintained with propane but our "heat" is from a pellet stove.
Gardens are raised beds, well covered by snow right now.

I think I answered your questions but really should have done this little tour as a separate thread. No I am not ready for Winter, the house is, the chickens are doing ok, ravens are around, bird feeders well used.

Truly beautiful! Nothing like wood heat. I just love wood stoves!

 

[CapricornFarm]

Bought more bungies today to secure the tarps, and a canvas drop cloth to put over my plants when it freezes outside. Sadly, it is supposed to rain so not likely to dig my sweet potatoes tomorrow.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I dug up some of the sweet potato vines, but not many potatoes. I wonder what happens if you leave them there over winter.
It froze here last night so i guess winter is here. At least the sun is out.