Getting colder...

[thomasboyle]

My chickens don't like the snow or wind, but my ducks love it! I just wrapped my pen for the winter, and now the chickens spend the entire day in the run. Last week, they stayed inside the coop all day. Once wrapped with heavy clear vinyl it transforms the run into a greenhouse. No wind, and the sun will heat it by 20-30 degrees during the day.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I need some advice, please. It is beginning to get cold,. Do I leave any windows open for ventilation at night? If you find that there is an over powering smell of ammonia Yes. Will they be too cold? Not if they can get out of a direct draft. I have installed a ridge vent for ventilation. I have two small windows. Sounds like you are on the right track.

I am subject to -40º weather l live in Canada think North Pole. I have been keeping chickens and birds for decades.

Your best practice I find is to not be too concerned about winterizing or heating your coop to help your birds combat the cold.

Predator proofing "ABSOLUTELY".

Your efforts should be spent in winterizing your birds and letting them acclimatize to their surroundings.
This is done by feeding them whole corn as an added supplement in a separate feeder.

The extra nourishment is more then adequate to bring them through the
"COLDEST" winter.

Do keep an eye open for birds that maybe not be adapting well to the new menu and may be at the lower end of the pecking order they can sometimes run into problems and may need extra TLC.

That being said in a perfect world the flock will flourish and do just fine .

I do not add any extra heat or lighting.
Egg production does slack off but I have more than enough eggs for the table all winter long (24 hens).

Some people may disagree with my method but it has worked well for me and I am not about to change.

I look at it in the same light as winterizing your car.

You really do

"NOT"


have to winterize your car if you can keep it in a controlled environment at all times otherwise you are in for

"MAJOR" problems.

When it comes to lighting if you find you are short on eggs it does apparently help. I personally do not bother in my operation eggs are sold only to neighbours when they are available (if the sign is out I have eggs). Eggs in my operation have a tendency to crack and freeze during the winter months (we do not discard them and are fine but use them in house not for sale) the more eggs you produce during these months the more eggs will fall into this category.

I have roughly 24 Golden Comet hens the longest I ever been out of eggs can be measured in hours >12<24. You will find that the egg supply in any hen is a finite resource the quicker you milk the eggs out of a hen the faster it will be spent and end up in your stew pot.

On average one hen produces somewhere between 600 to 700 eggs in its life time. Lighting only effect the speed of delivery of the eggs which at the end of the day would amount to less than a year in the hens life is my guess

If you do decide extra lighting is necessary have your light on a timer to lengthen the day "MAKE SURE IT IS SECURED BY 2 MEANS OF SUPPORT" one being a "SAFETY CHAIN" in case one fails especially if it is an incandescent bulb or heat lamp.

I personally raise hens as a hobby; and for their manure to enrich my vegetable garden any thing else the hens provide is merely a bonus.

Here is one BONUS NOW not many people can enjoy seeing in their back yard on a regular basis.



Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new. Feed bags are a nylon mesh bag.
Frozen poop just peels off in below freezing temperatures and just flakes off in summer when left out in the sun to bake and dry.

I have 65 trips around the sun it is the best method I have stumbled upon.

Make sure the twine is removed from the open end of the bag it can get tangled around your birds.

 

[icanhazchikn]

I really like the idea of wrapping the pen in vinyl, any tips for doing it? What thickness did you use?

Thanks for a great idea!

 

[Folly's place]

I get rolls of the 3 mil, and use two layers, leaving the top foot of the hardware cloth open for ventilation. We use a stapler (carpenters) to put it up, and then screw 1x4 boards over that. I'll get pictures today, since the sun is finally out this morning. The double layer traps some heat. Mary

 

[icanhazchikn]

Thanks! That info will definitely help. My son is so worried about our chickens freezing, and this will give them a warmer area for sure.

 

[Folly's place]

My coop with and without the plastic wrap;





And maybe it will get stained next spring. Mary

 

[thomasboyle]

I really like the idea of wrapping the pen in vinyl, any tips for doing it? What thickness did you use?

Thanks for a great idea!

I use heavy duty polished 4 gauge clear vinyl that Walmart sells on a 54" wide roll. It is thick enough that you cannot tear it by hand. It needs to stand up to winter winds. It lasts for several years. I number the vinyl pieces so I know which order they go back on the coop next year. I mount mine with 1.25" deck screws with a 1 inch fender washer on it to prevent tear through. My pen is 15x15 with 6 foot sides, so it took a 25 yard roll to wrap it. Cost me $50. But well worth the cost as my waters no longer freeze during the day, so no going out to chop ice!



As for how much ventilation, I use the front windows on my doors as my guide. If the windows get condensation on the inside, the coop is too humid and needs more ventilation. I have found leaving 2 side windows open about 4 inches keeps the condensation at bay.

 

[icanhazchikn]

I had some leftover vinyl from a project and used that for part of the coop, then couldn't find 4 mil and got 6 mil clear plastic to finish it, at least for this year. The temperature is a lot better in there, around 60 vs 20-30 degrees outside and the chickens seem a lot happier/warmer. I noticed a little condensation but I left plenty of gaps for it to breathe, I don't think it will be too bad.

I'll have to post pictures later when I get time, definitely appreciate the advice/ideas!

Dave

 

[icanhazchikn]

Btw, what are you using to keep the water from freezing? Hopefully it's not as much of an issue now, but I want to make sure if there's a good trick/tip so that they still have plenty of water to drink.

 

[Blooie]

Your question has been well answered already, but I couldn't resist adding these shots of my girls here in Northwestern Wyoming. If the door is open, out they go! Now, not all of them will go out in the snow, but most of them do - the rest just sort of hang by the door and look out with either envy or pity, I haven't decided which. The birds in the first shot (Buff and Light Brahmas, a great cold weather breed) were just 6 or 7 months old. The two birds in the lower shots are almost 4 years old (an Easter Egger and a Cuckoo Marans) and have always headed out the first chance they get. Sometimes I'll toss some BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds) on the ground to give them something to find, but most of the time they just find stuff under the snow on their own - or pretend they do.