Getting ready for winter...

[minifarmgurl1]

I know its still august but this will be my first winter with chickens. I have 16 golden comet hens and one golden comet rooster.

I also have one rhode island hen, one big black hen, one strange little high strung white chicken(dont know if its a hen or rooster, its small) 2 guinnes(ones a hen and ones a rooster), and one plymouth rock hen-black/white. we got these from a friend who didnt have room and had to get rid of them..but i love em! their beautiful!

So anyways inside of our old garage out back we are going to build them a high walled pen for the winter, where i can also hang down one heat lamp. There is also going to be a 10 or 12 box nesting box(sorry cant remember how many it is) out there and a few other high places where they can roost.

We live in the 2nd highest place in our county so its very windy here all the time! thats why we choose to build a spot for them inside of another building..so they will stay warmer.
My question is what do all of you do for yours in the winter?..Id like to know so maybe i could get some ideas..i just want the best for my chickens. They already get the whole 5 acre yard to roam in and my dog lays out there with them..day and night so they are safe and they all roost at night inside their summertime pen, i say that cuz its inside the garage but its very open for ventilation. they are happy..but i just want them to stay that way this winter too!

any stories will be fun to read and helpful for me..thanks bunches!

 

[calicokat]

Hey fellow Hoosier!

I have a light hanging in the coop to use for a little more warmth in winter. I also made their roosting perch out of a two by four because they can fit their whole "foot" on the four inches, and then settle themselves down on their feet to keep them warm at night - with a smaller board, the feet would hang off some and not be as warm.

The only other big winter advice I've heard is to keep the coop free from drafts. The cold doesn't bother them as much as the drafts.

 

[minifarmgurl1]

ok i understand that thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

The main thing is to ensure your coop is well-ventilated (without drafts on the chickens) so that it is as DRY, i.e. non-humid, as possible.

Humidity can cause frostbite at really pretty mild temperatures, like only just below freezing -- whereas in a well ventilated well-kept dry coop, free of condensation, most chickens are hardy WELL down into the single digits F and in many cases into the minus largeish numbers (below zero F).

It is never a bad idea to have electricity available, just in case, but unless you live somewhere that regularly gets to like -20 F or colder, you are unlikely to NEED it if you're managing your coop well.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat