Getting Ready For Winter

[wolftracks]

Great thread

 

[ChooksChick]

Today I put 12" of leaves down in the Beak House coop, and I'm ready for the next 8 coops with leaves I've gotten from others as they raked. I've stored leaves enough to manage all the coops for most of the winter, I think...

 

[mtullis]

Quote:
ha

 

[welsummer4]

I was directed to this thread after posting a question about cotes. Would Resolution or Yashar please expand on the topic of cotes? Specifically, I would like to know the history of cotes, and how they differ from coops. Thanks.

 

[Yashar]

Quote:
Good question.

Coop: A pen or enclosure for birds; jail; To keep in a coop
Cote: A small shelter or shed for fowl, sheep, doves, etc.; a cottage

The stressed difference, for us, is a matter stewardship. I could call the structures we make for our chickens "coops" and ,most likely, nobody would say a thing (Resolution would).
The difference between a coop and a cote is a principle of the quality of care which leads to healthy animals. Domestication is not the option of the creature. So, there is a responsibility in the hands of those whom have a life in their control.

Chickens in particular have needs that are very often neglected. I nor you fly but, they do. They have systems and processes in their bodies that rely on the exercise that flying provides. They also would not, in their natural habitat, eat their own feces.

A cote offers an ability to meet these needs.

With that said, a cote is something you could walk into. Perhaps a shed; something with a peaked roof. It offers room for the birds to fly. There is room for the food to be off the ground and away from their excrement.

above: our most recent structure below: feeding tables in cote above

aboveur first chicken cote below: our solar cote with Americana chicks
Notice the food off the ground and the "training" roosting poles

 

[welsummer4]

Thanks for the info, Yashar. I'm familiar with dove and pigeon cotes, but have only recently heard the term associated with chickens. A lot of us have hen-houses with high roosts that our chickens fly up to (or 20' tall barn rafters, for that matter), so other than providing an elevated platform for feed and water, I'm not really understanding the distinction. Is it just a matter of terminology? Can you direct me to any articles or books about chicken cotes?

Also, can you or Resolution provide a link or recommend some literature on chicken/fowl behavior that will put the benefits of cotes in context? I think this will help me understand them better. And don't worry about the info being too academic or coming from scholarly sources--I can probably keep up.

Btw, here is a link to the cote thread in the coop design section of the forum where I reproduced and commented on the above post (#45): https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=424584

 

[chicken curious]

I know this an old thread, but could anyone explain how to use the papasan *and* a poop hammock?? I am assuming that the papasan is resting on the floor, but maybe it's suspended?? THANK YOU!

 

[Yashar]

When I visited Resolution's farm, he had the upper part of the papasan suspended about head level by ropes attached to hooks on the ceiling. This whole setup was near the corner. If I remember correctly, the poop hammock was attached to the wall on the two sides against the wall and the loose corner of the hammock was attached either to the side of the papasan itself or by a rope up to the ceiling.

 

[chicken curious]

Thank you so much for the reply, Yashar! I also really appreciate the videos and explanations!

I'm trying to figure out how to change around my roosts to accommodate hammocks and more height (the chicks are ~8 wks at this point)...this thread is really helping!

I'm also going to build a foraging table today. I *just* built a plexiglass front feeder like you show in your first egg layer cote tour, but now I'm learning that free-feeding isn't ideal...so much to learn.

I'm willing to change, but am a little worried that if I encourage more flying in their aviary and house, they might fly over the 6 or 8 foot fences that surround their 'free range' area (I'm in Dallas, TX in a subdivision!).

Finally, they have 24 hour access to their aviary (it's totally enclosed in hardware cloth to keep out vermin *and* predators) so I keep the food and water out there...do you see an issue with that *if* I make them 'work' for it? Beyond the aviary, I also give them as much access to the surrounding yard as possible during the day and they love to forage and hunt through the deep leaf litter we've built up in there over the last few years.

THANK YOU!

 

[ChickiesInUtah]

I appreciate the dry leaves tip. This fall I'll be sure to bag 'em up when they're dry.

Resolution, I see you live in Colorado. I'm in the UT mountains. This winter will be my first with chickens. I'd love to hear any snow tips you have. I've done a bit of searching on the site and have gathered some chickens dislike snow, some don't care, etc.

Last year would have been a perfect practice winter because, ya know, it barely snowed at all. This year, who knows...maybe we're all really in for it! That will please the skiers, but I want happy chickens too!

Thanks in advance!