Lemonade72
In the Brooder
- Sep 5, 2017
- 11
- 4
- 24
Ok so to sum myself up, I'm someone that says I want to show Bernese Mtn Dogs on Tuesday(I have shown dogs for 30+ years) and flew to Switzerland on Friday where I bought 6 Bernese.... that was years ago but I have never figured out how to ease into anything... mom says I wasn't "pedal to the metal" I was "pedal through the floor".... so ANYWAY... when I wanted to get chicks I went from buying 8 at Tractor Supply to a foam incubator-R-Com and Brinsea incubators to a Sportsman- in 6 months... and hatching and hatching and hatching
Luckily I moved to 35 acres last fall with a barn that has a chicken coop room that's 12x16 with nest boxes, perches, doors, etc no outside fence but I had post holes dug as I live 75 miles North of Green Bay Wisconsin so winter comes here early and leaves pretty late. Because I raise dogs I have extensive extra chain-link panels to use this fencing and purchased stucco lathe which is 26 inches wide and 8feet long for only $6 each and it's SHARP... I laid it as an apron around the chicken fence areas... NOTHING will injure itself to dig through it... BUT because I have am chicks of ALL ages I know they can't go out till full feathered and I have a set up for them till then.. but I'm considering an indoor set up only for them in winter... is this healthy? the wolves, bears and a very fertile Bobcat that's had litters of 4 this year and last make letting my chickens outside even with the best fencing(or so I think) a nerve racking thought...
can you give a newbie thoughts on keeping them indoors this winter? Maybe out on "warm" days (above freezing) for a while... but how many if confined in a 16x 12 area? There's also a insulated room in that barn that is 10x12 and could easily be upgraded for chickens... thoughts and tips for indoor winter coops appreciated... also thoughts on keeping/raising chicks on wire opposed to on bedding(on pine shavings, I use the ones from Tractor Supply that are large shavings size of half dollars not sawdust Or I use vermiculite for young chicks)
Thanks!!
Lemonade
in very northern Wisconsin...
Luckily I moved to 35 acres last fall with a barn that has a chicken coop room that's 12x16 with nest boxes, perches, doors, etc no outside fence but I had post holes dug as I live 75 miles North of Green Bay Wisconsin so winter comes here early and leaves pretty late. Because I raise dogs I have extensive extra chain-link panels to use this fencing and purchased stucco lathe which is 26 inches wide and 8feet long for only $6 each and it's SHARP... I laid it as an apron around the chicken fence areas... NOTHING will injure itself to dig through it... BUT because I have am chicks of ALL ages I know they can't go out till full feathered and I have a set up for them till then.. but I'm considering an indoor set up only for them in winter... is this healthy? the wolves, bears and a very fertile Bobcat that's had litters of 4 this year and last make letting my chickens outside even with the best fencing(or so I think) a nerve racking thought...
can you give a newbie thoughts on keeping them indoors this winter? Maybe out on "warm" days (above freezing) for a while... but how many if confined in a 16x 12 area? There's also a insulated room in that barn that is 10x12 and could easily be upgraded for chickens... thoughts and tips for indoor winter coops appreciated... also thoughts on keeping/raising chicks on wire opposed to on bedding(on pine shavings, I use the ones from Tractor Supply that are large shavings size of half dollars not sawdust Or I use vermiculite for young chicks)
Thanks!!
Lemonade
in very northern Wisconsin...
We're so happy you've decided to join us
rule of thumb is 4-5 sq feet per bird. They'll also need at least a foot of roost space. I'd recommend going over the chain link with 1/2" welded wire for smaller predators. And if you can fashion some form of pitched roof over the run, again with wire... I'd cover part of it with a tarp. Birds can be incredibly cold hardy. What they need most is a dry and draft free place to cuddle up and lots of ventilation above them. There's a lot of moisture generated and moisture leads to frost bite. I don't get much here, but I have friends who let their birds play in the snow for brief periods. I use deep litter in my winter housing which becomes awesome compost by spring.
neighbors are on their third dog now . Hope you will enjoy Backyard chickens as much as we do. 
