How do you get ready for winter?

[Abriana]

Who gave you that advice???????

Isn’t that just common sense?

 

[RodNTN]

Awww! Napoleon, my rooster, has to sleep in a crate when the heat lamp is on because the hens get bored and peck at him. Poor guy, he has a hard life!

Poor guy! Does he stay warm?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Isn’t that just common sense?

You are getting frostbite because your coop is closed up and heated. Moisture will build up quickly and will cause frostbite at warmer temperatures.

 

[RodNTN]

Isn’t that just common sense?

Well, actually, it is very good for chickens (and all pets) to have good ventilation. When everything is closed up, the moisture from droppings and the chickens breath, makes everything really hard to breathe in. So having some kind of ventilation hatch or window helps get some of that bad air out
But you don't want to open everything and let out all of the warm air

 

[Abriana]

Poor guy! Does he stay warm?

Yup, never goes below forty five in the coop, he’s snug and cozy. But he does want to roost, poor guy he doesn’t understand but he’ll thank me one day that I didn’t let the hens peck him to death!

 

[RodNTN]

Okay, sounds good

 

[Abriana]

You are getting frostbite because your coop is closed up and heated. Moisture will build up quickly and will cause frostbite at warmer temperatures.

He doesn’t get frostbite in the coop, he gets it outside when he drinks and then the water freezes and that gives him frostbite. He has never gotten it from being in the coop and I have adequate ventilation.

 

[aart]

I get ready for winter by insulating my coop, using prima heat lamps (2), heated waterer, windbreaks in my coop, and keeping the coop openings (doors, windows, ventilation hatch) closed as much as possible.
Winter with chickens ina terrible time for me because my rooster has a huge comb and he has to be in a crate in the coop where it’s warm and if he’s In the crate he can’t protect the hens from predators. Winter here is frustrating!

He doesn’t get frostbite in the coop, he gets it outside when he drinks and then the water freezes and that gives him frostbite. He has never gotten it from being in the coop and I have adequate ventilation.

Two bolded things don't compute.

Isn’t that just common sense?

Common mis-perception. You need to leave ventilation open year round so ammonia laden moist air can escape from coop.

 

[cavemanrich]

Two bolded things don't compute.

Common mis-perception. You need to leave ventilation open year round so ammonia laden moist air can escape from coop.

Aart...... I think I just might jump ship like Chris09

 

[jreardon1918]

Two major winter preparations:

1. added ground fault outlet to run heater for the water bucket with horizontal nipples. Working great. Although the coldest it has gotten is 15F

2. Plastic wrap the run. The coop is is 4x8'. The run is 8x8'. The run has hardware cloth all around. Plywood roof. The raised coop has HW cloth as well wrapped to give them a real dry area in the worst of the weather. Used 6mil plastic to cover the south, north ans west sides. The run is 6' tall. The top 1' is open to allow plenty of ventilation. Under the coop is also wrapped. Got it done just in time for the weather to turn mild 50 F this afternoon. The coop has two windows that are always open . I do close the pop door each night, even though the run is pretty predator proof. But better safe than sorry.