How do YOU winterize your coop?

[HuffleClaw]

Wonderful ideas and very helpful posts guys!

 

[HuffleClaw]

Let’s talk feed:
What do you feed your birds during winter?

 

[centrarchid]

I do to things that conflict if not careful. Direct wind is blocked without impeding ventilation. Then I make so direct sun can shine directly on dry areas birds like to loiter in during the morning when it is coldest.

A square hay bale or two is placed into each coop to provide elevated dry places birds can use. Some loose hay also provided so they can scratch through it when bored. Grain is tossed onto bales and loose hay to up entertainment value.

With respect to nutrition, I store up more grains during fall to serve as energy during periods of intense cold. The base diet approximates a flock raiser which during warm weather meets all the birds needs plus free-choice access to calcium and grit. By time late fall rolls around I have a handle on how much of the base diet they need which is kept constant during winter as a fixed ration they consume in its entirety by roosting time. The variable is the scratch grain mix which I increase with increasing wind chill to compensate for increasing appetite that goes up with increasing energy needs. The scratch grain mix is setup to make so birds must work for it making the base diet easier to acquire. It takes experience to figure out roughly what amounts of scratch grain to apply.

When it gets really cold making continuous availability of liquid water impractical, then I start feeding in excess with soaked oats. The soaked grains are good water source that carries them between applications of liquid water.

 

[hillbilly91]

Let’s talk feed:
What do you feed your birds during winter?

Plenty of whole corn as it helps to keep them warm

 

[HuffleClaw]

Plenty of whole corn as it helps to keep them warm

Great!

 

[hillbilly91]

Great!

Still feed some wheat, oats, laying pellets, and rabbit pellets. It don't hurt to add some 27%protein dog food when it gets bad weather

 

[HuffleClaw]

Still feed some wheat, oats, laying pellets, and rabbit pellets. It don't hurt to add some 27%protein dog food when it gets bad weather

Great, thanks so much!!

 

[hillbilly91]

Great, thanks so much!!

I hope all the new people come look on this thread for some good ideas

 

[HuffleClaw]

I hope all the new people come look on this thread for some good ideas

Sumi featured it, so I hope people see the awesome ideas on here

 

[Mrs. K]

I too struggle with water in very cold water. Dry commercial feed is very dehydrating without enough water. I tried fermenting it, or feeding it wet, but it too just freezes into an inedible block. Where as the soaked grains, while freezing, freeze in separate grains, my birds do eat at them all day.

In extreme cold, I sometimes have a hard time getting my birds to eat much. Contrary to what I expected. Having your birds in good shape, with a little fat on them is good going into the cold weather.

MRs K