How do YOU winterize your coop?

[CountryChic63]

Thanks I thought it’d be nice for the newbies and even give others new ideas!

Thank you! I'm a newbie & this topic is exactly what I was looking for!

 

[CountryChic63]

Plenty of whole corn as it helps to keep them warm

How old do chickens need to be for whole corn? My chickens are 3 months old & have been outside in their coop & protected yard for 3 weeks.

 

[CountryChic63]

This thread is amazing! Being my first winter with chickens I'm soaking up all the info I can!

Im with you!! This is my first winter with our chickens only 3 months old, so all of this valuable experience talking is great!!

 

[CountryChic63]

I put several bales of straw down to cover the mud last spring. I lost 2 hens to impacted crops before I figured out what was going on. I took one to the vet for a necropsy, he mentioned that there was long stuff in her crop. I checked them all as soon as I got home. Treated for impacted and sour crop. Won't ever put straw down again.

oh Wow!

 

[MissChick@dee]

How old do chickens need to be for whole corn? My chickens are 3 months old & have been outside in their coop & protected yard for 3 weeks.

I don’t feed Whole corn. I buy cracked corn. I feel the whole kernel is too large. When it’s cracked they can pick the size they want to eat. Walmart carries it fairly cheap.

 

[hillbilly91]

How old do chickens need to be for whole corn? My chickens are 3 months old & have been outside in their coop & protected yard for 3 weeks.

I give mine whole corn at about 6weeks and all threw there life

 

[hillbilly91]

I don’t feed Whole corn. I buy cracked corn. I feel the whole kernel is too large. When it’s cracked they can pick the size they want to eat. Walmart carries it fairly cheap.

When the kernel is cracked it looses most of its nutritional value within 24hr of being cracked

 

[MissChick@dee]

When the kernel is cracked it looses most of its nutritional value within 24hr of being cracked

I’ve read something’s on cracked corn vs whole corn. And how the rolling process affects a 10% difference. Also read a bit about the digestability of cracked vs whole. They have tons of information for cattle & corn not so much for chickens. For me it’s just s personal preference. The size of the whole kernel vs the size of my hens crop. I only feed it in the winter at night. I just feel more comfortable with the cracked. To me it’s okay to have a decreased value. Digestion is more important.
We all do things a bit different. I just love to learn.
Thanks

 

[hillbilly91]

I’ve read something’s on cracked corn vs whole corn. And how the rolling process affects a 10% difference. Also read a bit about the digestability of cracked vs whole. They have tons of information for cattle & corn not so much for chickens. For me it’s just s personal preference. The size of the whole kernel vs the size of my hens crop. I only feed it in the winter at night. I just feel more comfortable with the cracked. To me it’s okay to have a decreased value. Digestion is more important.
We all do things a bit different. I just love to learn.
Thanks

I agree and grit like oyster shells help with there digestion

 

[LulaBell]

You can buy just the silt fence material at Lowe's for $15. It's 3'x50'. Keeps the wind, snow, and rain of them nicely. Straw is great also.View attachment 1554385

Do you have issues with predators with your run having the bigger holes in the wire? We have a hog panel coop which we had to line with welded wire or raccoons can reach in and try to pull a chicken out. It is quite disturbing to find your chicken after this has happened. Predators ( racoons, mink, bobcats, weasel, etc) are a real problem in our area and we try to take every precaution. Any tips would be great!