How to Prepare Your Flock For Winter 101 *Official Thread*

[chrissum]

Found this on ventilation & insulation:
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/chicken-coops-ventilation-and-insulation-958692.html

 

[akpeeps]

My coop is about 8X7 and uninsulated. We used left over metal siding from the barn for the roof. I think I'm going to insulate the roof this year and see if it makes a difference in the electric bill and how well the coop holds the heat. I use an extra deep layer of shavings, 8-10", with straw over that. The ducks also use the coop and I found the straw was easier to change out and I usually don't have to worry about the shavings as much. We have a heated water bowl but it still freezes below -20 so we have to haul hot water out twice a day if it gets that cold. I hang just one heat lamp but added a second one last January when we hit -30 to-40 for almost three weeks straight. I'm thinking about putting a heater out there this year. What kind do you all recommend? How and where should I mount it? I'm also adding nesting boxes for the EE's and Speckled Sussex pullets moving out there. The Silkies will probably stay in the garage again since I'm sure I won't get the addition to the coop done. I also have a light on a timer as we'll be down to 5 or so hours of daylight come December. I mix oysters shells with their feed, they get scratch twice a day and they get hot oatmeal in the morning.

DH says I care more about the chickens than him because I don't get up and cook him breakfast. I just tell him that they don't have opposable thumbs and can't do it themselves.

I also make sure they still get fresh veggies on a regular basis and as an added treat I buy live meal worms and crickets for them. They love them.
For the ducks, we keep a rubber feed dish in the run and fill that morning and night with warm water so they can still get their bath time in since they spend more time outside in the winter than the chickens. As a matter of fact, I don't think I saw a chicken out of the coop from November to April this past winter.

 

[AccioSarah]

This will be my first winter with our chickens... and this is our current plan of action.

Styrofoam panels will be installed on each side (and the top) of the coop. Hay Bales will go surround the North and East side of the coop. One (red) heat lamp will stay on round the clock, another lamp will be on a timer to allow 15 hours of light for the production of eggs. I have a bucket nipple watering system, and I'll be using an aquarium heater in the bucket to discourage any freezing.
I also plan on having a timed pop door installed, so we won't have to worry about closing up their door every night.

Here's a photo of the coop as it is now!
I think the Winter should go smoothly.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

how do u make oatmeal for your chicken and how make would you make for 13 birds?

How many hours would you have a light on in the coop to get eggs? do not mean 24/7.

what month would you start add scratch to there diet to fat them up for the winter?

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
Haven't you ever made oatmeal for your family before?

I think you're suppost to have 14 hours of light - somebody please correct me if I'm wrong!

As soon as it starts getting cold - add scratch to their diet.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

Quote:
Have you never made oatmeal for your family before?

I think you're suppost to have 14 hours of light - somebody please correct me if I'm wrong!

As soon as it starts getting cold - add scratch to their diet.

yes i do make oatmeal sometimes i add honey or sugar or molasses n cream or milk in it and fruit.
so i was not sure if the chicken can have the honey or white/brown sugar or molasses in it or salt in it?​

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
Have you never made oatmeal for your family before?

I think you're suppost to have 14 hours of light - somebody please correct me if I'm wrong!

As soon as it starts getting cold - add scratch to their diet.

yes i do make oatmeal sometimes i add honey or sugar or molasses n cream or milk in it and fruit.
so i was not sure if the chicken can have the honey or white/brown sugar or molasses in it or salt in it?

Just make plain old oatmeal and don't add anything to it.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

Quote:
yes i do make oatmeal sometimes i add honey or sugar or molasses n cream or milk in it and fruit.
so i was not sure if the chicken can have the honey or white/brown sugar or molasses in it or salt in it?

Just make plain old oatmeal and don't add anything to it.

okay

thank you see that is not a dump question lol

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Welcome.

 

[rcentner]

Quote:
lol! I will have to use the oppsable thumb thing!

as far as heating the coop..just dont use anything that produces carbon monoxide. Birds are extremely sensitive to small amounts. Mount it in a place that is quadruple secured, no one wants a fire. and I am always real concerned about the amount of dust that collects on heaters. I cringe just thinking about it.

My DH wants to put heat in the coop this year, but we have a much better coop this year. I used a regular light bulb last year and that omitted enough heat to keep it about 5 degrees warmer (it was very small). I am gonna play it by ear and just try to keep the water from freezing. We built this coop in the spring and we were still thinking about winter when we built it so we insulated the crap out of it. We also have a roof vent that I will likely leave open just to avoid moisture problems. I have read that cold moist air is way worse than dry cold air.

I used the deep litter method last year and I hated it toward the end of the winter. It was terrible to clean out and perhaps it was just too small a coop. But don't really wanna try that again in my nice new coop. But I will be much happier knowing how much space they have this year compared to last year!