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

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I have begun the move to the barn with the chickens. They are in the calving part of the barn and I will be putting up bat boards to help hold in the heat- I am also going to be using the deep litter method, Have to get the ducks out of chicken coop to really do this as they kick the water everywhere. I am not planning on heating, and am still thinking of a good way to have water in the coop for winter. With the added bonus of figuring it out for the ducks.

 

[flowerfaerie1]

We're in Northern California and winter here doesn't get much lower than 43 degrees. We had an inch of snow one day last year. Does that mean I shouldn't bother to put a heat lamp in the coop? What I am worried about is the month of rain we'll get in January. My chickens love to take dust baths in my garden. What should I do while everything is a muddy mess? I don't want bug infested hens come spring!

 

[ozarkhen]

I've done some reading of articles and posts. With 2 roos and 9 hens in a 4x7 coop with a big fenced outdoor run, I'm just going to watch my chickens and go from there. I'll likely hang tarps to keep the winds off them seeings my barn wood does have gaps.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

Quote:
could you make a sand box for them to have dust bathes

 

[duckieinalaska]

I make certain the house is protected from draft by stapling heavy duty plastic on both the inside and outside where necessary. My house is raised off the ground and lined with
insulation and then linoleum for easier cleaning. Two light bulbs are in place for added heat and I use one of those large heated dog type bowls for water. I make sure I give
them lots of straw. Last winter, my chickens seemed happiest when the door was open for them all day so they could come out into the snow. No problem with frostbite.

 

[gritsar]

When the nighttime temps. start to drop below 40 and stay that way, I close the shutters over the two very large coop windows. That's about it. The coops are insulated.
Last winter their waterer only froze once and someone (I suspect my roo) pecked a hole in the ice so they could drink. The time between them waking up in the AM (and needing a drink) and being let out of the coop where they'll have access to free flowing water is only a few hours at most anyhow.
I don't pay much attention to the increase in feed consumption, since I keep their feeder full anyways. If they eat more I just buy feed more often.
I don't heat my coops and never will. Get a chicken all used to being warm and toasty and have the power go out (which is does alot out here in the boonies) and you'll have trouble with sick chickens.
The chickens are let out to free range 365 days a year - snow, rain, ice; it doesn't matter.

Our winters here are mild compared to some of the northern states. Our winter lows are usually in the teens, rarely lower. Lots of precipitation, mainly in the form of ice.

 

[LauraL3]

I have 4 chickens & six ducks in NH. I put a heat lamp on the inside for at night when it gets REALLY cold, but I usually just put lots of hay on the floor of the coop for insulations. This year I was thinking of tarping the outside fenced run on the West side to help keep out snow/water/wind & keep the pen a little less wet/frozen. It has a sturdy metal roof on the top but lots of blowing snow gets inside, so I thought it would help. One of my chickens got a little skinny last winter, but she made it through to Spring and I didn't lose ANY to cold! I also use a heated water bowl for the ducks, but I have to break the ice 2x a day on the rubber buckets I use. No big deal though. Just some of the joys of having poultry in New Hampshire in Winter!

 

[grngni]

My girls are lucky enough to have a winter coop in the big barn and it's plenty warm enough with just a heat lamp for the coldest weather. The floor is cement and we keep it covered pretty thickly with bedding, plus tossing in occasional clumps of alfalfa hay to keep them entertained as well as warm. When they move from the summer house and yard will depend on the weather. Only problem with the barn is in letting them out on nice days. No way to have a fenced yard because of how it's all laid out. I'm scared to let them roam completely free since fox problems this year.

 

[OregonChickenGal]

I hope you keep your roos separated from your 1 hen. She's going to have a real short life.

 

[inatalie]

I always keep several bales of straw for when we get snow. I spread it out around the entrance of their coop and it gives them some space to enjoy the outdoors when we get snow. I live in central NC and we don't get a lot of snow.