How to winterise

[patandchickens]

If nothing else, you probably want to arrange something so that you are only going to be heating a small area; I don't know if you've worked out the economics on a 250w bulb but it makes a noticeable dent in your hydro bill, and isn't really likely to be necessary for just 3 chickens (you can give them a smaller partitioned off area to put a lower-wattage bulb in, if they need anything at all).

At the moment I would say that you are probalby best off keeping the lamp turned OFF, let them get used to cold. It sounds like they are happy enough.

There are a buncha other things you can do to minimize how cold your coop gets (see link in my .sig) so if you worry about your babies

it might be worth seeing how well you can winterize the coop in that way, too.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[chickon baby]

How hardy are wyondottes? Im now concerned that our coop is too secure?? DH put a plywood ceiling in and the 2 front doors to enter the coop,he made one for entry n the other closed for good w/cauling around the drafty spot.(the door didnt open right n could not be replaced.Our coop is 12x12 with 12x8 area for our 3 girls and the rest for storing feed etc.They have 4 nesting boxes(we had 4 girls n lost 1 in aug) and a roo ledge along with bedding of dried grass in n under the boxes n in corners of the floor as that is what they like for bedding and where they like to lay.We do have a side trap door as well that leads to the play yard.The flooring is concrete type backer board.All the walls are paneling and the 2 areas are separated by a 1/2 plywood bottom wall n top 1/2 is heavy gauge wire w/a door in the center.Last year was our 1st winter w/chickens and we did put a small heater out there and set it at 50 degrees,so it only clicked on then.If we should loose power as we have in the past for 5days,then we have a generator or worse case...bring them in the garage..lol..Im out there frequently throughout the day and they go out at 7am n back in at 7pm.My lights are on timers n go on at 5;30 n off at 8pm.Last year I still let them out when it was very cold n snowy,I put vaseline on the combs n waddles.I have been giving them the crumbles w/grit n acv h20 available 24/7 along with scrambled eggs,oats n yogurt alternating 3 x's a week.Safflower seeds as treats and I want to learn more abt "scrath n do that for them.The 2 blk ones are abt 10lbs and the G.L. is abt 7 lbs.So I think Im doing it right as far as getting them ready for the cold,but now Im concerned I dont have enough ventilation after reading all the posts?????? They have a window in the nesting area which is covered w/a sheet as we think thats how the 1 died,trying to fly out the close window to get to the other girls who were outside of the window.I also have a "mini compost of soil n the sccoped poo that I mix in daily when I scoop up the poo.That is in the area where the feed is..Feed on 1 side of the door...soil/poo bin on the other..It is plenty big enough for 3 and we are getting more girls in Feb..We will keep them inside till spring n then put them all together.I dont like the idea of bales of straw or hay as ds is allergis to it n then he cant go out to the coop..Anything else we can do/use to help them keep warm?How else do I check to make sure it is ventilated enough..I never smell the ammonia smell or the poo as I do scoop several times a day.Sorry its so long,just wanted to make sure that Im doingit all right..Thanks for the help.

 

[chickon baby]

I also dont have h2o in the coop n I wash out the milk jugs and carry those out daily for fresh h20.I do however need to get a warmer for the waterers,last year 1 had ice chips in it,thats when we brought out the little heater..I have 2 regular waterers,the red base w/the white top in the coop n 1 galvanized metal in the play yard..Is the 2 inside enough for winter??? What can I get n where to keep the h20 from not freezing??

 

[cowpunkmom]

Thanks all! With the lamp on last night, the temperature was +1C when I went to check on them this morning. Lamp off for the day, they are outside happily pecking around in the 17F weather.

I am thinking about our prolonged cold spells. It's not uncommon for the outside temperature to dip to -40 for weeks at a time, and that's BEFORE wind chill. I guess if I find cheap hay bales, I'll stick a few in the coop for them...

 

[PortageGirl]

Wyandottes are VERY cold hardy!!! You are way way way overcompensating!!! They're big fluffy chickens with very good down coats, let them be chickens!!!

hehe,

I'm not sure what your normal winter temps are... st charles Ill? (If so, I'm near the lake in Ohio, so we are similar climates) So, yes, it gets cold, but my GOODNESS not THAT cold! Chickens can deal with temps well below freezing if they are given the chance to prepare for it throughout the fall and early winter. Keep their water thawed, and the coop dry.

It sounds like your coop might need a little more ventilation, but if you aren't smelling amonia or seeing moisture on the inside near the ceiling etc, it's probably ok... just keep an eye on things (which you obviously are doing)

P.S. I think your chickens eat better than I do!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Very. More than most other breeds. THat is part of the whole *point* of the breed

Im now concerned that our coop is too secure??

Probably -- you don't mention what it has in the way of constant ventilation, does it have any? It should. You are getting away without it only because of pouring vast amounts of electricity into heating the coop quite unnecessarily

-- if you let them be normal comfortable chickens you will need to add some ventilation.

we did put a small heater out there and set it at 50 degrees

Oh my, that is waaaaaay warmer than chickens need to (or even necessarily *want* to) be!! Wyandottes will be happy as clams well down towards 0 F and usually considerably below that -- and I'm talking *indoor* coop temperature, which even without electric heat is generally considerably warmer than outdoors, especially on your coldest nights.

Seriously, you probably don't need heat at *all* with them, certainly not what you're spending (and the fire hazard) on *that* sort of heating!

.Anything else we can do/use to help them keep warm?

You might take a look at the pages linked in my .sig below, one of the talks about managing winter coop temperatures and another talks about ventilation, there might be some ideas there you find useful

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[chickon baby]

Thanks for the help n the links abt ventillation.I will show D.H and see if he can give the coop more ventilation.So on all 4 walls there should be holes cut and then covered w/screen n those flappy things? Doing that high up closer to the ceiling is best? We actually can only put the vent slots in on 3 walls as the 1 wall is connected to a garden shed. I will show him the link,he will understand it better than I do,as far as the construction part goes..Thanks..

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
As long as by "holes" you means decent-sized things, nothing involving round hole-saws or anything like that

, then yup, that should work well for you

We actually can only put the vent slots in on 3 walls as the 1 wall is connected to a garden shed.

Actually, if there are no chemicals stored in the shed and you don't mind a little chicken dust getting in there, you could vent into there too -- that can be very very useful on the coldest or windiest days!

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​