I need help knowing what to do with the chickens in the winter!!

[gogfan]

Hiya,


I live in Ontario , Canada. At this time we are entering winter in this time of year. I got my chickens early saturday of may 2, 2010. So i'm sorta new to rasing chickens. I need to know as much info as I can about what to do in the winter with the chickens. I have 3 RIR hens, 1 RIR rooster,1 Buff Orp hen, 1 BPR rooster, 1 BPR hen, and 3 Cornish hens.
Any info will help. THX!

 

[7L Farm]

Wow, I live in Texas. Not near the winter your facing. From what I know your chicks can take the cold its the wind blowing on them. Seal the walls so they don't get beat up with the wind hammering them. I'm gonna use plastic on the window they roost in front of at night .

 

[kakayona]

Your well prepared anyway.

Is there electricity in their coop? Do they have a coop? Is their coop insulated? Does it have a vent of some sort?

 

[Kelly G]

There will be many who will weigh in here with much more experience than I have. I am assuming your new chickens are grown, and not small chicks...but here are a few tips that I've learned here:

Draft free (but well ventilated) coop.
Roosts that are at least 2" wide so the chickens can roost and keep their feet warm & frost free!
Fresh water always - that's not frozen!
Free feed high-quality feed - they will burn energy just staying warm.

I hope this helps! Others will be along shortly to give you more helpful info...they will also have more "cred" than a girl from Florida!!

Oh! And...

 

[gogfan]

Great info thanks!

they have a coop out side, we are already going to put a tarp over the coop. We have 1 heating lamp, but it is REALLLLY bad.. my cornish hens are actully still chicks.... but you can tell their gender. the buff orpington usually acts as the mom....

just trying to get more info to help

 

[teach1rusl]

Is your coop insulated? That will help a lot if so. As others have said, make sure your ventilation is up high so that there are no drafts on your birds, provide a THICK layer of bedding. Make sure they have plenty of liquid H2O. Provide wind breaks if possible (tarps or stacked straw bales)...
Some use supplemental heat on the coldest nights; others don't.

ETA: So the younger birds are fully feathered??? Depending on their age, they may still need a heat lamp. You might also consider a huddle box inside your coop...a small, temporary boxed in area for them to roost (all, not just the young ones).

 

[can you hear me now?]

What type of combs do they have? If it is a standard comb you may want to get vaseline to put on the comb for the really bitter cold days. This will help prevent them from getting frostbite on their combs. A heat lamp wouldn't hurt either if it get cold like I think it does in Ontario. Other than that I see good sound advice. Drafts are the main worry for keeping them healthy. Usually somewhere it gets really cold people like to get rose comb chickens, they are less susceptible to frostbite.

 

[Ema]

I live in Ontario too, I got a lot of good useful advice from patandchickens page on cold coops here is the link

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-winter-coop-temperatures

 

[buff]

Well, I am still learning stuff and I have had chickens for a little over 2 years. But you do need a draft free well ventilated coop also we put heating lamps in the coops above the water, leave on night and all day so water doesn't freeze. Make sure chickens do not have any place a draft will get into coops cause that is how they catch colds. Also, I put either leaves or hay on the floor of the coop because I read in a chicken book that it will help provide heat and also give then something to scatch. I add to it every other day, for it is suppose to help heat the coop. I also made heaters which I have two in our coop, I used 2 five gallon buckets and put light sockets in them and drill holes around the top of the buckets painted them red so it makes the light look more red and put red light bulbs in them for it makes heat for the chickens but not light enough to keep they awake all night. And I always make sure to give fresh water daily, give them laying mesh, and scratch feed daily. Hopefully others will tell you what they do.

 

[gogfan]

oh the chicks are around 3 monthes, the coop is insolated, and they have a roosting place