INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[flyladyrocks]

Ventilation question:

Our winter coop was not going to be done before this frigid weather came in and we go out of town. So friends gave us a wooden playhouse. It is 4 x 4, the main part is about 4 feet high, with a peaked roof that is about 6 feet high. It is on our back porch.

There are three windows. They are 9x9 and 28 inches off the ground. The front window is a normal flat square, the sides are diagonal diamond. Even if the windows were completely boarded up It is not air tight, but the section of the porch it is on has plywood around it to help block wind and snow (and we've made the back porch into a covered run for them). What I am wondering is how much of the windows I should board up and how much leave as a vent with mesh over it. We have 8 hens and a rooster.

Thanks for your help.

 

[ChickCrazed]

Ventilation question:

Our winter coop was not going to be done before this frigid weather came in and we go out of town. So friends gave us a wooden playhouse. It is 4 x 4, the main part is about 4 feet high, with a peaked roof that is about 6 feet high. It is on our back porch.

There are three windows. They are 9x9 and 28 inches off the ground. The front window is a normal flat square, the sides are diagonal diamond. Even if the windows were completely boarded up It is not air tight, but the section of the porch it is on has plywood around it to help block wind and snow (and we've made the back porch into a covered run for them). What I am wondering is how much of the windows I should board up and how much leave as a vent with mesh over it. We have 8 hens and a rooster.

Thanks for your help.

You want the ventilation well above the birds since the hot moist air will rise. You also want it well above the birds so they don't get a draft.

 

[flyladyrocks]

Hubby already thought of that. He has electrical experience. We need to do this as cheaply as possibly. Right now the cheapest place that has the bowls is Tractor Supply-Walmart is out. They are $20 and we need 2 -one for food and one for water. We just can't afford that right now. I have friends who have been using these for years without a problem so I think we'll be fine.

Originally Posted by Leahs Mom

 

[Faraday40]

So here's the little addition. The roof is hinged & lifts for cleaning. The chicken door joining it can be closed to make it a separate living space. (I'm sure I'll have a future use for it... like for breeding, broody hen & chicks, rooster time out, etc.) For now, I have 3 extra chickens I wasn't planning on, so more sheltered space is my need. The wind picked up & I really had to thaw myself out. I'll put some plastic sheeting on it tomorrow. By spring, I'm sure I'll find some new ways to tweak it & I'll decorate it then. One of the things I know I'll add is a short fence to keep the chickens off & behind the patio. (Preferably something the dogs can jump over.) The cheap flower garden fencing didn't always work b/c they eventually find weak area & slip through or a dog trips & flattens a path for the chickens. Only my Legbars can get off the ground, but they stay with the flock. My fence won't have to be tall. If anyone has an idea, please share.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Even my fattest chickens can fly over our 4 ft fence. Thankfully for the most part, they choose not too jump the fence but they can and will if they think there is food on the other side.

 

[twoboystwogirls]

Even my fattest chickens can fly over our 4 ft fence. Thankfully for the most part, they choose not too jump the fence but they can and will if they think there is food on the other side.

Yeah, mine too. The only one who can't make it is the rooster so we replaced the 4 foot one with 6 feet. That took care of them. We let them free range alot but not all the time and it was annoying that they would decide when to get out.


Well, got the girls buttoned up a little more for the freezing weather tonight. DH put tarps up on the two walls where the wind is coming from. I put some straw down for them to play in and hopefully generate some heat. Brought the water in so it will be liquid in the morning. You know, in the summer I like all of my chores. I look forward to taking care of the chickens and everything but in the winter I dread suiting up and going out there. I just know that they enjoy a little company every day.

 

[Leahs Mom]

My Jubilee pullets will NOT go into the henhouse at night, so I have been letting them roost overnight in the open coop. I figure that if it gets cold/windy enough, they will go inside with the other girls. However, if you have never seen the plumage on English Orpingtons, they have about twice as much feather volume as an American Orpington, so I am not as worried about them except combs and feet. Fortunately, they have small combs/wattles. They really hunker down and seem to get their feet covered well, too. As for the one Australorp with frostbite from last year, she is still the bottom girl, but she sleeps inside a nest box now, so I don't think the other girls will bully her out of there this year. Poor thing has no feathers on her rump and no tail at all. She is wearing a winter weight butterfly saddle that helps keep her back and shoulders protected. I recommend butterfly saddles if you have any girls that still have thin spots from either molting, breeding, or being picked on. Louise's Country Closet makes great ones at a very reasonable price, ships them free, and you can usually Google to find a 10% off cou pon code. The website is http://www.louisescountrycloset.com/butterfly-saddles/ . There are also smaller regular saddles, but they aren't "padded" and don't last nearly as long. For the additional $1.50, I just always buy the heavier weight, larger coverage butterfly saddles.

I have one girl that just started a terrible molt. She's never really molted like this before even though she'll be 3 in March because she brooded 2 clutches and did her molt in conjunction with the hatch so she's always looked beautiful and healthy and shiny most the time. I'm glad you mentioned the aprons. I have a couple around here and we put one on her tonight as her back is becoming pretty bare along with everything else for that matter.

I got mine here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/251479089837

This is not my photo - photo of the seller. But wanted to post it so you could see the extra long ones which is what I have so it covers more.

She was flapping her wings this afternoon and just tons of feathers came out. Really bad time of year for that. It's supposed to be around 10 degrees tonight.

 

[browncow15]

Got a surprise in my egg basket tonight.

Apparently one of the chicks I hatched from my flock is an olive egger! I knew several of them hatched from my EEs eggs but I didn't figure either of my roos would have had a dark enough brown egg to make the olive color!!


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[bradselig]

Got a surprise in my egg basket tonight.

Apparently one of the chicks I hatched from my flock is an olive egger! I knew several of them hatched from my EEs eggs but I didn't figure either of my roos would have had a dark enough brown egg to make the olive color!!


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Very pretty egg!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
I have a bald australorp too, poor girl. I have purchased from this seller, good quality aprons.