INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[ChickCrazed]

Hello I'm new to BYC and Chickens in general. I'm just now gaining knowledge about raising and keeping chickens and I'm waiting until spring to buy my first flock. In the process of making a chicken coop and now with this cold weather probably wont finish it until very early spring. Wanted to join the Indiana BYC so I will know a little more as to what to expect through the seasons.

Welcome!

 

[hoosiercheetah]

Hello I'm new to BYC and Chickens in general. I'm just now gaining knowledge about raising and keeping chickens and I'm waiting until spring to buy my first flock. In the process of making a chicken coop and now with this cold weather probably wont finish it until very early spring. Wanted to join the Indiana BYC so I will know a little more as to what to expect through the seasons.

Welcome! We love answering questions!

What kind of flock do you have in mind?

 

[pginsber]

Curious...for those of you that have used the heat tape, how hot does it get?

The tape is slightly warm to the touch--and it says it works to 38 below zero, so I would guess 32 + 38=60 degrees?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Thanks! I have looked at a few of them in the past but never have used any. The ones I was reading said they need to be wrapped in insulation. But it looks like you didn't feel that you needed to do that?

 

[hoosiercheetah]

Oh, I was going to answer a question about heat - someone asked why reinvent the wheel? Because:

1 - I can see my chickens making a horrid mess out of a dog bowl full of water, and I'd have to fill it every day. The hanging waterers are good for every other day, and they stay cleaner.

2 - Have you met me? Reinventing the wheel is my stock in trade. :-D

 

[pginsber]

Thanks! I have looked at a few of them in the past but never have used any. The ones I was reading said they need to be wrapped in insulation. But it looks like you didn't feel that you needed to do that?

You're right, it was unnecessary to insulate.
I do recommend using electrical tape designed for extreme temperatures, though...regular electrical tape would get brittle and/or gooey in the cold and dust of the chicken coop environment.
My coop is unheated. Perhaps a heated coop would not be such and extreme temperature environment.

 

[twoboystwogirls]

Hello I'm new to BYC and Chickens in general. I'm just now gaining knowledge about raising and keeping chickens and I'm waiting until spring to buy my first flock. In the process of making a chicken coop and now with this cold weather probably wont finish it until very early spring. Wanted to join the Indiana BYC so I will know a little more as to what to expect through the seasons.

Welcome. How many chickens were you thinking? We originally wanted 6. We now have 24. LOL. Make the coop bigger than you think because chickens are addicting.

 

[Indiana feather]

You're right, it was unnecessary to insulate.
I do recommend using electrical tape designed for extreme temperatures, though...regular electrical tape would get brittle and/or gooey in the cold and dust of the chicken coop environment.
My coop is unheated. Perhaps a heated coop would not be such and extreme temperature environment.

It sure sounds like a good setup...I may consider something like that down the road . For this winter i am gonna go with a base heater made for a double wall fount waterer.. supposed to be good to 10 above... hopefully it will work

 

[IndiesChix]

Welcome!  We love answering questions!

What kind of flock do you have in mind?

Not sure yet . I'm wanting egg layers, at the moment I'm liking the buff ophington?. Is it best to have a mixed breed of chickens?

 

[IndiesChix]

...

Welcome.  How many chickens were you thinking?  We originally wanted 6.  We now have 24. LOL.  Make the coop bigger than you think because chickens are addicting. 
[/quote
I'm thinking of starting out with 10. The coop will be 9×11. There is room for expansion in case I do want more later on.