Just insulating the nesting box area?

[Noobiechickluv]

I just ordered an electric bowl (see below) Anyone ever try these? We keep the waterer outside of the coop, so I'm not too worried about spillage. I also check on my girls alot, so keeping it full won't be an issue.

 

[BirchMeadow]

We live in Michigan and our 4 Orpingtons do just fine over the winter in a small wooden elevated coop. It is not insulated, and not well designed, so there are drafts around the slider door. We caulked the rest of it though, so I guess that draft is just a bit of ventilation for them... I kept their water from freezing by setting their galvanized 2 gallon waterer in a heated dog bowl (like the one below) inside the coop. Worked perfectly! The water is ice cold, but this thing totally prevents it from freezing. yaay! Have never had any frozen eggs. We had temps as low as 14 degrees F. I did leave a 200 watt bulb on for them on those rare cold nights because I'm a worrier.

I like to give them some cracked corn in the evenings before they head in to roost for the night. I read that it takes longer for the crop to grind it up and creates a little extra body heat for them through the night.

Available on amazon.com:

 

[Alaskan]

I have used heated dog bowls like the ones above...they work fine except I did manage to break mine because water splashed out, got underneath, froze the bowl to the ground, and when we tried to pop it off the ground the bottom of the bowl broke out.

 

[tepchickens]

Thanks so much for the post. This is our first year with chickens and we live in Minnesota so I was a bit worried about the cold weather to come. We have a set up very similar to yours so I think we will be good to go. One question, what do you use to keep your water unfrozen?

 

[BirchMeadow]

tepchickens: the 2 gallon waterer fits neatly into the heated bowl and the bowl plugs into the outlet inside the coop. Here's a pic. What kind of chickens do you have?

 

[Alaskan]

tepchickens: the 2 gallon waterer fits neatly into the heated bowl and the bowl plugs into the outlet inside the coop. Here's a pic. What kind of chickens do you have?

The problem that I have with that kind of set-up, is that even though the water in the trough will stay thawed, the ice higher up in the metal waterer freezes, and the metal freezes to itself, so you can't open it! My kids and I bust two or three of those metal waterers because we popped the welds trying to unscrew the top. Maybe if I had two, and I kept one in the run, and one in the house, and then swapped them out every day........... That might work. But, I just went to a black flexible plastic feed pan (like what is used to feed horses, just over a foot in diameter and maybe 8 inches deep) and put a horse trough de-icer in it. I picked one that is safe to touch, and so is also safe to touch plastic. The black rubber pans are wonderful, you can kick the tar out of those things, and they don't bust.

 

[lamelde]

I live in WI and the winters get extremely cold. I use the heated water base & a metal double-wall waterer. I've never had any trouble with that - other than having to clean it daily (yep - I have 2 that I switch out every other day).

My question is this - you know that space between the roof and the side walls (where the 2x4's are on top) yeah that space. I kept it open for ventilation but how do I prevent the drafts that blow through there? It's fine for Summer they love the extra air - but in Winter...

I am confused by this "problem." I was thinking that I could frame the top with 2x2's and have like a drop ceiling - panels that I can put in for WInter. But how do I keep the ventilation with that space closed off?

 

[BirchMeadow]

Yes, probably not good for Alaska, but I've never had ice form -- even at the top -- here in Michigan. And yes, those black rubber ones are great. Used them for the outdoor dog water.

 

[rancher hicks]

So these are my coops. Rarely have I ever found a frozen egg. No coop is heated nor insulated. I do cover the runs with plastic in the winter so the girls can go out for some air. Coops without runs are just opened up and the birds go in and out as they please.

My large hoop coop stays about 5* warmer than my wooden coop. Each has a thermometer and hygrometer inside. The humidity in the hoop gets very high which is why I leave the front of the run uncovered.

I stuff the nest boxes with hay in the winter. The girls go in and fix it to their liking. I am in NY.

I had one hen sit and hatch chicks in the middle of winter. Two for two. That year we had below freezing temps. She was a Dominique and very feisty so I said "hey whatever stupid bird" and she hatch both her eggs.

So here's my advice. Do whatever will make you feel better no matter what anyone says. If it works great, if not so what ? You have to feel good about what you've done and if anything goes wrong that you've given it your best. Conscience clean, no worries.

I wish you well ,

Rancher

 

[rancher hicks]

Inside in winter, so no frozen toes or boredom.



I stack bales of hay up so they have something to play on. I put a bale of straw in and they spread it out on the floor. Keeps their feet warm and dry. Add wood shavings or more as needed and clean out in the spring.



Feed is repackaged into thoroughly cleaned out cat litter containers so I don't have to lug more out each day. Of course winter is cold so it stays fresh.




I hung a piece of fleece just about the roost bar so their body heat is captured and helps to keep them warmer at night. Each LF generates 10 watts of heat.

Of course you will get different opinions and ideas. Use what works for you.

I wish you well,

Rancher