Maine

[suzMEchicks]

Appreciate your input. Sounds crazy but I've been wondering about cleaning out the coop. My friend at work says not to clean the coop all winter because the composting effect will keep it warmer. But it seems damp and I want dry right? So yesterday( it had only been 2 weeks) I raked out 1/2 of it and put 3 new inches of shavings and hay down. Before I was cleaning it completely out once a week. Its no trouble. The coop is only 5by5! I'm really nervous about the cold. My first winter with chickens. It was -10 this morning but +10 in the coop and they are laying and look good. Maybe I just need to relax! Thanks for lustening

 

[Mainechick168]

It's -13 here right now. BRRRRR. I guess the chickens will be staying in today.

 

[MEMama3]

We're at -19° and according to weather.com it feels like -32°. Having just been out there, I concur. I went to check on the girls and four of them are in the communal box laying eggs. They NEVER share a box, but I guess they were willing to so they could share body heat.

Anyways, I took some "chickens in winter" pictures after the storm, but I guess picture uploads still aren't working. Maybe later...

 

[IZZYBELLA]

Appreciate your input. Sounds crazy but I've been wondering about cleaning out the coop. My friend at work says not to clean the coop all winter because the composting effect will keep it warmer. But it seems damp and I want dry right? So yesterday( it had only been 2 weeks) I raked out 1/2 of it and put 3 new inches of shavings and hay down. Before I was cleaning it completely out once a week. Its no trouble. The coop is only 5by5! I'm really nervous about the cold. My first winter with chickens. It was -10 this morning but +10 in the coop and they are laying and look good. Maybe I just need to relax! Thanks for lustening

This is my first winter with chickens, too. I am doing similar to what you're doing. Earlier this fall I was cleaning out the entire coop of shavings weekly. Since it started getting really cold, I've only been cleaning out the shavings under the roosts and any other areas that look particularly dirty and/or wet and then putting down a new layer of shavings. If water spills or mud gets tracked in, I do clean that wetness out daily. So far, so good, but I'm nervous, too!

 

[MEMama3]

Two "horrays" for today! 1st, when bringing out more warm water I noticed that the hoop run seemed a bit shorter than it had been previously. I thought I was crazy until I noticed their branch setup was knocked down. I then realized that the hoop was mushrooming. My bad. All the concern regarding the snow coming off the garage roof knocking it over, I hadn't considered it collapsing. I figured since it heats up like a greenhouse it would melt the snow base so it would slide off. Anyways, discovering it before today's snowstorm I went and cleaned off the top. I also found a 4x4 that was the perfect length for wedging under the spine of the hoop. Diverted disaster. Yeah!

2nd, miss Sophia laid her first egg in three weeks. She was acting so depressed and was being victimized by a couple bullies. After laying that egg she is back to her old self. She is energetic and giving heck right back to the bullies. Yeah!

 

[mlowen]

- 3 this morning inside coop and outside. The 5 girls are roosting--very close together. This is their first winter & all 4 who started laying are laying regularly. I'm going to put up plastic on the south side of the run (already on the north) and see if I can kick up the solar gain in there a little.

 

[lazy gardener]

I also hesitated re: cleaning the coop vs. allowing DL to pile up. I figured that frozen poop is not going to compost, so last weekend, it was out with the bad! (just in the loft.) Will let the DL in the enclosed run set all winter. Should be some fantastic stuff to add to the garden. I bet I'll be able to hear the veggies growing this spring!

 

[CoopChick719]

MaineChick, where've you been? Welcome back!!

We had 24 in the coop this morning. I did have a 100W ceramic heat bulb running all night--just heat, no light. Last winter, with the red brooder lamp, everyone would get up and thought it was party time then get caught off the roost when the timer shut off. I've been worried about my banty cochins & Sizzles so aimed the bulb at the roost where they sleep. All 4 stayed under it. The bigger girls were all huddled close too.

After a 2 gallon waterer fiasco this past summer, my DL is making it's come back. Everything is looking pretty dry but I do scrape poop boards daily. Yesterday, I kicked around some of the DL in the run to cover the drifting snow. The girls decided it looked safe so ventured out.

Oh...did anyone else see the crazy chicken lady in Farmingdale picking up all the clumps of grass that the plow scraped up from the lawn to throw them in the run? No? Oh good....me either

 

[Mainechick168]

MaineChick, where've you been? Welcome back!!

We had 24 in the coop this morning. I did have a 100W ceramic heat bulb running all night--just heat, no light. Last winter, with the red brooder lamp, everyone would get up and thought it was party time then get caught off the roost when the timer shut off. I've been worried about my banty cochins & Sizzles so aimed the bulb at the roost where they sleep. All 4 stayed under it. The bigger girls were all huddled close too.

After a 2 gallon waterer fiasco this past summer, my DL is making it's come back. Everything is looking pretty dry but I do scrape poop boards daily. Yesterday, I kicked around some of the DL in the run to cover the drifting snow. The girls decided it looked safe so ventured out.

Oh...did anyone else see the crazy chicken lady in Farmingdale picking up all the clumps of grass that the plow scraped up from the lawn to throw them in the run? No? Oh good....me either

Hi Coopchick Who knows where I have been??? Haha- Well I guess I do, I just finished my last class ( EVER) and internship hours. I start student teaching in January, and then finally graduate in May! YAY!

I've got about 3 girls laying right now, which is fine for the time being. My "babies" will be 4 months old at the end of the month, and are getting along well- I wonder when the "baby" rooster will start crowing....and how the "daddy" rooster will like that?! I'm thinking/hoping they will all get along, the big rooster is the biggest baby of the bunch- super laid back....

 

[ashandvine]

- 8here and I was bad. I didn't check the temps in the barn and didn't want to check the goose house. Oddly they are both usually 20* warmer than outside-- usually. I know the geese are staying inside today except for when I run out with fresh food-- cabbage leaves, grapes and some old cherries today. The water is freezing in moments now. Did mention that I got our first eggsicle? Mottled Java pullet is laying. Now if she would just lay in the nests instead of on the floor.