Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[1muttsfan]

Silly! So nice to see you back. I thought those sheep were quite interesting, but I understand cutting back on the responsibilities.

 

[snowflake]

Hi silly, good to hear from you, ......south meaning Florida?

 

[Folly's place]

Hello Silly, glad you're back! Mary

 

[chickflick]

 

[jasonvanorder]

Couple questions from a newbie winter chicken keeper. First at what temp do you start closing up your coop at night? We have just a swing up door on ours that I am planning on closing at night. There are vents along the top for vents so that should be good. Second will they need feed and water inside the coop at night or just what they have in the run? Thanks all

 

[aart]

Couple questions from a newbie winter chicken keeper. First at what temp do you start closing up your coop at night? We have just a swing up door on ours that I am planning on closing at night. There are vents along the top for vents so that should be good. Second will they need feed and water inside the coop at night or just what they have in the run? Thanks all

Need venting all winter, tricky part is having good air movement to release humidity and ammonia without strong drafts blowing on roost area. Standing in the coop during high winds can show you where those problem spots might be, if you can't stand in your coop it's even trickier to evaluate.

If you start a new thread here with pics of your coop and run, inside and out, you'll get lots of suggestions.

I always keep feed/water inside coop, easier for me to tend to, doesn't get rained/snowed on, and I use supplemental lighting so they need F/W whenever they are up and moving. If you keep your feed outside, it must be protected from weather.

 

[1muttsfan]

I agree. Also, unless you are there each day as soon as it gets light to let them out, or if there are days where the weather is so bad you keep the door closed, they will need food and water inside. Unless you winterize your run by wrapping and covering it, then the door could be left open all the time.

 

[aart]

Unless you winterize your run by wrapping and covering it, then the door could be left open all the time.

Yes......and predator proofing it.

 

[snowflake]

Couple questions from a newbie winter chicken keeper. First at what temp do you start closing up your coop at night? We have just a swing up door on ours that I am planning on closing at night. There are vents along the top for vents so that should be good. Second will they need feed and water inside the coop at night or just what they have in the run? Thanks all

I leave the poop door open as we have a secure run, I also keep all water and feed out in the run, under a covered and some what sheltered area. works very well for me, gets the girls out daily for fresh air and keeps the coop a little cleaner

 

[bigmrg74]

Couple questions from a newbie winter chicken keeper. First at what temp do you start closing up your coop at night? We have just a swing up door on ours that I am planning on closing at night. There are vents along the top for vents so that should be good. Second will they need feed and water inside the coop at night or just what they have in the run? Thanks all

A couple of pictures of your coop and the set up around it can help us out with giving you advice.

For my coop, I park it by the garage to block the west wind, and then stack straw bales around it and build walls to block south and north winds from blowing through the hoop coop too much. It also offers the added bonus of a run area that the girls are a little more willing to be out and about in. I'll add a little more plastic to the front to knock down a little more of the south wind, but I do want a little air exchange from that way for ventilation, which tends to be more important for the health of your birds than keeping their coop warm. as long as its not drafty in there they're good.

I'll take some pictures of how my current winter set up is going so far tomorrow morning.