Michigan

[cwhit590]

Quote:
Man Cat, your chickies sound spoiled!

I second the heated waterer!!!!

 

[CATRAY44]

Quote:
Man Cat, your chickies sound spoiled!

I second the heated waterer!!!!

I actually was afraid people would think I was too hard on them, lol. I figure this is more than my grandma did for hers, so they should be fine, lol.... and they were. That waterer is a life saver!

 

[chickinlickin]

Thanks CAT - my coop is insulated...I salvaged all the other material, so I bought insulation...but the bales along the run is a great idea.

Patandchicken's page suggested a max/min thermometer..and I think that's a good idea to see how the temps fluctuate.

My brother has had chickens for years...and he told me if you do anything "extra", run electric out there....you'll get awful sick of frozen water....so hopefully next weekend I'm gonna get that done.

 

[cwhit590]

Quote:
Man Cat, your chickies sound spoiled!

I second the heated waterer!!!!

I actually was afraid people would think I was too hard on them, lol. I figure this is more than my grandma did for hers, so they should be fine, lol.... and they were. That waterer is a life saver!

I mean, come ON, you don't have heated floors in your chicken coop?!?!?

AH!!
LOL...naw, it sounds like you're taking VERY good care of them Cat.

My hens didn't even bother going out when it was really snowy...so... I just shut them in the coop when the weather was bad. As long as they're out of the blowing wind they're good.

Would your hens still go out in the run during the winter with the tarp and bale setup?

 

[briana1975]

Good to hear about the no heat for the chickens. Our coop is insulated, vented up high with the soffit all around, 2 windows, and a squirrel fan venting out for the winter. This will be our first winter too. They are in a sheltered area from the wind. Like the last 2 days I could go sit with the chickens in their yard and just be in a light breeze. Walk out the trail and it was gusting.
Cat do you leave a light on a timer for them or just the heater to keep the waterer from freezing?

 

[chickinlickin]

Quote:
Ok, 2 more.......so cristy, do you consider yourself a yooper? or is that a term you are uncomfortable with?

 

[cristy17]

Last winter was my first with my flock. Their coop isn't insulated. Not even airtight. I just had a bird bath heater in a 5-gallon bucket with 2 small heat lamps. Last winter we had a month of below zero weather. I didn't lose any chickens. Only my rooster had slight frostbite on his comb.

 

[Olive Hill]

'Evening all!

Just getting home and guess what I have in the 'bator... *drum roll* ... Welsummer eggs from our own BYC member and Michigander, Vicki! (Whose daughter was kind enough to meet me and deliver them and is an absolute doll, a very polite young lady.)

This will officially be the first batch of eggs in my DH's home-built contraption, so... we'll see.

Congrats on 500, Cristy! Keep that weather in the U.P., will ya? The 50's we've been getting are MORE than cold enough for me!

 

[CATRAY44]

Quote:
I actually was afraid people would think I was too hard on them, lol. I figure this is more than my grandma did for hers, so they should be fine, lol.... and they were. That waterer is a life saver!

I mean, come ON, you don't have heated floors in your chicken coop?!?!?

AH!!
LOL...naw, it sounds like you're taking VERY good care of them Cat.

My hens didn't even bother going out when it was really snowy...so... I just shut them in the coop when the weather was bad. As long as they're out of the blowing wind they're good.

Would your hens still go out in the run during the winter with the tarp and bale setup?

Most days they did go into the run. On really bad days, they would move into one coop and huddle up. This year I have worked out a schedule with them. I let the dogs out of the run and into the big yard for a while around 7a.m.. I then bring the dogs in and let the chickens out for about 4 or so hours. I then bring the chickens back inside the run and let the dogs out in the yard for the afternoon. After the dogs have their evening meal and go out for a few minutes, I bring them back in and it is the chickens turn in the big yard, lol. They then put themselves to bed and I go shut up the coops and run. It will be interesting to see if they leave the run for the yard this winter. I think they have me wrapped around their fingers.. (or make that beaks...)

 

[cwhit590]

Quote:
I mean, come ON, you don't have heated floors in your chicken coop?!?!?

AH!!
LOL...naw, it sounds like you're taking VERY good care of them Cat.

My hens didn't even bother going out when it was really snowy...so... I just shut them in the coop when the weather was bad. As long as they're out of the blowing wind they're good.

Would your hens still go out in the run during the winter with the tarp and bale setup?

Most days they did go into the run. On really bad days, they would move into one coop and huddle up. This year I have worked out a schedule with them. I let the dogs out of the run and into the big yard for a while around 7a.m.. I then bring the dogs in and let the chickens out for about 4 or so hours. I then bring the chickens back inside the run and let the dogs out in the yard for the afternoon. After the dogs have their evening meal and go out for a few minutes, I bring them back in and it is the chickens turn in the big yard, lol. They then put themselves to bed and I go shut up the coops and run. It will be interesting to see if they leave the run for the yard this winter. I think they have me wrapped around their fingers.. (or make that beaks...)

They DO have you wrapped around their beaks! Sounds like you're a full time chicken herder in the winter...

I use the deep litter method too...that helps keep things warmer, and when I shut them in during the bad winter snows the litter gives them something to scratch around in. They do get a bit cranky tho when they haven't been able to get out for awhile...

I just had a light and the heated waterer and my girls (BO and BR) layed all winter too!