Midwest winters

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Drawbacks: they will occasionally develop problems and flood the coop. Also they don't work in the deep of winter. I would recommend against it, at least til you have had chickens for a couple years and are bored and looking for a new project to fiddle with and spend money on <g>

Also, since my girls will be on the hefty side, what dimensions should their nesting boxes be? And how many should there be for 15 girlies?

14" is fine for nestboxes, unless you want to use communal (larger) boxes. 5 boxes would be plenty for 15 hens, frankly 4 would be quite adequate, or an equal area of larger communal boxes.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[CityChook]

Insulation is never a bad thing. It will keep your birds warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. I also provide 24/7 heat for my chickens over their roost, but it rarely gets above 10-15F inside the coop in the winter.

I don't think your automated water is going to work in the wintertime. I HAVE to use a heated water dish here in MN from Oct. - April to keep the water fluid.

Nest boxes should be 12-14 inches square. They like it a little cramped and dark. They will likely pick a favorite and everyone will use the same few. For 15 birds, I'd probably put in 4-5 boxes. I only have 4 birds so I have a communal box. It works great. You don't need to worry about putting in your nest boxes until they are closer to laying age. Remember to install the boxes lower than the roost.

PS - I think all living creatures deserve natural sunlight. Who knows - the windows could end up being more of a benefit in the winter (sunlight as well as warmth) than in the summer (ventilation). Recommended.

Hope this helps - cc