Minnesota!

[ejb3810]

I would advocate no floor covering material other than sand, and rake droppings out at least daily. Make sure that the coop does not accumulate humidity, as it is much worse than cold. You really need not be overly concerned about extreme cold unless you keep single comb varieties ( which will get frost bite on combs) or small varieties of bantams.
You must have well ventilated coops, but the birds should not be subject to draft or rain.
Some whole corn in the feed is a good thing when the temperatures get cold, as they can use the additional carbs to help in maintaining body temps.
Be careful with birds that may be in heavy molt when the weather turns cold.

 

[MinnesotaNice]

A good check of all birds before winter is always good, but you should keep up with that daily as you are taking care of them anyway. Doesn't always mean handle every day, but the better you know your birds the easier to see when something is 'off'. If they have been out on the ground during summer, deworming is not a bad idea. Make sure your coop is draft free but well ventilated. Check for any "chinks in the armor" where rodents or predators can enter, or at least have a plan for when the rodents come, because with feed around, they find their way in. Have a plan for litter removal and feed storage. Plan out your watering system, which will be the biggest PITA part of winter for most poultry keepers. I also keep cracked corn to feed as a treat to all in winter.

What do you use for dewormer? My elderly apple pie making neighbor tosses out pumpkins and squash. She swears by that and vinegar. She'll tell you all about it

We won't have electric in the coop this year and it's not close to the house.....at all. This will require creativity on my part. I mean DH's part.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

wintering chickens:
Bag balm (green tin with clovers on it) if you did get single comb varieties. Vaseline is worthless. Hens will tuck their heads under their wings to keep warm, though, And I think GFTG's roo is an EE. So no comb issues there.
Low roosts. Broken toes and feet freeze and fall off. Broad sides of 2 x 4s so they can enclose those feet in their feathers when the feet are cold. Inside the coop and put one out in the run too. Consider straw for a flooring base. The straw makes for a warmer floor because the airspace in the shaft of the straw stem is an insulator. Personally I don't like the poopy feet that I get with straw. So I double up on pine shavings but I know it's not as warm. Sand is less warm again but the cleanliness factor is unmatched.

Watch them on days that are rain/ snow mix days. (High humidity) And of course -25 to -50 F weeks in a row is tough on them.

No hot steamy oatmeal or squashes to warm them up on cold days. You'll steam freeze the wattles right off them.

I have been known to put warm tap water in the waterer on the nasty mornings though.

Greens. Buy a bag of kale at Walmart. It's $2. Or spinach. Handful each day as a treat with scratch. Or go get the past prime stuff from your grocery stores produce section. They'll probably give it to you for free. Kitchen scraps. Whatever.
They really crave the greens in the winter.

Grit. Get a couple bags. If snow is covering access to gravel in your driveway or wherever they'll need that to process their food.

Dusting bin. Again they'll want to groom themselves with a dust bath now and again. Scoop some sand and wood ashes into a larger pit or I used a galvanized wash tub.

Do checks for lice/ mites every month. Being on hay or straw or just those things finding a warm home before winter hits is always a possibility.

That's all I can think of in addition to ejb's and Minnie's posts for winter. Last winter wasn't bad but the two before were rough. 6 solid months in the run. Sit on a designated bale in the run in your carharts and enjoy them. You feel sorry for them and they're bored and grumpy and you never look forward to spring so much until you have chickens.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

What do you use for dewormer? My elderly apple pie making neighbor tosses out pumpkins and squash. She swears by that and vinegar. She'll tell you all about it  

We won't have electric in the coop this year and it's not close to the house.....at all. This will require creativity on my part. I mean DH's part.

There have been studies that show pumpkins and gourds will slightly paralyze worms but I'm suspect that it does not do the job adequately enough.
I use Safegaurd and valbazen as they get out a broader spectrum of worms. (There are different types) Safegaurd is around $14 I believe and a bottle of valbazen is $50-$60 and you'll never use it all before it expires. It should be considered in a rotation though so you don't get worms that become immune to the Safegaurd.

LaLa has a method that is old timey with dishwater. I'm intrigued by it and know very little as yet. I'm a little scared to try too tbh as I've nearly lost a bird to blackhead and I know my birds get good loads each spring.

 

[duluthralphie]

My Guinea on death row threw me for a loop today. I was out by him, working on my Whzbang, that I may or may not ever get built, when he started screaming "buck wheat".

I was shocked I was sure it was a male. Now I have a hen on death row. Dang I hate killing hens!

Oh well, no one wants her so she is still the volunteer for the plucker.

 

[Minniechickmama]

What do you use for dewormer? My elderly apple pie making neighbor tosses out pumpkins and squash. She swears by that and vinegar. She'll tell you all about it

We won't have electric in the coop this year and it's not close to the house.....at all. This will require creativity on my part. I mean DH's part.

Ask 5 people, you'll get 5 answers on the dewormer. I have used Wazine, it is easy, but I have switched to Safeguard because it is a broad spectrum dewormer.

For those I don't have electric to, I use the black rubber pans. They are easy to stomp the ice out of in winter. I am also working with hubby to make some solar stuff to use in those.

 

[Cluckies]

Thanks guys, great winter tips.
I mix boss with scratch to feed them that as a treat.
I also grow meal worms to feed them a few times a week.
I bring out the kale mixed with shredded cabbage every day. Just what they can finish before it freezes.
I double the amount of pine shavings in the hen house, it is warmer and also makes the area smaller, so more heat stays in. I'm a big baby, and I do have a ceramic flat panel heater that hangs on the wall, it is plugged into a thermo block, it kicks on at zero, off at 10. When it was 24 below last year, it got to a balmy 7 degrees in the hen house.
Block any drafts. But keep ventilation.
I have sand in my run. Last year I threw pine shavings over it, but it was a terrible mess this spring, sooooo, I'm not sure what I'll do with that this year. I tried hay before the shavings, but mine have never had hay. So one immediately got a sour crop, it was touch and go for awhile. Out with the straw.
We'll get through it God willing, and the creek don't rise.

 

[scandiafowl]

My Guinea on death row threw me for a loop today. I was out by him, working on my Whzbang, that I may or may not ever get built,  when he started screaming "buck wheat".

I was shocked I was sure it was a male.   Now I have a hen on death row. Dang I hate killing hens!

Oh well, no one wants her so she is still the volunteer for the plucker.

How would she do in a flock of chickens as the only Guinea?

 

[scandiafowl]

I'm interested in the layer system for the winter. Has anyone tried this? What did you use?

When we paneled the inside of the coop I used leftover foam insulation on the northwest side. The door faces the east and the southern wall is most exposed.

Venting is my concern. If anyone can post photos of their coop vents I'd appreciate it. We paneled the ceiling as well, squirrels are stocking up winter rations in the roof area.

 

[holm25]

Scandia we used the layer system over the winter. I dont think we will do that again. It smelt horrible and added alot of unneeded moisture. We r going to use shavings this winter since our new coop is well insulated and there is alot more birds to add heat.