Moving to cold weather and need advice

[halo]

Ive just started collecting those cattle panels from Tractor Supply...they are cheap...about $20 bucks, and can be used for so many thing. I love em.

 

[gsim]

Quote:

The cattle panels are great but you will have to cover all around the perimeter to keep coons and weasels out. Then there is the problem of dig-ins or climb-ins. You have to think of every angle, because your neighborhood predators will surely do that if you don't. Could be that enough large pallets and a large tarp would make a great temporary coop. But in your place, I would put them in the basement at night and make them a temporary run that you can see from the house for daytime. The cattle panels covered with chicken wire are fine for daytime runs as long as you are home. Dogs and coons can rip right through chicken wire. Coons, weasels, coyotes all will attack in wintertime in daylight.

 

[DanEP]

Hi well maybe I can help answer some Questions for you as I work in hoptown and live west of there .

1 First the west end of ky is much warmer than eastern ky so that will help.

@ we have lived here for over ten years and we do get snow like last nite (first white chritmas i"ve seen since leaving Wis). I've never seen the snow last over 4 days so the girls won't be stuck inside all that much.

I would think if you have LB chickens they will adapt just fine. I have 7 wk old's out in a grow out coop right now and their doing fine with a 85 watt bulb.They also spend most of their day out in the run by choice so I doubt that it's to cold for them during the day You might want to do the same thing with your birds give them a light in the coop that you gradually reduce to give them time to adjust to the colder weather but shouldn't take much.

Welcome to ky I think you'll find the summers here hot and humid just like Ga. Some years the ninties start in late may or early june and last into sept. tough on a cheesehead that first summer. If you have any Question that I can help with feel free to e-mail or pm me

Good luck with your move Dan

 

[myrtletheturtle]

Thanks again for all of your helpful suggestions everyone

I am so grateful to have wonderful friends who I have never even met!! Your advice is quite valuable! On that note, I think I got quite lucky...I found a gentleman who is a contractor and builds coops for fun on the side just south of savannah...he is building me a wonderful coop with a run attached and a roof on the run...9.5 feet X 4 feet X 6.5 feet tall! The best part is it is only ~ $220...now I will have to figure out how to tote it the 10 hours from sav to KY...lol...wish me luck

We plan to use that and my husband is going to build a variation of the cattle panel run as extra space for the girls to get out and frolic when we are home!! YAY!!
Dan...I am SO EXCITED to have a contact in Hop-town...I will certainly send you an email or message when I come up with some questions (which I surely will)! Haha

 

[MamaChic21]

I am so glad you've found a solution

looking forward for pic's when you can. Moving is never easy especially to a long distance but I wish you lots of luck, strength and patience

 

[Judy]

Just be sure it is well ventilated. Unless your builder is a chicken keeper he is not going to realize this. Go over Pat's ventilation page and educate him! BTW, I personally wouldn't bother to insulate in that climate.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

 

[myrtletheturtle]

Thank you MamaChic

Here is the pic I currently have of what the coop will look like!! He is adding a ladder and a closeable door to the roost...we will put some heavy duty plastic around the run I think to decrease the draft....
Hmm...won't let me attach the picture so here is the link to the posting that I found: http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/grd/2096202070.html

One more question to pick your brains with...what are your thoughts on giving vitamins before a move to decrease stress?

 

[MamaChic21]

The new coop looks absolutely beautiful and functional and it's a bargain for having it made for that price. I've also decided to get something like that but bigger. (The dog kennel is very expensive and can't be portable) Now as far us moving and vitamins, I never moved with chickens

but I would say don't eat their eggs for a while

That's what I heard, maybe people who are more experience in that field can explain more.