My First Winter with Chickens

[TomZilla43]

I live just south of you in TN just south of the KY state line so we share similar weather and I don't do any thing as far as heating the coop. Like others have said it's really about good ventilation. I've sometimes wondered if our chooks don't have it a little worse than some that are located farther north just because it's not greatly unusual for it to be 65 degrees on say a Tuesday afternoon and then by Thursday night it may well be 8 degrees over night. And like you I have worried that those single digit temps would be too much cold for the chickens but this is my third year w/ chickens and they always seem to do fine and I have had zero issues with frostbite. Now I do have heated waterers but that's more for my peace of mind to know that they have access to the fresh water and food that they need in winter. Anyhoo very best of luck with your chooks and I hope you find a plan that works well for you.

 

[Kiki]

 

[martins show birds]

nothing heated. though we do have a heat lamp with a led bulb.{no heat though}

 

[J99]

Ok my inside coop I just wrap three sides??? I have two windows in there do I wrap them both? And isn’t heated water bowls an electric hazard? I was planning on wrapping my entire enclosure but leaving a gap at the top then my outside run only wrapping the sides there isn’t a roof on that one it’s just wire , then not doing anything to my large run but inevitably the two runs will be covered in snow , then the inside coop will be bedding and straw
Is that ok? This in my first winter also

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I just read this last post. Do not do what this is saying! Livestock need ventilation. Houses we live in that are too tight kill us too.

Wrap your run. Not your coop. Three sides of run or an area in run near coop door so they have a place outside of coop to go in winter.

Keep coops ventilated.

 

[aart]

Ok my inside coop I just wrap three sides??? I have two windows in there do I wrap them both? And isn’t heated water bowls an electric hazard? I was planning on wrapping my entire enclosure but leaving a gap at the top then my outside run only wrapping the sides there isn’t a roof on that one it’s just wire , then not doing anything to my large run but inevitably the two runs will be covered in snow , then the inside coop will be bedding and straw
Is that ok? This in my first winter also

I would strongly suggest you start a new thread here
with lots of pics of your coop and run, inside and out.

 

[Dream Gold Farm]

Also my first winter with my flock. Some very good advice and tips here!

 

[rehdancer]

Hey all! As the title says, this is my first winter with chickens and I'm starting to get a game plan together so I don't wait until the last minute and find out supplies are sold out or hard to get.
I have four coops and will be doing my best to "winterize" them. Half of my flock are bantams, the other half are LF. I'm more focused on keeping the bantams safe and warm this winter than the big girls, and have been looking at heat plates to put in the bantam coops.
I live in Kentucky and while we don't have crazy, long winters, we do get snow usually after the new year and saw a few bursts of below freezing temperatures.
What do you all recommend as far as when to use a heater in the coops? Currently, I intend to utilize straw for bedding, tarps to wrap the coops/runs in and feeding corn to help generate body heat, in addition to hate plates if/when necessary.
What temperature/situation would a heater be necessary? Is there a certain temperature that chickens are in danger of frost bite?

Thanks bunches!

My first winter also. Just got done reading an excellent article by Patandchickens, under Learning Center, then go to Winter..... It covers everything I think I'm going to need to consider here in far northern Wisconsin, where the winter is expected to be colder and more snowy than average. Great............. We designed with high and low vents on east and west sides and a window on the south side for sun warmth. Somehow I wound up with one bantam so we'll see how it goes for her, otherwise I'm looking for first egg, not so patiently.

 

[rehdancer]

Do not think keeping the birds warm. That leads to frostbite. You need to think of keeping the birds DRY. Dry birds are warm birds, and wet, damp birds are cold. Lack of ventilation, is what causes birds to be damp.

Think of a bunch of people in a closed car in the dark, without the heat on, it fogs up almost immediately, making people damp, and quickly uncomfortable. That is what happens with chickens too. Since childhood, we have been told to shut the door, to keep things warm, and so it will so counterintuitive to do what you really need to do. OPEN the place up, let that warm moist air out of the coop.

Most heaters, on deep bedding can be a real fire hazard. I would check with your household insurance to make sure you don't violate your policy with the set up. I live in western SD, we routinely get down to -25 degrees, and the more open I have the coop, the less frostbite. In the beginning, I wanted to trap the heat too, it took me awhile to figure out what good ventilation was all about.

Put in deep bedding, and keep the manure broken up or out of the coop. Open the coop up above their heads, so that the warm, moist air rises out of the coop. In the winter, I frequently drop my roosts down a couple of inches to give them more head clearance. You want your birds roosting away from the ceiling and the walls if possible.

I use a black rubber bowl for water.

Mrs K

That black rubber bowl sounds like a good idea. Even though you're south of me I betcha we get some of the same cold west winds you do.

 

[Folly's place]

The downside of the rubber water dishes, besides the pain of refilling them often, is if you have birds with large wattles, which will get into the water and freeze. Or, is a bird steps into the water dish and then has wet legs and feet. BAD in cold weather!
I've used them, but prefer electricity and the heated bases for waterers.
Mary