New Home for the chickens

[Kerrie Ann]

Hello - We are new at this can anyone tell us how to make our girls more comfortable. They did not seem stressed at all when we brought them home but they have only laid 2 eggs 3 days. Also We live in MA what do most people do in the winter do you give them light or let them have a brake? Any advice for a Newbie would be nice. Thank you

 

[This_chicks_place]

I'm new to chickens this year also, so take my advise lightly.

I plan on allowing nature to rule the roost this winter and only put a light in the coop for heat if the temps drop super low.

 

[chicken grandma]

I think they will lay more when they get more comfortable.
I do put a heat lamp in my coop in the winter. I am in Michigan and I give my hens a full spectrum light in the day and a heat lamp day and night.
I also use a water bowl that plugs in and keeps the water from freezing. I am a softie!
I like to use pine chip bedding so I can scoop it out as needed. Straw gets to sticky, but for insulation, straw bales work really well, even if you stack them around the outside of your coop, especially on the windy side.
Good luck and God bless you!

 

[Chick named Lola]

No heat lamp for me. IMHO they should acclimate naturally to the climate. I'm much, MUCH more worried with the heat than the cold with chickens. What happens if they are used to a heat lamp and you loose power? Yes, the water should have a heater but that's it. There are folks with Chickens in Alaska that don't have any problems! Do a search on chickens in the winter etc... you'll be surprised!

Note: I would use a heat lamp it they were babies and fully feathered for sure...I'm talking about mature chickens...