New mama! ❤️

[SeventyNeves77]

I looooove Wyo! I’m in Southern Ohio, so totally different weather, but I’d recommend checking out some of the coop designs on this forum. My coop is 10’ by 12,’ with windows all around, has a metal roof, and lots of ventilation holes around the roofline. Probably not what you need... If you’re not planning to get more chickens right away, you won’t need too much, but do plan on buying a flat panel heater. I would never recommend a heat lamp because of the potential for a fire. Here’s a link to the one I amplanningto buy for our coop: https://smile.amazon.com/Cozy-Produ...ref_=ox_sc_act_image_1_1_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Also, if you decide to insulate the walls or roof, you’ll want to make sure to install some type of wall to keep your girls from eating the insulation. Trust me, mine discovered that foam insulation around old windows is just delicious!

I use natural river sand in the coop and run. It’s cheap, easy to keep clean with a kitty litter scoop, and makes for year-round dust bathing. I’ve got three to four inches on the floor of the coop, about two inches on each of two poop boards under the four roosts andinthe nest boxes, and about ten to twelve inches in the run.

Because your weather is so extreme, I think you might want flat roosts for your girls so they can keep their feet covered at night. Our roosts are 1” by 2” boards, but you could just use a 2”x4” board with the 4” side up.

Other than that, everyone else here told me about “chicken math” when I was designing the coop and run. It’s a real thing. You may think you’re only going to have a few chickens, but you will end up with a lot more than you thought...

Hahaha you’re awesome! I loved your last paragraph! I can DEFINITELY see how easy it is to end up with more than you plan ... we already love our “chick-ies” and know that we definitely made the right choice in taking them in, and bonus!.. they completely belong in our family! It’s so crazy how big of personality’s they each have!!? Blows my mind.
I am so grateful for your advice on a coop! (Also glad you love Wyo ). I’ve never even heard of a flat panel heater, Im going to check them out right after I send this Thank you! I didn’t know what else to use other than a heat lamp and it honestly made me kinda nervous so I’m grateful for your recommendation and can’t wait to check it out.
I’m so glad you mentioned flat roosts! I was thinking about it the other day, and thought that something flatter than a branch would definitely give them more utilized body heat, but I didn’t know for sure if they would even use it or like it!? So that’s good to know!
So with insulation, I love your recommendations and totally agree! So we do the same as our “part-time, day-light” dog houses, we fill the area between the outside and inside walls VERY thickly with *dry* straw (zero moisture) and then sealed the edges and ends tightly with screws to where we couldn’t feel a breeze or see daylight through the cracks.... it’s worked wonders! The dogs have seemed to enjoy it very much, but then again, they are not chickens lol, so I’m curious...
Thank you, again! Love your replies!

 

[N F C]

@SeventyNeves77 I just read where you're in WY...so am I! Come say hello on our state thread:
Wyoming

There aren't a lot of us around but you'll be able to get some area-specific advice there, looking forward to seeing you!

 

[rjohns39]

I don't have the weather extremes that you do... but I do have friends in your part of the world. Most important is ventilation, at least one square foot per bird of draft free ventilation to help get the moisture out of the coop. That prevents frost bite on combs and waddles... Flat 2x4's for perches will protect toes from frost bite. I know some who heat their coops, other do not. Keeping water from freezing is also a challenge, some use heated water containers. @R2elk has a really good article on how to use manure to keep water from freezing. @N F C and @Blooie you live in this neck of the woods, what are your thoughts? BTW your girls look great.

 

[N F C]

I don't have the weather extremes that you do... but I do have friends in your part of the world. Most important is ventilation, at least one square foot per bird of draft free ventilation to help get the moisture out of the coop. That prevents frost bite on combs and waddles... Flat 2x4's for perches will protect toes from frost bite. I know some who heat their coops, other do not. Keeping water from freezing is also a challenge, some use heated water containers. @R2elk has a really good article on how to use manure to keep water from freezing. @N F C and @Blooie you live in this neck of the woods, what are your thoughts? BTW your girls look great.

Bob, we just posted at the same time!

As for heating the coop...I do not. The coop I have is well ventilated, has flat roosts and I use a heated waterer. Last winter DH & I did cover the entire run with heavy mil plastic and set out bales of straw around the perimeter to keep the worst of the wind off the birds.

 

[Blooie]

I don't heat either. @SeventyNeves77, nice to meet you. Debby (N F C) and I are completely opposite each other in the state. She's southern, I'm northern. I'm up here near Cody. Sounds like you are close to the Riverton, Pavillion area if you're on this side of the Winds, or the Farson, Boulder, Pinedale area on the other. My hubby grew up in the shadow of the Wind Rivers, on a ranch 5 miles west of Boulder, so I know that area well! The issue is that Wyoming is so full of micro-climates it makes just pegging a generalization of average temperatures almost impossible! Here in the Big Horn Basin, we are considered "The Banana Belt" - yeah, well, that makes us some doggone tough bananas, lemme tell ya!!

I don't like sand in the coop/run. It works fantastic for absorbing liquids from spilled water, poop, and respiration, but the very thing that makes it so good in many locations makes it difficult here.....in a semi desert area where sand really soaks up liquid, that surface freezes harder than a rock! Not pleasant to walk on, and definitely not a soft landing zone when they fly off the roosts. I prefer a soft, deep litter. They burrow down into it and make themselves warm little nests on super cold days. I use mostly raked up leaves as a base, then just toss stuff in there through the years. I keep a few bags of leaves in standby and just dump a bag in from time to time. Keeps them occupied and they scatter it pretty good. I'm after true deep litter, but deep bedding works too.

I have tons of ventilation, no insulation. I have windows I keep open on the down-weather side, operable vents on all sides (again, the down weather sides open) their pop door left open 24/7, a big gable, and an exhaust fan I can use with just the cover open or the cover open and the fan running. Flat 2x4s are the roosts, and our hoop run is covered in mesh reinforced clear plastic. The south side is a separate piece and we can roll it up or down like a window shade - it's usually open or mostly open and only rolled down on really nasty days. That southern sun exposure feels pretty good to them! On the north side there's a gap at the top above the people door. Ventilation is just as critical in winter as it is in summer. The first year we covered the run, we buttoned it up tight. Big BIG mistake! Condensation literally dripped from the arch and what didn't fall down the backs of our necks or directly onto the chickens trickled down the sides of the run following the curve. Yeah, no good, that! Opened it up, end of problem. We even raise chicks out there in the run, in a wire brooder with a heating pad cave, when temps are still in the teens and twenties.

I have a small, rated for plastic stock tank heater in a 5 gallon bucket with horizontal nipples for their water. It sits on a solid brick surface so cold air doesn't circulate under it. The heater is anchored to the bottom of the bucket and the nipples are placed about 4 inches up, rather than toward the bottom of the bucket. We keep the water on that all important south side. The first year we didn't take those precautions and the nipples froze every time we got to around that 10 to 17 degree Mark. Not fun thawing them out with a heat gun! Made the changes and never had another issue in all the years we used it.

Again, welcome to the forum! And a big pat on the back for taking those chickens. You are in for the roller coaster ride of your life!! Details of my coop/run build are on the site - just click on My Coop under my stunningly flattering avatar!

 

[SeventyNeves77]

Happy to hear your guesstimate! Thank you . Tomorrow, I will definitely try to get more pics of the BRs saddle from different angles.

I’m not sure if this is what you’re asking for, I’m new to this haha ‍. Is there a different angle or posture you’re looking for?

 

[SeventyNeves77]

I don't heat either. @SeventyNeves77, nice to meet you. Debby (N F C) and I are completely opposite each other in the state. She's southern, I'm northern. I'm up here near Cody. Sounds like you are close to the Riverton, Pavillion area if you're on this side of the Winds, or the Farson, Boulder, Pinedale area on the other. My hubby grew up in the shadow of the Wind Rivers, on a ranch 5 miles west of Boulder, so I know that area well! The issue is that Wyoming is so full of micro-climates it makes just pegging a generalization of average temperatures almost impossible! Here in the Big Horn Basin, we are considered "The Banana Belt" - yeah, well, that makes us some doggone tough bananas, lemme tell ya!!

I don't like sand in the coop/run. It works fantastic for absorbing liquids from spilled water, poop, and respiration, but the very thing that makes it so good in many locations makes it difficult here.....in a semi desert area where sand really soaks up liquid, that surface freezes harder than a rock! Not pleasant to walk on, and definitely not a soft landing zone when they fly off the roosts. I prefer a soft, deep litter. They burrow down into it and make themselves warm little nests on super cold days. I use mostly raked up leaves as a base, then just toss stuff in there through the years. I keep a few bags of leaves in standby and just dump a bag in from time to time. Keeps them occupied and they scatter it pretty good. I'm after true deep litter, but deep bedding works too.

I have tons of ventilation, no insulation. I have windows I keep open on the down-weather side, operable vents on all sides (again, the down weather sides open) their pop door left open 24/7, a big gable, and an exhaust fan I can use with just the cover open or the cover open and the fan running. Flat 2x4s are the roosts, and our hoop run is covered in mesh reinforced clear plastic. The south side is a separate piece and we can roll it up or down like a window shade - it's usually open or mostly open and only rolled down on really nasty days. That southern sun exposure feels pretty good to them! On the north side there's a gap at the top above the people door. Ventilation is just as critical in winter as it is in summer. The first year we covered the run, we buttoned it up tight. Big BIG mistake! Condensation literally dripped from the arch and what didn't fall down the backs of our necks or directly onto the chickens trickled down the sides of the run following the curve. Yeah, no good, that! Opened it up, end of problem. We even raise chicks out there in the run, in a wire brooder with a heating pad cave, when temps are still in the teens and twenties.

I have a small, rated for plastic stock tank heater in a 5 gallon bucket with horizontal nipples for their water. It sits on a solid brick surface so cold air doesn't circulate under it. The heater is anchored to the bottom of the bucket and the nipples are placed about 4 inches up, rather than toward the bottom of the bucket. We keep the water on that all important south side. The first year we didn't take those precautions and the nipples froze every time we got to around that 10 to 17 degree Mark. Not fun thawing them out with a heat gun! Made the changes and never had another issue in all the years we used it.

Again, welcome to the forum! And a big pat on the back for taking those chickens. You are in for the roller coaster ride of your life!! Details of my coop/run build are on the site - just click on My Coop under my stunningly flattering avatar!

I am LOVING this info! You’re right! I’m just outside of Boulder! That’s so ironic that your hubby grew up 5 miles outside of Boulder! Such a small world. Do you guys visit often? It’s a trek to run to Pinedale, and Ace and Ridleys are always out of stock of everything, so it’s a gamble; Bomgarrs tends to have most of what we need (non-grocer) and it’s not as far, but lately they haven’t stocked up as well as usual. Frustrating. Im going to definitely check out your coop/run build; all of your info is so helpful, especially being from this side of Wyoming thank you! And I will definitely join the Wyoming group

 

[SeventyNeves77]

@SeventyNeves77 I just read where you're in WY...so am I! Come say hello on our state thread:
Wyoming

There aren't a lot of us around but you'll be able to get some area-specific advice there, looking forward to seeing you!

Thank you for reaching out! I love meeting you all that are from Wyoming! How fun! I’m for sure going to follow the Wyoming page and say ‘Hi!’ What part are you from? (You might’ve said already and I just haven’t read it yet haha). It’s crazy how friendly everyone is on here!? I even told my hubby about it and he said, “sounds like you’ve found the secret... The people that own and love chickens are the good ones.” so far so true haha.

 

[Blooie]

Oh, don't get your hopes up too high.....we have a few old grumps on this site, too. Um, I haven't really run across any yet, but I'm sure that at times when some see another long winded Blooie post, the hackles go up, so give me another 4+ years on here and I might yet meet one or two.

Yep, Ken's mom and step-dad owned the Diamond Bar S ranch over by the Paradise canal for many, many years, then they had a place over by Half Moon! They raised 9 kids out at the ranch and the "cabin"; Dad was also the janitor at the school and Mom worked at Falers' for a long time too. Being a flat lander from Eastern South Dakota when I married Ken, my first glimpse of the Wind Rivers our first morning out on the ranch was a real eye-opener! The ranch was in full swing that February, with lambing and calving starting up and feeding to do, so they didn't make it to the wedding. In fact, they didn't even have a phone back then so Ken sent them a telegram telling them he was home on leave from Viet Nam and that we were getting married. We left South Dakota the 3rd of March and drove 18 straight hours to the ranch, so it was dark most of the way. I never even caught a peek at any of these mountains he'd told me so much about. We got there about 2am, Mom shifted sleeping kids around for us, and I met my in-laws for the first time. The next morning I was, um, uncomfortable but didn't see a bathroom anywhere in that basement house. I finally had to ask. Oh, THAT'S why people kept putting on coats, going out, tromping back in and taking coats back off......yep, outhouse and no indoor water up until the late 70s! And until the well was put in, they spent years going to the New Fork, filling steel milk cans with water, and bringing them home to use. Every day. For years! Ken went to school in Boulder first, walking every day, then when he got older he walked to the Boulder store and caught the bus to Pinedale.

Anyway, so that morning I bundled up, tucked my embarrassment in my back pocket, and went up those basement stairs. I stopped dead, and practically wet my pants at the top of the stairs! I couldn't move a muscle. All I could do was stare at the most spectacular thing I ever seen in my life - the Wind Rivers, in all their blue and white, snow covered, sun-shining-golden-on-them glory! Even if I hadn't been in love with Ken, I'd have probably stayed married to him just for those views on our visits. It's been 50 years since that first visit, but I can close my eyes and recapture that moment right down to the cows kicking the sides of the loafing shed!

We don't get back there often anymore. The kids are all disbursed, Ken's full brother Mike and full sister Sharon have passed away, Mom and Dad retired to Lake Havasu and both passed away there, but went home to Pinedale to be buried alongside their stillborn baby girl, Mary Lynn. We'll stop to offer a prayer at their graves in the Pinedale Cemetary next week. Ken is very active in Masonry, and we have official visitations coming up in Pinedale/Jackson/Evanston next week, then Kemmerer, Rock Springs, Green River, and Big Piney in October and November. So I'll get to see those mountains again soon!

Okay, way too much information again. But a little walk down memory lane is a nice thing from time to time. Um, you can wake up now!

 

[townchicks]

@Blooie what a great story!We love your long winded posts! I've never been there, but I see it in my mind now.