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CHICKENVINEYARD

In the Brooder
Jan 16, 2019
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Hi there! My husband and I bought a house in December and it came with 7 chickens and we are clueless!! We live in NY and it's getting cold... I have no idea what kind of chickens they are (mostly white; some have a little brown in them too). They are currently in a 10x10 "dog" pen with a small wooden structure. The problem seems to be that they lay eggs inside the "wooden box" so they won't sleep there. Instead they all huddle on top of it at night. I'd love any help you all could give!
Thanks!
 
Hi and welcome to BYC. Maybe you could post pics of your set-up on this form for the best advice - https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/coop-run-design-construction-maintenance.9/

On this link you'll find lots of information on almost every aspect of keeping birds - from coop building ideas, to incubating eggs - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/

Each week, various topics are discussed, which can be a great resource - https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archives . Ditto the Learning Centre - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/


This is a useful link of BYC guides to take a look at announcements-feedback-issues-guides.3 I’d suggest including your location using the guide in that link. You can use this link to contact members in your area - Find your State's thread.

Best wishes

Pork Pie
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.

They sound like they might be leghorns and California whites. You can post pictures on the Breed & Gender Forum for identification of the breeds.

You can also post another thread in the Coops and Designs Forum showing what their current living conditions are. It sounds like they are roosting on top of their coop. Hard to know for sure based on your description.
They should be roosting inside a well ventilated coop that is dry and protected from drafts.
 
Welcome to BYC. You're in kind of a tough spot as a newbie taking over the flock in the middle of winter. I do think you are right and those chickens need to be inside the wooden structure at night, as I am sure it is very cold where you are at, especially at night. Is there a roost inside the structure you describe? Is there a door you can shut, and are there ventilation holes under the roof? So many factors involved, but those are important points.

So, start with getting a steady, secure roost in that structure if there isn't one already. Check for ventilation holes near where the walls meet the roof. If there are none, you will need to make some, and cover them with hardware cloth to prevent predators from entering through them. Next, if there is no door to this structure, make one and use it to keep them inside at night. You will also need to check their water often they can't drink it if it freezes over. Heated waterers are available.

I'm really just scratching the surface, but those are the most important things to be thinking about. This is the best forum for help with your new flock: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/managing-your-flock.2/
I would advise re-posting this in that thread. You will get lots of help in there.
 
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Hmm... there may be some confusion in understanding your setup. Do the chickens have a coop (wooden structure or house) with smaller nest box(es) inside? Chickens normally do not sleep in the nest. They like to roost (perch & sleep) in the highest spot possible because they perceive that to be the safest place. Is the dog run covered? Pictures of the setup would be very helpful. A branch or 2x4 could serve as a roost. Some chickens even roost in trees at night. Depending on how old those chickens are, they could already be acclimated to your cold winters, but it might be better to look into building a new coop. Or at least enclosing (shield with plastic or a tarp) the dog run on a few sides to protect from prevailing winds during the winter.
Best wishes with your new flock!
 

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