New to Raising Chickens in Colorado

Pics
Date sort Score sort
D

Dbendell

Chirping
Dec 26, 2017
17
30
69
I'm buying a house in Loveland, CO that comes with the surprise addition of chickens. The sellers aren't able to take the chickens when they move to their new home. I've been doing dog and cat rescue for many years but have no experience with chickens. The sellers are leaving their supplies for me so I think I will have everything I need to get started. I won't move into the house until the end of January, but I'm already worrying about how to keep them warm in the winter. Today it is 13 degrees and we have a few inches of snow.
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC! :frow

Congrats on the new house purchase! And what better a house warming than the gift of chicken!! :jumpy

If you have any questions about your birds after you get settled, make sure to ask us.

Great to have you aboard and welcome to our roost!
 
Join us on the Colorado thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/colorado.68894/

There is lots of great info on BYC on keeping chickens in winter. I will admit this is my first winter with chickens, and I have already learned a ton. Let me say one thing, people worry more about their chickens being cold than they need too. Your chickens are probably already relatively acclimated since they were raised in the region. Make sure they have a draft free dry shelter. Mine don't mind the cold and were happily scratching around outside when it was hovering around zero Fahrenheit, but they don't really like the wind (summer or winter). So once you move in, watch your birds, watch the weather, and figure out if you need to erect a wind block, or snow fence or create some sort of protected area outside of their coop, so they can still go outside but be somewhat sheltered from the elements. I just have plastic (like painters plastic from a roll) on top of the run so they don't get the full effect from the snow, and a piece of plywood on one side of the run where the prevailing winds come from to block it for them. They do fine in their coop without heat and come out every day for at least a little bit, sometimes they turn around and go right back inside, other times they stay out in the cold far longer than I'd expect. You will need a way to keep water thawed (if the current owners don't supply you with one), but sounds like you'll probably be good to go! Enjoy them!
 
G’Day from down under Dbendell :frow Welcome and Congratulations!

Living in Aus where we do not really do winter, I am not going to be of much assistance but I did just want to say that I hope you enjoy being a BYC member. There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun.

Personally, I have found the Topic of the Week articles a great resource and a one stop shop for questions which may have already been discussed within the BYC membership group. These might be of interest to you:
Topic of the week - Winter chicken keeping
Topic of the Week - Winter Egg Laying
Topic of the Week - Chicken Keeping in Weather Extremes
Topic of the Week - Frostbite, prevention and treatment

If you would like to share pictures and stories of your flock, you have come to the right place. BYC’ers never tire of these and do not back away slowly or commence eye rolling when the photo album or home videos come out ;)
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom