NY chicken lover!!!!

[AQHAchick22]

so after everyone's comments I think I'm going to stay away from sand, at least for the winter. The wet is what I was trying to avoid and I forgot about how much moisture sand can hold. I think I'll stick with shavings but just mix them up myself in the morning/at night and stay on top of it. I could not easily add drainage to my coop since it's raised. I could try a poop board but I don't think it would work well given the way my coop is set up. Decisions....decisions...

My first step is definitely going to be splitting up the birds so there are 15 in each coop instead of 10 in one and 20 in the other. That should cut down on a bit of the mess in the one coop.

 

[Metella]

Odd ... my shavings don't ever freeze up except maybe a small amount near the water bowl or near the door ... I do have a deep 3 hoop coop ... and keep it deep litter - but my chickies are really good about being bored and scratching it all up each day.

I do think the chickens teach each other things - at least this was a good thing for them to pass on.

 

[AQHAchick22]

Odd ... my shavings don't ever freeze up except maybe a small amount near the water bowl or near the door ... I do have a deep 3 hoop coop ... and keep it deep litter - but my chickies are really good about being bored and scratching it all up each day.

I do think the chickens teach each other things - at least this was a good thing for them to pass on.

Yeah the problem with mine is they don't scratch up the shavings (they are lazy). I toss down scratch in the coop to encourage it but they don't. Maybe I need to use some better treats to get them going. I use the deep litter method as well...maybe I'll clean it out completely in late October/November and start from scratch.

 

[wny egger]

morning everyone ..with all this talk of winter i no i better get going on things here as well ..i have my coop made out of an amish made shed ..and at both ends near the top of the shed are little vents ..i had a alot of moisture last yr and fought off the frostbite of combs the best i could for my 4 birds ..this yr however i have 22 birds and was thinking of putting a small computer fan in one of the vents blowing air out ..i am hoping to remove the moisture but not the heat they [the birds]create..what do you all think ..bad idea or good idea..??? any input would be great ..



i also thought of using sand but now i am thinking i may try the woodchips ..right now i use straw..but i noticed the closer we get to winter the cost starts to jump ..i pay 7 bucks a bail now ..i have been looking for a farmer near me to buy from but am forced right now to buy from a stillwater feed store in jamestown ..i no the tractor store has straw but they want 11 bucks for a bail ..i no the woodchips i bought from them when my birds were just babys was kind of nice but there is alot of moisture in them ..i see someone mentioned 100% dry but am not sure the tractor store in lakewood carrys 100% dry ..i used straw all last winter and kept it nice and thick or deep..it worked ok but found a lot froze near the bottom..

 

[marquisella]

morning everyone ..with all this talk of winter i no i better get going on things here as well ..i have my coop made out of an amish made shed ..and at both ends near the top of the shed are little vents ..i had a alot of moisture last yr and fought off the frostbite of combs the best i could for my 4 birds ..this yr however i have 22 birds and was thinking of putting a small computer fan in one of the vents blowing air out ..i am hoping to remove the moisture but not the heat they [the birds]create..what do you all think ..bad idea or good idea..??? any input would be great ..



i also thought of using sand but now i am thinking i may try the woodchips ..right now i use straw..but i noticed the closer we get to winter the cost starts to jump ..i pay 7 bucks a bail now ..i have been looking for a farmer near me to buy from but am forced right now to buy from a stillwater feed store in jamestown ..i no the tractor store has straw but they want 11 bucks for a bail ..i no the woodchips i bought from them when my birds were just babys was kind of nice but there is alot of moisture in them ..i see someone mentioned 100% dry but am not sure the tractor store in lakewood carrys 100% dry ..i used straw all last winter and kept it nice and thick or deep..it worked ok but found a lot froze near the bottom..

A fan inn winter would be creating a draft. I wouldn't do it. Open up the vents more if you can. I doubt its that, probably the shed was just too big for 4 chickens. Could you have a light above the roost? I almost never get frost bite on combs when I have a light that comes on at 3am until 7 am. Its more for egg laying, but over the years, I think it helps just enough to stop the frost bite. I hang them about 6 inches above the tallest roosters comb. Even a 40 w bulb, incandescent would work.

This is the shavings wrapper. I googled the company and their wrappers are now white, but same company.

 

[Lapeerian]

Called Lilley's Tack & Feed today, there will be people selling birds at the Poultry Seminar. You do need to register, they close at 5:30 today. I am going to do a mental headcount and reserve some cages from them by 5:30. Several obnoxious roosters to be rid of and maybe a couple of the less productive hens.
Link to the event announcement on Craigslist: https://ithaca.craigslist.org/grd/4650635157.html

Also while trolling CL, seen that Ithaca TSC is going to have a small animal swap on Sept 20.

 

[boskelli1571]

Maybe I'll do sand next summer and stick to shavings this winter since I don't have a way to make good drainage. My coop is heavy enough as it is, I don't need to make it any heavier. The silkies and sizzles would love dust bathing in the sand tho!

I use large heavy duty baking trays under the roosts. That way they can be picked uo and shovellled off as frequently as needed. I liberally sprinkle with DE to keep cooties under control and absorb any moisture. I use straw in the rest of the coop. I picked up the trays on CL.

 

[dragonlord483]

Maybe I'll do sand next summer and stick to shavings this winter since I don't have a way to make good drainage. My coop is heavy enough as it is, I don't need to make it any heavier. The silkies and sizzles would love dust bathing in the sand tho!

I use large heavy duty baking trays under the roosts. That way they can be picked uo and shovellled off as frequently as needed. I liberally sprinkle with DE to keep cooties under control and absorb any moisture. I use straw in the rest of the coop. I picked up the trays on CL.

I use gge corigated plastic it was an old sign that ppl stick in ground

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Well adding another twist to my silkie gender saga...

The smaller silkie (not the one I posted recently...but the one we were all certain was a pullet) was crowing this morning. GAH!!! If Sue is right and the second silkie is a cockerel, that'll mean I have no hens at all! ARGH!

 

[wny egger]

A fan inn winter would be creating a draft. I wouldn't do it. Open up the vents more if you can. I doubt its that, probably the shed was just too big for 4 chickens. Could you have a light above the roost? I almost never get frost bite on combs when I have a light that comes on at 3am until 7 am. Its more for egg laying, but over the years, I think it helps just enough to stop the frost bite. I hang them about 6 inches above the tallest roosters comb. Even a 40 w bulb, incandescent would work.

This is the shavings wrapper. I googled the company and their wrappers are now white, but same company.

thanks ..i'll look for this at the feed store in the white wrapper ..

i was thinking it[computer fan] might cause a draft ..i no i read that the moisture is the trouble when keeping chickens combs from frostbite in winter ..maybe i can run a dehumitifier to remove it ..i figure it will be alot warmer in there this yr with all the extra birds but also figured the moisture will be that much higher as well..