NY chicken lover!!!!

[Chicken girl 15]

Ok - posting here first. I have 2 gorgeous Welsummer roos'. They are great with people, they move right out of the way when they see you coming so no problem there. However, they have beaten up my Millie Fleur bantam rooster - not acceptable They are looking for a good home - free for the taking. If you want me to hold them until Spring I can, but I'd rather they go soon,

he was the only one to brave the snow, which by the way is clear up to his chin, in order to go next door for the horse grain and warm water. I felt so bad for him when he started home, after 2 hours of cleaning bugs out of the hay, I picked him up and carried him. For having "kidney beans" the size of a lentil that is one brave boy.

 

[boskelli1571]

he was the only one to brave the snow, which by the way is clear up to his chin, in order to go next door for the horse grain and warm water. I felt so bad for him when he started home, after 2 hours of cleaning bugs out of the hay, I picked him up and carried him. For having "kidney beans" the size of a lentil that is one brave boy.

Plucky little buggers aren't they? He stands outside the barn door looking sorry for himself. He did go to bed with his girls last night, but I haven't heard him crow for a couple of days and he usually chatters away - not a peep from him.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Plucky little buggers aren't they? He stands outside the barn door looking sorry for himself. He did go to bed with his girls last night, but I haven't heard him crow for a couple of days and he usually chatters away - not a peep from him.

they are bossy and apparently very scary. When he says jump the other boys say yes sir. The ladies though tell him what to do and when. If I could make a living off a barn full of Littles I would be so happy.

 

[lbenedict15]

Well, my chickens certainly weren't happy with all the snow we got! Ha! I don't get to see them moving around since I leave for work when it is dark and get home in the dark. Blah. The sneaky birds keep escaping their run (neighbors dog didn't help), and have been sleeping in the cedars again. Saw a nice line of tracks leading to the coop and that is where they stayed! All but one at least, she is determined to outlast Old Man Winter!

 

[E-I-E-I-Bro]

HI all - New to raising chickens here, right outside of Albany, NY. With the weather forecast for Thursday night calling for temps about 5 below, I wanted to see if there was some local assurance that I'm correct in not worrying too much about how they will do. Basically: In Upstate NY, do I need supplemental heat ?

We have 6 hens, all about 7 months old: 2 Easter Eggers, 1 Silver Laced Wyandotte, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Barred Plymouth Rock, & 1 Black Australorp. I've done a significant amount of research, and they all seem to be fairly cold hardy, and have done fine so far (lowest overnight temp we have seen was 17F). By "done fine", I mean they are still spending all of their time outside, scratching around the run, don't huddle together or seem to shiver or anything, etc.

Their sleeping area in their coop/run combo is 5 ft x 3ft, raised off the ground, and has about a 3-4" layer of pine shavings. It's made of wood, and I think I've done the best I can of eliminating drafts without wiping out ventilation. Surrounding the coop, I also have a carport-type structure with tarp-like panels I can lower to block additional wind on 3 of the 4 sides; this also keeps the coop itself and part of their run dry. While the coop obviously has it's own roof, I wanted to preserve it's life as much as possible, so don't want to test its waterproof-ness too much. All in all, they have about 200 sq. ft. of run space that's kept dry, and another 300 that's covered only with aviary netting and they are allowed in only during the day.

I have a heated waterer to keep them in liquid water all day. Here's my question: everything I have read says that the fire risk and risk of power outage should outweigh my desire to supplement with any heat ... and I am probably 90% of the way there feeling comfortable with this .. but I'd like to hear from some other upstate NYers as well: what are your thoughts ? Should they be fine down to 5 below ? How much lower have you gone with your flocks without suffering any ill effects ?

Let me know if there's other info that would help, and thanks for your patience with my amateur questions.

 

[Devona]

I'm only in queens (NYC), so won't be the right one to answer your question, but from everything I've read, your chickens should be fine. The carport and tarp panels should help tremendously with the wind. I don't think we would be good flock caretakers if we weren't a bit worried about our first winter with chickens.

 

[E-I-E-I-Bro]

I'm only in queens (NYC), so won't be the right one to answer your question, but from everything I've read, your chickens should be fine. The carport and tarp panels should help tremendously with the wind. I don't think we would be good flock caretakers if we weren't a bit worried about our first winter with chickens.

Thanks ! Any advice helps at this point; I really appreciate it. I'm going to install a thermometer in there tomorrow so I can tell how much warmer it is inside the coop than in my backyard.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

HI all - New to raising chickens here, right outside of Albany, NY. With the weather forecast for Thursday night calling for temps about 5 below, I wanted to see if there was some local assurance that I'm correct in not worrying too much about how they will do. Basically: In Upstate NY, do I need supplemental heat ? 


We have 6 hens, all about 7 months old: 2 Easter Eggers, 1 Silver Laced Wyandotte, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Barred Plymouth Rock, & 1 Black Australorp. I've done a significant amount of research, and they all seem to be fairly cold hardy, and have done fine so far (lowest overnight temp we have seen was 17F). By "done fine", I mean they are still spending all of their time outside, scratching around the run, don't huddle together or seem to shiver or anything, etc. 

Their sleeping area in their coop/run combo is 5 ft x 3ft, raised off the ground, and has about a 3-4" layer of pine shavings. It's made of wood, and I think I've done the best I can of eliminating drafts without wiping out ventilation. Surrounding the coop, I also have a carport-type structure with tarp-like panels I can lower to block additional wind on 3 of the 4 sides; this also keeps the coop itself and part of their run dry. While the coop obviously has it's own roof, I wanted to preserve it's life as much as possible, so don't want to test its waterproof-ness too much. All in all, they have about 200 sq. ft. of run space that's kept dry, and another 300 that's covered only with aviary netting and they are allowed in only during the day. 

I have a heated waterer to keep them in liquid water all day. Here's my question: everything I have read says that the fire risk and risk of power outage should outweigh my desire to supplement with any heat ... and I am probably 90% of the way there feeling comfortable with this .. but I'd like to hear from some other upstate NYers as well: what are your thoughts ? Should they be fine down to 5 below ? How much lower have you gone with your flocks without suffering any ill effects ? 

Let me know if there's other info that would help, and thanks for your patience with my amateur questions. 

I'm no expert but my birds have no heat at all. I'm in Broome co NY so we get cold. Make sure you have ventilation up top and dry bedding your flock will be happy and warm. Plus do you really want to be the person calling 911 saying "please help my chickens are roasting in their coop" . That's the #1 reason to not heat. It's kind of like moving an inside dog outside mid winter if you loose power too. They thrive I'm winter. Even my bantam flock plays in the 5° temps with snow up to their chin

 

[runt325]

HI all - New to raising chickens here, right outside of Albany, NY. With the weather forecast for Thursday night calling for temps about 5 below, I wanted to see if there was some local assurance that I'm correct in not worrying too much about how they will do. Basically: In Upstate NY, do I need supplemental heat ? 


We have 6 hens, all about 7 months old: 2 Easter Eggers, 1 Silver Laced Wyandotte, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Barred Plymouth Rock, & 1 Black Australorp. I've done a significant amount of research, and they all seem to be fairly cold hardy, and have done fine so far (lowest overnight temp we have seen was 17F). By "done fine", I mean they are still spending all of their time outside, scratching around the run, don't huddle together or seem to shiver or anything, etc. 

Their sleeping area in their coop/run combo is 5 ft x 3ft, raised off the ground, and has about a 3-4" layer of pine shavings. It's made of wood, and I think I've done the best I can of eliminating drafts without wiping out ventilation. Surrounding the coop, I also have a carport-type structure with tarp-like panels I can lower to block additional wind on 3 of the 4 sides; this also keeps the coop itself and part of their run dry. While the coop obviously has it's own roof, I wanted to preserve it's life as much as possible, so don't want to test its waterproof-ness too much. All in all, they have about 200 sq. ft. of run space that's kept dry, and another 300 that's covered only with aviary netting and they are allowed in only during the day. 

I have a heated waterer to keep them in liquid water all day. Here's my question: everything I have read says that the fire risk and risk of power outage should outweigh my desire to supplement with any heat ... and I am probably 90% of the way there feeling comfortable with this .. but I'd like to hear from some other upstate NYers as well: what are your thoughts ? Should they be fine down to 5 below ? How much lower have you gone with your flocks without suffering any ill effects ? 

Let me know if there's other info that would help, and thanks for your patience with my amateur questions. 

um I would use a heat lamp and if u could put some plastic sheeting over your coop

 

[runt325]

Or just put a heat lamp in it