NY chicken lover!!!!

[newchknlvr]

Hey all!
Its our first winter here, and with the birds we really have no idea what to expect.. We have a coop for them, but its a basic wood building. They should be fine right? We have a heated water container for them, so it will not freeze one them. They can get out of the snow.. This should be ok for them right?

 

[Cass]

Thanks, I will certainly try that! And I'm building one of these, if it helps anybody know what I'm talking about: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/a-frame-tractor-6x4
As for making the ramp longer, it's already angled so that my tiny OEGB can make it up it. Even the tiny little leghorn chick I have right now can make it. It's just the darn silkies. Maybe they just wanted a coop of their own and knew I'd do it if they were difficult. Those silkies, always plotting.

Ok, showed it to Ray...he says that upper angle should be 30 degrees and the lower end on the flat should be 60 degrees. (I say, scrap wood, cut those angles and make sure before cutting the real wood for the construction)

 

[Cass]

Hey all!
Its our first winter here, and with the birds we really have no idea what to expect.. We have a coop for them, but its a basic wood building. They should be fine right? We have a heated water container for them, so it will not freeze one them. They can get out of the snow.. This should be ok for them right?

Yup. Mine did fine last winter with a wood building, closed door in the night time...water, food...what else could a bird want?

 

[newchknlvr]

We haven't closed the door for them, they normally sleep out in the open. Should I close the door? Do I need to suppliment their feed with anything since the grass is being covered with snow? Everything I read is telling me to baby them, but I can't bring them in my house, and I don't really want to get them a space heater! haha

 

[stonykill]

Ok, showed it to Ray...he says that upper angle should be 30 degrees and the lower end on the flat should be 60 degrees. (I say, scrap wood, cut those angles and make sure before cutting the real wood for the construction)

I agree with Ray

 

[stonykill]

8 roosters "resting" in the fridge before getting frozen. It would have been 9 but 1 guy flew over my back and ran for it

. He got lucky this time

.

The kazoo crows are starting outside again. Means the next batch of freezer camp birds are coming of age

 

[stonykill]

Hey all!
Its our first winter here, and with the birds we really have no idea what to expect.. We have a coop for them, but its a basic wood building. They should be fine right? We have a heated water container for them, so it will not freeze one them. They can get out of the snow.. This should be ok for them right?

yes that is fine

 

[stonykill]

We haven't closed the door for them, they normally sleep out in the open. Should I close the door? Do I need to suppliment their feed with anything since the grass is being covered with snow? Everything I read is telling me to baby them, but I can't bring them in my house, and I don't really want to get them a space heater! haha

yes close the door unless you want to wake up one morning to missing chickens and piles of feathers.

If you are reading you need to baby chickens you are reading the wrong threads

. Chickens survived 10,000 or more years without any human help. All we humans have done is made them weaker and dependent. All you need to do is supply a secure building for them, one with a closed door at night and good ventilation, food and water. That is all a chicken requires. Giving them anything else will make you feel good but ultimately will be bad for them. I.E. if you provide heat for your chickens and there is a week long power outage your chickens won't be prepared to survive.
Please don't baby your chickens

 

[stonykill]

Yup. Mine did fine last winter with a wood building, closed door in the night time...water, food...what else could a bird want?

nothing really.

 

[horsekeeper]

yes close the door unless you want to wake up one morning to missing chickens and piles of feathers.

If you are reading you need to baby chickens you are reading the wrong threads

. Chickens survived 10,000 or more years without any human help. All we humans have done is made them weaker and dependent. All you need to do is supply a secure building for them, one with a closed door at night and good ventilation, food and water. That is all a chicken requires. Giving them anything else will make you feel good but ultimately will be bad for them. I.E. if you provide heat for your chickens and there is a week long power outage your chickens won't be prepared to survive.
Please don't baby your chickens

X2 I have silkies and 11 other full size chickens and they are in an 8X12 coop that is mostly draft free, but has a lot of ventilation through the eaves and around the door. It's been 20-below here and no frostbite, no problems. They have deep bedding (straw) in the winter and the silkies turned the community nest box into a sleeping/shelter box (so I provided more nest boxes and let them have it). The waterer comes in every evening to thaw out and they get fresh warm water twice a day.