Official BYC Poll: With Winter Upon Us, What Preparations Have You Made For Your Chickens?

[BYC Project Manager]

Keeping chickens safe and healthy over the colder months is a big concern for their keepers as winter and the extreme weather conditions experienced in certain parts of the world can cause problems such as frostbite and in some cases losses of birds. So With Winter Upon Us, What Preparations Have You Made For Your Chickens?

Place your vote above, and please elaborate in a reply below if you chose "Other".

Further Reading:

Top 5 Ways Of Keeping Your Flock Warm In Winter
Caring For Chickens in the Winter
Chicken Coop Ventilation
To Insulate or Not To Insulate
It's Cold - Keeping Flocks Warm And Healthy In Winter
Deep Litter Method - The Easiest Way To Deal With Chicken Litter
Cold Weather Advisory - A Detailed Look At The Question of Supplemental Heat

(Check out more exciting Official BYC Polls HERE!)

 

[MysteryChicken]

Working on cleaning on the other two coops, & bed them up for winter. But I gotta find the time.

I also offer extra protein, & give out some corn every once in awhile.

 

[6BeachChicks]

I add some treats, scratch, a cabbage. I also free range them for hours a day. I have to be outside with them, because in our woods there are hawks, falcons, and raccoons, and skunks, cats, opossum.

 

[casportpony]

I picked other. Since we don't get harsh winters here, I don't do anything other than keep their coops clean and as dry as possible.

 

[Sally PB]

I put up wind barriers on the prevailing wind (west) side of the run. It goes around the NW and SW corners for about 3 feet. The chickens can get out of the wind and scratch and peck to their hearts' content.

There are lots of "clutter" things to get behind to block the wind from the other directions. When if gets really cold, ie, under 10 degrees, I'll shut the people door to the coop and they can stay inside if they want.

 

[RubelliteRose]

We rarely have temperatures below freezing, so my only preparation is to completely lower, but not latch the window covering next to the roost. I also check the forecast daily so we can raise and lower all other window coverings based on the temperature and wind direction. Our winter temperatures range anywhere from 20F to 80F and as we are right next to a large bay, winds can come from any direction.

 

[SueT]

I cover the open windows which are of 1/2” wire mesh. The 24” X 30” window gets a piece of plexiglass. The smaller window, which is in the door, gets bubble wrap stapled over it. There is still plenty of ventilation, but these ‘storm’ windows will help keep out the cold.

 

[BantyChooks]

I cover the open windows which are of 1/2” wire mesh. The 24” X 30” window gets a piece of plexiglass. The smaller window, which is in the door, gets bubble wrap stapled over it. There is still plenty of ventilation, but these ‘storm’ windows will help keep out the cold.
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I do exactly this.

 

[topochico225]

It’s incredibly rare that we get any kind of winter weather other than frost/cold, so nothing I did get those black rubber feed pans for water for both coops so when the water inevitably freezes it won’t crack the plastic Omlet waterers.

 

[3KillerBs]

I picked other. Since we don't get harsh winters here, I don't do anything other than keep their coops clean and as dry as possible.

Same.

I do have plans to put up a some kind of extra wind protection for the roosts at some point this month in case we get a severe storm.