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

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Well it's nearly Summer here in Australia ... but I am starting to plan for Winter by looking at what needs to be done like new tarps and tin sheets for roof and run to replace old ones that are deteriorating and also thinking to build an awning so I can keep one top side open through Winter for ventilation with weather protection. Also need to look at better wet weather protection and drainage as Winter brings with it more rain which means mud.

 

[bangarain]

We’ve lowered the roost, closed their little windows, covered an extraneous vent, and are going to be adding some angled covers on the larger vents to allow airflow but block blowing snow!

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I make sure I put a thicker amount of bedding so that they can cuddle together. Their run is already fully covered (and I can't let them out because of the bird flu!) I put less bedding on the run floor, so that they have a place to dust bath when I can't let them out.
I also give them a cup of split maize in the late afternoon (or early morning).

Recipie to a winter coop treat!

How to make:
Pippin's winter coop treat!

So, my flock has a little bowl in the coop and I didn't know what to put in it. Then I thought, what would be a good winter treat that would help my chickens get through the winter?

This recipie will help with:

• Keeping them warm
• Egg laying (strong shells)
• Giving them protien

---

Let's go!

1. Fill half of the bowl with chick starter/grower crumb!
2. Add 1 cup of split maize (crached corn)
3. Add 2 cups of oyster shell!
4. Mix!
5. Done!!!

Sometimes I also add a cup of chicken treat mix (seed and mealworms)

 

[Kaesi2020]

We put plexiglass up over the coop windows (still have ventilation from atop and small slats), set up a heated base for the water, and are going to be adding tarps over the run area to prevent snow from entering it. The chickens do not like to be in the snow and are even kind of scared of it. We try and keep the run snow free otherwise they will stay in the coop all day.

 

[Rangergord]

I have double pane windows, wall and ceiling insulation and deep straw litter on the floor. I added a LED lamp on a timer for light and they are now laying better than without. The most important thing on a day to day basis is a bird bath heater and horizontal chicken nipples in a pail for keeping water accessible with the least amount of work.

 

[-Flash-]

It's summer here! But it is freezing.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

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.

This is me too. I let them out every day to forage but I have to be with them. Two hawks just circled overhead today and I had to get them in the run in a hurry. There were signs of a wild bird they must have killed yesterday, little gray feathers were everywhere. We have a fence up so it’s doubtful it was anything else. It worries me. I stay close to them with my dog.

 

[6BeachChicks]

This is me too. I let them out every day to forage but I have to be with them. Two hawks just circled overhead today and I had to get them in the run in a hurry. There were signs of a wild bird they must have killed yesterday, little gray feathers were everywhere. We have a fence up so it’s doubtful it was anything else. It worries me. I stay close to them with my dog.

I know! They are every bit as close to me as a dog, and I can’t stand the thought of loosing one to some nasty predator. How many chickens do you have @Chickeeaholic? I had 6, but then I lost one to cancer.

 

[Dinogrrl]

I'm in NC and it doesn't get horrifically cold here, so my prep is probably minimal. I do put a heater in their water pipe, and I cardboard up the largest 'windows' in their coop so they can stay warm and out of the wind. I give them about twice the bedding as I do in the summer as well. Other than that, I don't change too much. They seem to do just fine with this system. They do eat more of the feed obviously since forage isn't as good even here in the winter so I do go through feed more quickly but that's okay. Gotta stay warm by digesting meals.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

I know! They are every bit as close to me as a dog, and I can’t stand the thought of loosing one to some nasty predator. How many chickens do you have @Chickeeaholic? I had 6, but then I lost one to cancer.

I agree, they are! I would be heart broken if I lost one. I have 10. I'm sorry you lost one to cancer.

Having my dog helps a lot. What kind of dog do you have? Mine is a mix beagle border collie and he is good about watching/barking and he's good with the chickens. He's scared of my olive egger who chases him around at times, she's a crazy hellion but also my sweetest lap chicken.