OHio ~ Come on Buckeyes, let me know your out there!

[Tadkins472]

Is anyone else having laying problems?

Chicken Type: Easter Egger

I live right by lake Erie its been about 20-30 degrees up here and my chickens stopped laying about 3 weeks ago. They are still young (37 weeks) but i think i only had one laying in the first place right around 30 weeks. I have a heat lamp and heated water bowl in the coop. Plenty of bedding for them to stay warm.

Not sure if cold is the issue or they are lazy layers maybe were they are still young? The six of them are always playing in the snow very mobile in the coop.

Thanks
This is my first winter so any suggestion would be great.

 

[big medicine]

Oh? I haven't heard. Is it supposed to get bad?

Rain to snow Sunday, down to near zero over night. High of 5 Monday -10 that night. High of 2 Tuesday, with 20 mph winds And that's for southwest Ohio, let alone the flat white north.

Don't know of anybody working on mottled Brahmas, but does not mean they aren't out there.

 

[chicknmania]

Chickens will stop laying in winter, except for certain breeds. It's not the heat, it's the light, that prompts them to stop laying. If you want, you can try leaving a light bulb on for them later in the evening, which helps some, but really, I feel that nature knows best and they deserve a break from having to lay all the time. There's no such thing as a "lazy layer" that I'm aware of, they don't really have a lot of say in whether they lay or not. They will more than make up for it when spring comes. fyi, it's not necessary for them to have a heat light, they do a very good job of keeping each other warm. The only time ours get a heat light is when it's EXTREMELY cold (single digits) and then only during the day when we are up and around to monitor it. Heat lamps are a big source of fires, even with safety precautions.

 

[chicknmania]

And certain types of lights have been known to give off toxic fumes.

 

[pginsber]

Happy new year!
In 2014, I plan to sell a house I have in Cincinnati. It's an income/restoration opportunity, Victorian house near downtown Cinti & Newport, Ky. I don't know the Cincinnati ordinances regarding chickens-sorry. We moved from Cinti to Indy a few years back, now DW is retiring and we can't pay 2 mortgages or be long distance landlords. PM me if you want details.

 

[OHhappychicks]

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!!!
Does anyone have any special heating plans for their chicken coops for next weeks frigid,below zero temps??!! I don't think it's been these temps the past 5 winters, in my area, since I've had my flock. We usually put on the heat lamps when it gets down in the single digits, but we only have 1 per coop. I'm not sure how much this will help in temps this cold. Any suggestions?

 

[WYNot]

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!!!
Does anyone have any special heating plans for their chicken coops for next weeks frigid,below zero temps??!! I don't think it's been these temps the past 5 winters, in my area, since I've had my flock. We usually put on the heat lamps when it gets down in the single digits, but we only have 1 per coop.  I'm not sure how much this will help in temps this cold.  Any suggestions?

Probably going to break down and hang a heat lamp. More for the wife then the chickens or myself. They have plenty of bedding in the coop and it is pretty well built but since she didn't grow up with farm animals she tends to worry more over them.

Only special plans are to check the water and egg boxes more often. Didn't even bother to open the door to the run this morning as there is snow on the ground and they'd just look at it and go back in the coop.

 

[Tadkins472]

Chickens will stop laying in winter, except for certain breeds. It's not the heat, it's the light, that prompts them to stop laying. If you want, you can try leaving a light bulb on for them later in the evening, which helps some, but really, I feel that nature knows best and they deserve a break from having to lay all the time. There's no such thing as a "lazy layer" that I'm aware of, they don't really have a lot of say in whether they lay or not. They will more than make up for it when spring comes. fyi, it's not necessary for them to have a heat light, they do a very good job of keeping each other warm. The only time ours get a heat light is when it's EXTREMELY cold (single digits) and then only during the day when we are up and around to monitor it. Heat lamps are a big source of fires, even with safety precautions.

Thanks for the info i suppose i will just let nature take its place. lol Its a Incandescent Light Bulb on a timer sorry i should have mentioned it.

 

[OHhappychicks]

Probably going to break down and hang a heat lamp. More for the wife then the chickens or myself. They have plenty of bedding in the coop and it is pretty well built but since she didn't grow up with farm animals she tends to worry more over them.

Only special plans are to check the water and egg boxes more often. Didn't even bother to open the door to the run this morning as there is snow on the ground and they'd just look at it and go back in the coop.

Good Idea of adding more bedding. Our big coop is 10x14 with a rubber roofing mat floor, so the floor is pretty insulated. I think we will put plastic over the windows for added insulation. We lined the walls with plastic to keep out drafts. I think they will be fine. Just hope the roos combs and wattles will be ok. I'm sure those that live where this type of weather is common, have their flocks make it thru alright. Everyone stay safe and warm this next week!!

 

[big medicine]

The biggest thing I do on really cold nights is throw some shelled corn down for the birds shortly before they go to roost. But I raise pea combed large fowl, pretty hardy birds.