***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[NanaKat]

Love the new clothes and Beautiful photos @Kassaundra

 

[Matt in Okla]

Ok so winter is coming. I'm understanding not too much heat but good ventilation without draft right?
I have 4x8 coop with stairs coming up from bottom and 2 Windows on each end.

So should I close one or more Windows and leave the bottom open so body heat can rise to top and ventilate? The top is not airtight but water proof.

If it gets bad I have installed a heat lamp on a thermostat controlled plug in. I took out the 250wt bulbs and put in 100wt cause I didn't want baked chicken lol. I'm pretty sure that's close to incubator heat in that space.

I appreciate any thoughts or opinions

 

[Matt in Okla]

You can kind of see the daylight in this pic but the roof cap keeps the rain from coming in

 

[Kassaundra]

Ok so winter is coming. I'm understanding not too much heat but good ventilation without draft right?
I have 4x8 coop with stairs coming up from bottom and 2 Windows on each end.







So should I close one or more Windows and leave the bottom open so body heat can rise to top and ventilate? The top is not airtight but water proof.

If it gets bad I have installed a heat lamp on a thermostat controlled plug in. I took out the 250wt bulbs and put in 100wt cause I didn't want baked chicken lol. I'm pretty sure that's close to incubator heat in that space.


I appreciate any thoughts or opinions

Are your chickens grown? If so they aren't going to need any added heat at all.

 

[Matt in Okla]

Are your chickens grown?  If so they aren't going to need any added heat at all.

Yup my girls are 2

 

[BetsyOK]

I'd suggest leaving it as is, unless you want to use a little visqueen to protect them from prevailing winds when it rains or snows. I learned a long time ago, from very knowledgeable chicken friends, that the less you pamper them, the stronger they are and the more they can overcome.

 

[Matt in Okla]

I'd suggest leaving it as is, unless you want to use a little visqueen to protect them from prevailing winds when it rains or snows.  I learned a long time ago, from very knowledgeable chicken friends, that the less you pamper them, the stronger they are and the more they can overcome.

I have put a tarp over the top of the open run that helps with the rain n wind in the one window.
I guess I'll not pamper them lol I just like them and want to take good care of them

 

[NanaKat]

Prevailing winds and snow will do a number on the feed in the feeder. Might need to move that inside.
Also extending the tarp down on the north side will help keep the snow on the ground from getting to deep.
My birds did not seem to mind walking in snow, but needed a path. thru the drifts.

I position my coops so the sun hits the south side/opening of the coop. Birds would sun inside away from the cold.
Windows to the north get a cover made of plywood to block the winds. Leaving the bottom door should be okay since you have tarped off the side.

Water containers used in winter are those rubber feed tubs...when frozen, they can be turned over and tapped to remove the ice block.

Use a wire loop or 2"x 4" wire cage to hang greens inside for the birds. A half head of lettuce or cabbage, or turnip or collard greens entertain as well as nourish birds closed in by inclement weather. A block of an alfalfa bale impaled on a nail or wire caged, will give them something to nibble on also and makes a nice bedding when they pull it apart.

 

[NanaKat]

We got hit by an unexpected frost last night! ..plans on the farm changed!
I was planning on clearing out the spent sun flowers from the driveway bed and the garden and complete some bed cleanup. Also need to weed the turnip and carrots...

As soon as we see a thaw this morning, will be checking for damage on sweet potatoes vines and the tomatoes and peppers.
If no damage, will pull the vines out and dig sweet potatoes and then strip the tomato and pepper plants.
If there is damage, then the chickens will be getting a bumper crop this week....I was planning on making green tomato pickle relish this year...will have to see if I can still do that.

Had two of two pheasant babies hatch yesterday. One is a little weak so is still in the incubator. Quail are supposed to hatch tomorrow.
All told, there are 23 more pheasant eggs in the incubators. Set another 47 quail eggs and have my last three sets of Columbian Wyandotte eggs in the incubators too. All hatching will be done by Nov 18.

 

[Matt in Okla]

Prevailing winds and snow will do a number on the feed in the feeder.  Might need to move that inside.
i had planned on it and am still wanting to do a pvc feeder that goes into the coop I just haven't settled on a design. I think it would save space
Also extending the tarp down on the north side will help keep the snow on the ground from getting to deep. for sure I also do this with the sun in the summer!
My birds did not seem to mind walking in snow, but needed a path. thru the drifts.
huh never woulda thought of that. Guess I'll keep that hoe handy
I position my coops so the sun hits the south side/opening of the coop. Birds would sun inside away from the cold.
Windows to the north get a cover made of plywood to block the winds.  Leaving the bottom door should be okay since you have tarped off the side.
in the summer I try and run it north/south for the breeze and I plan on running the tractor east/west for the winter for not only the wind block but to put the large side to the sun to heat it. I put insulation under the tin but might still heat. Dunno

Water containers used in winter are those rubber feed tubs...when frozen, they can be turned over and tapped to remove the ice block.
i was gonna use my ample supply of ice cream containers

or had considered getting the base heater unit for that waterer
Use a wire loop or 2"x 4" wire cage to hang greens inside for the birds.  A half head of lettuce or cabbage, or turnip or collard greens entertain as well as nourish birds closed in by inclement weather. A block of an alfalfa bale impaled on a nail or wire caged, will give them something to nibble on also and makes a nice bedding when they pull it apart.

Those are awesome ideas! Thanks