Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[msladyhawke]

hey ladyhawk...haven't run  into you for awhile!! hope all is well ...bed time now.... early to bed, early to complain about having to get up!

Hi LMP!
Now matter how much sleep I get, I still hate that Monday morning alarm!

 

[vicki5112]

Being a new chicken mommy, I am worried about the girls as it get colder. They had been used to being out in their run every day & most days out in the yard to free range for a few hours. I didn't let them out today at all & they seemed very confused about it. Every time I went to check on them & their water, they were standing by the door & I could tell they would have popped right out if I had let them. I'm afraid their combs & waddles will get frostbite. We have the run protected by tarps on 3 sides but the front side I still want to get some clear plastic up there. The front side is not the worst wind side. Yesterday when it was so windy there was a noticeable lack of wind in the run area, it was cold but not real breezy. The girls were out in the rain on Friday so when they went in to roost, I turned their red lamp on to warm the coop & dry them out. (Hubby was working on their run & not paying attention to the girls pecking around in the rain, he was nice & dry under the run roof...lol) I only have the 2 Buff Orpingtons so I kind of baby them I guess. Next month I will be getting 2 Gold Laced Wyandottes and 1 Black Australorp to add to my flock. SO should I open their pop door & let them be the judge about when to go in & out? Thanks.

 

[PA Farmer24]

Being a new chicken mommy, I am worried about the girls as it get colder. They had been used to being out in their run every day & most days out in the yard to free range for a few hours. I didn't let them out today at all & they seemed very confused about it. Every time I went to check on them & their water, they were standing by the door & I could tell they would have popped right out if I had let them. I'm afraid their combs & waddles will get frostbite. We have the run protected by tarps on 3 sides but the front side I still want to get some clear plastic up there. The front side is not the worst wind side. Yesterday when it was so windy there was a noticeable lack of wind in the run area, it was cold but not real breezy. The girls were out in the rain on Friday so when they went in to roost, I turned their red lamp on to warm the coop & dry them out. (Hubby was working on their run & not paying attention to the girls pecking around in the rain, he was nice & dry under the run roof...lol) I only have the 2 Buff Orpingtons so I kind of baby them I guess. Next month I will be getting 2 Gold Laced Wyandottes and 1 Black Australorp to add to my flock. SO should I open their pop door & let them be the judge about when to go in & out? Thanks.

From what it sounds like you have a run attached to the coop and you are asking if you should let them have free run of the run and coop area. I say yes. That is what I do and even let them have free run outside the run area to the property. Some will go out while others will stay in. They know what to do if they get cold.


This was last weekend when all the rain was around. This weekend snow. And I run no heat lamps. They have a coop area with a nice thick layer of wood chips.

 

[BullChick]

Warm to hot water will always freeze faster than cold water. It has been proven too many times in the past by kids in school and then trying it at home as well.

heated dog bowls work great for keeping water non-frozen.

Yeah, but I was chewed out last year for saying it plainly. A guy insisted I was an idiot.

Hi and welcome from the Poconos!
Quote: I had to do a little chopping this evening too. I think now that the water heater is on, it shouldn't freeze up again. My water (3 gallons) was frozen solid when I turned it on. Tonight, the reservoir was defrosted, but the bowl part was still solid.

defies logic....................................

what about the birds experience drinking warm water?
I think they like drinking the warmer water..............but I don't really KNOW this............

I put a tarp along the side fence of their run as a wind block and added a big pile of leaves in their run in hopes it might provide some warmth.

I also filled up part of their coop 6 inches deep with dry leaves............hope this was a good idea?

even though everyone has said............don't worry they will be fine..........keep my coop with windows open ............etc etc........Its hard for the first winter first time chicken owner to not worry!

I cooked them up some warm oatmeal and mixed it with their pellets...............
later provided small chopped warmed apples...............

It is weird, isn't it? Yes, I have been told that they like warm food/drink too. And I do believe it. I give warm food, and may give them warm milk. Warm liquid can be given in small amounts throughout the day. I say liquid because layers can have warm milk too.

Quote:

Being a new chicken mommy, I am worried about the girls as it get colder. They had been used to being out in their run every day & most days out in the yard to free range for a few hours. I didn't let them out today at all & they seemed very confused about it. Every time I went to check on them & their water, they were standing by the door & I could tell they would have popped right out if I had let them. I'm afraid their combs & waddles will get frostbite. We have the run protected by tarps on 3 sides but the front side I still want to get some clear plastic up there. The front side is not the worst wind side. Yesterday when it was so windy there was a noticeable lack of wind in the run area, it was cold but not real breezy. The girls were out in the rain on Friday so when they went in to roost, I turned their red lamp on to warm the coop & dry them out. (Hubby was working on their run & not paying attention to the girls pecking around in the rain, he was nice & dry under the run roof...lol) I only have the 2 Buff Orpingtons so I kind of baby them I guess. Next month I will be getting 2 Gold Laced Wyandottes and 1 Black Australorp to add to my flock. SO should I open their pop door & let them be the judge about when to go in & out? Thanks.

Frostbite is most likely to happen if there is not proper ventilation in the coop. Moisture build up causes it. I don't think anyone ever stops worrying about their flock. Especially in the beginning!
Please remember that if you use the heat lamp (though I see why you used it Friday) they will not adjust to the cold, and could freeze to death should the power go out.
Yes, open their door. Chickens have feathers to keep them warm. They will be much happier playing in the snow, and being able to dig around. Think how it feels when you are "cooped up". Not to say they are always the smartest creatures! Sometimes you do need to keep them in.

 

[Avlana]

Avian a, I had to take a look at those Pintails...your photos are unbelievable!

Thank you!

Welcome! Just remember, hatching season is just around the corner for a lot of us.

Thanks! I have lavender orpingtons due to hatch on Wednesday

I've never hatched anything past June before so this will be the first winter hatch for me.

And thank you for the warm welcome everyone

I see a lot of people here who are fairly close to me. Very cool!

 

[PA Farmer24]

Thank you!


Thanks! I have lavender orpingtons due to hatch on Wednesday

I've never hatched anything past June before so this will be the first winter hatch for me.

And thank you for the warm welcome everyone

I see a lot of people here who are fairly close to me. Very cool!

Welcome.... Western PA here.

 

[fisherlady]

Today was coop cleaning and construction here.... construction is interior finishing work for our master bedroom/bath which I hope to have done in the next week or so.... but the coop cleaning was fun with 30 or so supervisors!!!

We started not too long after I got home from work and it was still about 12* here, the pop door was open if they wanted to go out, but of course not!! more fun to watch stupid human tricks.... finally got half of the coop clean and scattered some scratch on the floor to draw them all to that half (we use sand flooring) so I could get the other half done quicker. Adding to the fun is one of our young pullets is just starting to lay and she had to inspect EVERY nesting box as I cleaned and refilled it... and she 'bawwwk-bawwked' her commentary about each of them as she did it.
Our 12 wk old Buckeyes are constantly underfoot looking for treats and generally irritating the older hens and the 9 wk olds are doing the same (with only slightly less begging), though they do tend to hang more with their adopted daddy (our australorp roo is an awesome baby sitter)

And through all of the chaos and noise our little Gracie just sat in her nest... happy as can be.... being broody for the 4th time this year!!!! Geesh, wish she would take a break during winter, but her first hatch this year was Jan 26th! I think she just likes her special broody area and all of the special treats she gets spoiled with when she is on the nest!! That or she likes the fact that the roos can't bother her when she is in the broody area! LOL

And of course, the birds finally did go out into their run for a short while.... after we got done entertaining them with the coop cleaning... go figure!

 

[vicki5112]

Thanks for your response. I wasn't sure what others would be doing in the winter months. I don't plan on using the light every night although I do have it on again tonight because it is to get down to 7 degrees here the weather said. I was thinking on using it only if it was below 25 out normally.

 

[vicki5112]

Thanks for responding, it helps a lot. I plan on letting them out in the run tomorrow & hopefully out in the yard for a little too to free range. We have stray cats in the area & I like to be able to keep an eye on the girls because of that. Hubby just finished a box mounted over their pop door to keep out the breezes when its open. It makes a noticeable difference on drafts in their coop. It's angled away from the direction of our winds most of the time.

 

[vicki5112]

Here are some pics of the newly remodeled coop








I still want to get plastic up on the front, there is a tarp around the other 2 sides. The new coop is on the right, it's about 5X8 & the run is 10X12 with vinyl roofing over all but a small area on the other side. We were going to leave that open with just chicken wire but have since changed our mind & are in the process of putting clear vinyl roofing over that area now too. Of course the 2 middle pics are the girls, Gertie & Gracie.