Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[LittleMissPurdy]

Hey fellow Pennsylvanians. I'm in a valley near Pittsburgh. I used to have a few chickens and over time they died out. Me and hubby are in our mid-late 60's and didn't plan on getting any more. But my son's neighbor had a polish hen that was getting picked on by the other 'normal' hens and wanted to find a home for her.

Suckers that we are, we took her. Right now she's in a large dog cage on the covered front porch that we close up with a tarp overnite to help keep the critters away and give her some darkness. She is so people friendly and she and our mini-dachsund play with each other when she is out during the day.

I guess my main question is this: what to do with her this winter. We've never used heat lamps except indoors for chicks. But she won't have anyone to cuddle up with.

In agreement with everyone about making her a 'house hen', but I am really surprised no one mentioned the most obvious...you need more chickens!
Come on guys, what has happened to your enabling?! hahaha

 

[OneMountainAcres]

In agreement with everyone about making her a 'house hen', but I am really surprised no one mentioned the most obvious...you need more chickens!
Come on guys, what has happened to your enabling?! hahaha

Lol, I think it's just the time of year and most of us are thinking more about subtraction than addition. If it were spring, more chickens would be the thing on anyone's mind!

 

[FluffyButt789]

Good Morning Everyone,

Totally agree with Aurora, if $$ is tight & you feel like you have to do something for them, then heavy duty plastic sheeting is the way to go.
But..We can not emphasize enough about the ventilation, as I am sure you are aware if the area is not properly ventilated, the girls will have issues..frost bite being a big one.
If it makes you feel any better about them not having room to roam...our girls have the area, but they still insist on staying in the coop a lot during winter days. They really do NOT like snow.
It is funny to watch them work-up the gumption to walk through it. When they finally do, they have a trail the whole way round the inside perimeter...until the next snow fall
When starting out for us, we had to use tarps. Wan't a fun winter to have to wrestle with those things all season for sure, but it did the job. Every year it seems we are "upgrading" or changing things in someway. It all takes time and $$, but sometimes a little 'outside the box' thinking & 'reusing' items really help to keep costs down.
There used to be a really nice person on here that turned an old dresser into a coop..so cool, and another that made their coop out of 'found-free' items and 'clearance' stuff (paint/roof material etc..)
sorry I turned this into a novel.....

Thanks for the advice! $ isn't too tight. Just don't have enough to do what I was planning - a bigger coop and a new run...

So I want to be able to open the old coop door for them in winter, but I don't want them venturing too far (they are fully free-range). They have gotten snowed-in under our neighbor's short deck last year, and I had to dig them out! Not fun!

So I want to keep them under my large deck by wrapping it in some clear plastic. I have ventilation in my coop, and only had issues on frostbite with the rooster, because his comb tips were LONG. I never have issues with my hens.

My deck is for my house's upper floor so I am able to walk under it. Should I leave a small gap between plastic and the deck for ventilation in the run?

My coop just isn't big enough for all of my chickens to be stuck inside all winter. I have more this year than last so... I want them to have lots of space this year!

 

[FishinDucko]

Looking to rehome a mallard drake. About 5mo old and in great health. I'm near Pittsburgh.

Here's a pic from a week ago. He has more adult feathers in now!

 

[fisherlady]

Thanks for the advice! $ isn't too tight. Just don't have enough to do what I was planning - a bigger coop and a new run...

So I want to be able to open the old coop door for them in winter, but I don't want them venturing too far (they are fully free-range). They have gotten snowed-in under our neighbor's short deck last year, and I had to dig them out! Not fun!

So I want to keep them under my large deck by wrapping it in some clear plastic. I have ventilation in my coop, and only had issues on frostbite with the rooster, because his comb tips were LONG. I never have issues with my hens.

My deck is for my house's upper floor so I am able to walk under it. Should I leave a small gap between plastic and the deck for ventilation in the run?

My coop just isn't big enough for all of my chickens to be stuck inside all winter. I have more this year than last so... I want them to have lots of space this year!

If money isn't too tight I would suggest you contact Conneautville Canvas and have them make some canvas panels for you. They can make them with windows and roll up doors and they attach with quarter turn snaps. We have them on our camp porch and chicken coop both. No fighting with odd shaped tarps or plastic and really quick install and removal after season. They last for years and years and even if the chickens aren't under the deck in the next year or two it will still give you dry storage in the winter for other stuff.

 

[rckirby]

In agreement with everyone about making her a 'house hen', but I am really surprised no one mentioned the most obvious...you need more chickens!
Come on guys, what has happened to your enabling?! hahaha

The person I got Cruella from has a mother with 3 more of the same breed. I had asked weeks ago about getting them too, for company......but I never got an answer.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

If money isn't too tight I would suggest you contact Conneautville Canvas and have them make some canvas panels for you. They can make them with windows and roll up doors and they attach with quarter turn snaps. We have them on our camp porch and chicken coop both. No fighting with odd shaped tarps or plastic and really quick install and removal after season. They last for years and years and even if the chickens aren't under the deck in the next year or two it will still give you dry storage in the winter for other stuff.

Are these similar to or the same thing as those "wedding tents?"..don't know the real name, just what I call them. They are cool..would be just like a play house! hahaha
Anyway, sounds like they would hold up even better than plastic. I would venture a guess that you can even wash them?..are they canvas on both sides or do they have a "plastic" like coating for the inside?...
you know, I am just going to look them up..hahaha, sorry for all the questons Fisher

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

Lol, I think it's just the time of year and most of us are thinking more about subtraction than addition. If it were spring, more chickens would be the thing on anyone's mind!

I know.....just have to keep the 'PA plus size chicken math" going strong
we are decreasing our numbers by 2 this fall...supposed to be 3, butttt...the 3rd girl is the last of my "first girls"...she is a very nice example of a BLRW (black laced), looks like a bowling ball...
never got to breed my blrw's..(health and life has gotten in the way of a load of fun things)..but we gotta keep on movin'
I was wanting to have a more interesting colored egg basket next year. Maybe some blue & green egg layers. Thought that would be fun for the granddaughter.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I know.....just have to keep the 'PA plus size chicken math" going strong
we are decreasing our numbers by 2 this fall...supposed to be 3, butttt...the 3rd girl is the last of my "first girls"...she is a very nice example of a BLRW (black laced), looks like a bowling ball...
never got to breed my blrw's..(health and life has gotten in the way of a load of fun things)..but we gotta keep on movin'
I was wanting to have a more interesting colored egg basket next year. Maybe some blue & green egg layers. Thought that would be fun for the granddaughter.

Subtraction is hard but I managed to subtract 5 boys a week or so ago and 7 at the swap today. I feel like I'm on a subtraction roll lol. It doesn't matter though. I'm just making room the chicks that hatched last week and the ones that my broody will be bringing in to the world.

 

[fisherlady]

Are these similar to or the same thing as those "wedding tents?"..don't know the real name, just what I call them. They are cool..would be just like a play house! hahaha
Anyway, sounds like they would hold up even better than plastic. I would venture a guess that you can even wash them?..are they canvas on both sides or do they have a "plastic" like coating for the inside?...
you know, I am just going to look them up..hahaha, sorry for all the questons Fisher

Not like the tents, though I think you could easily repurpose the cheap carport type tents and they would last longer than your basic blue tarps. The canvas work I am talking about is done with sturdy material used for making winter boat covers or trailer covers. The amish in conneautville and punxsutawney area will do tarp projects for 'english' folks. They are custom to needed measurements and window and door options as needed.