Preparing Your Flock & Coop for WINTER

[Erin277]

Yes I'll definitely try to block under the coop because I spent 10 minutes in 40 mph winds chasing them and trying to catch them. It was pretty funny. I caught one, got her in and then realized my coop door doesn't lock on the inside of the coop. Oops. That will need to be fixed too.
Oh well, glad there is a learning curve.

 

[mtchickengal]

Not too long ago, I combined 6 birds that are now 19-1/2 weeks old with 8 birds that are 8 months old. The older ones were not real receptive to you younger ones sharing the large coop. Initially the small ones kept going back to the brooder coop at night. I ended up closing it off to them. They tried to roost on the roof! was quite a site...lol. It took about 3 nights of me chasing them around rounding them up before they stated just going into the big coop at night. By the 4th night they all went in on their own. Then I again had to teach them where I wanted them to sleep. I did give them some leeway. Tonight, it is supposed to be 5 below. I actually moved the 4 that stayed on the lower area to the upper area so they could share some heat. It seems to take about 3-4 days in a row, and they then do it on their own. I was not planning on heating the coop, but I did break down & put up a light shining on the door in the run area. The inside of the coop is not big enough to safely have the light in it, but I thought maybe the air circulating in through the pop door would be little warmer. I did notice one of my neighbors that has 19 birds has a light in her coop. Last night this nervous bird mom was up at 330am out in the yard checking on my girls. I got a frozen egg at lunch, too.

 

[iwiw60]

We are predicted to hit 8 degrees tonight, which in my neck of the woods will most likely be closer to zero....here we go, folks!! Winter's here!!

It is 4:14 am and my outside thermometer is registering either ZERO or 1 degree BELOW ZERO! The webcam inside the coop is registering 32 degrees, and my girls are still fast asleep. Boy, there's going to be frozen pipes all over town today!!

 

[jtn42248]

It is 4:14 am and my outside thermometer is registering either ZERO or 1 degree BELOW ZERO! The webcam inside the coop is registering 32 degrees, and my girls are still fast asleep. Boy, there's going to be frozen pipes all over town today!!

OUCH!!! When I got up to build a fire in the fireplace at 3:30 a.m. it was 24 here and now, at 7:30 it is a balmy 27. Chill factors in the low to mid teens. High today is forecast to be 32. Now, hold on, there is another cold front expected to push down Sunday. We had temps in the teens in Feb and now this. Two winters in one year???

I went out to check chickens, duck and geese and break ice off their water. I took them some warm water and got their food and the little sillys almost ran me down getting out of their nice warm coop (about 30 degrees inside). They seem to know what they want and what they can take. They go in and out. The ducks are perhaps the dumbest. I was all bundled up to keep warm and the geese hissed at me and would not come out until I backed away.

 

[austrolorp]

New to forum. Sorry know this is off point but where can I get a battery operated light timer control

 

[iwiw60]

OUCH!!! When I got up to build a fire in the fireplace at 3:30 a.m. it was 24 here and now, at 7:30 it is a balmy 27. Chill factors in the low to mid teens. High today is forecast to be 32. Now, hold on, there is another cold front expected to push down Sunday. We had temps in the teens in Feb and now this. Two winters in one year???

I went out to check chickens, duck and geese and break ice off their water. I took them some warm water and got their food and the little sillys almost ran me down getting out of their nice warm coop (about 30 degrees inside). They seem to know what they want and what they can take. They go in and out. The ducks are perhaps the dumbest. I was all bundled up to keep warm and the geese hissed at me and would not come out until I backed away.

Same here...usually we get our zero to sub-zero temps in late January into February...this is crazeeeee!! It's now 1:12pm and the temp is up to a whopping 20 degrees. Snows expected tonight into tomorrow and again on Friday...here we go!

 

[iwiw60]

New to forum. Sorry know this is off point but where can I get a battery operated light timer control

Have you checked places like Home Depot or Lowe's? I usually find what I'm looking for online at Walmart.com ... huge selection...wishing you all the best!

 

[Fletch83]

OUCH!!! When I got up to build a fire in the fireplace at 3:30 a.m. it was 24 here and now, at 7:30 it is a balmy 27. Chill factors in the low to mid teens. High today is forecast to be 32. Now, hold on, there is another cold front expected to push down Sunday. We had temps in the teens in Feb and now this. Two winters in one year???

I went out to check chickens, duck and geese and break ice off their water. I took them some warm water and got their food and the little sillys almost ran me down getting out of their nice warm coop (about 30 degrees inside). They seem to know what they want and what they can take. They go in and out. The ducks are perhaps the dumbest. I was all bundled up to keep warm and the geese hissed at me and would not come out until I backed away.

Hahaha! Silly geese!

 

[jtn42248]

Same here...usually we get our zero to sub-zero temps in late January into February...this is crazeeeee!! It's now 1:12pm and the temp is up to a whopping 20 degrees. Snows expected tonight into tomorrow and again on Friday...here we go!

How much do you want to bet that between this Polar Vortex and our real winter we have some spring/fall like days.

 

[iwiw60]

How much do you want to bet that between this Polar Vortex and our real winter we have some spring/fall like days.

Normally I wouldn't take you up on that bet, but frankly it's too late in the year now...I'm afraid we here in Central Oregon are....doomed.....