Preparing Your Flock & Coop for WINTER

[iwiw60]

What a great reply...thanks for that!! I see your point in using straw in the runs, etc. I was especially pleased when you said

Quote: Wow, I didn't know that! My coop is one of those LifeTime Sheds that I converted into a coop, and is made out of that Rubbermaid plastic stuff...good to know! I just love how clean it seems to stay and now I know why...there isn't a lot of 'wood' in there! LOL

I wish you all the very best and yes, I'm getting ready for the hard winter ahead. Just yesterday I put a few panels up of 6-mil plastic on their run. Will probably have it fully enclosed by around mid-October...that's when the cold winter winds start blowing....yikes!

 

[mychickchick]

Hello I am glad someone has started this thread. This will be my first winter with chickens.I would like to know about the times we should provide lighting for our chickens? Do I put the light on when it gets dark and set a timer to turn off at what time?
I will be reading all tips!! Thanks!!

 

[iwiw60]

Hello I am glad someone has started this thread. This will be my first winter with chickens.I would like to know about the times we should provide lighting for our chickens? Do I put the light on when it gets dark and set a timer to turn off at what time?
I will be reading all tips!! Thanks!!

If you want to provide light to help prolong their egg production, you would want to turn it on say around 5 am and have it shut off around 9 am. You don't want it turning on in the middle of the night...they need their sleep just like we do!!

 

[iwiw60]

A Few Reasons to Wrap Your Run in Plastic....

• This cuts down on drafts.
• Keeps the snow out of the run.
• Keeps you from having to shovel out the run.
• It allows the chickens more space for roaming even though a storm is happening outside.
• It helps to prevent boredom, if they are locked in the coop otherwise.
• It helps to keep your flock dry.
• It helps to prevent the run from getting soaked, which can lead to illness such as coccidiosis.
• It also keeps the flock's favorite dust bathing spots dry too.

 

[mychickchick]

Ok thank you.I was not sure about the lights and the number of hours to keep on just to extend egg production. I read in one thread that this is OK. Thank you for your help and I do want my chickens to get proper rest

 

[MeepBeep]

If you want to provide light to help prolong their egg production, you would want to turn it on say around 5 am and have it shut off around 9 am. You don't want it turning on in the middle of the night...they need their sleep just like we do!! 

I recommend you look at the sunrise and sunset times in your area every month and adjust appropriately so the light come on 14 hours before sunset and shut off at sunrise or when you open the coop door... This way they return to the coop from outside with the natural sunset and they are not entering a fully lighted coop to roost for the night...

Turning on at 5AM is too late in my area during the winter and would only give them a 12 hour day, I want 14 hour days... And I don't like the idea of them returning to the coop at night for an extra few hours of light...

My laying hens lighting schedule (Chicago area) for this winter looks like this, I just worked it out the other day, I adjust my lights on the 1st and 15th of each month...

October: lights on at 4:30 (sunrise ~7:00) lights off at 7:15 --- sunset at ~6:30
October: lights on at 4:15 (sunrise ~7:15) lights off at 7:30 --- sunset at ~6:15
*** Daylight savings adjustment set clocks back 1 hour ***
November: lights on at 2:45 (sunrise ~6:30) lights off at 6:45 --- sunset at ~4:45
November: lights on at 2:15 (sunrise ~6:45) lights off at 7:00 --- sunset at ~4:15
December: lights on at 2:15 (sunrise ~7:00) lights off at 7:15 --- sunset at ~4:15
December: lights on at 2:30 (sunrise ~7:15) lights off at 7:30 --- sunset at ~4:30
January: lights on at 2:30 (sunrise ~7:15) lights off at 7:30 --- sunset at ~4:30
January: lights on at 3:00 (sunrise ~7:00) lights off at 7:15 --- sunset at ~5:00
February: lights on at 3:00 (sunrise ~7:00) lights off at 7:15 --- sunset at ~5:00
February: lights on at 3:30 (sunrise ~6:30) lights off at 6:45 --- sunset at ~5:30

Now granted hearing the roosters going wild at 2:15AM in November is a little odd, but they are still in the coop so it's muffled, and doing it this way allows me to use the natural sunset as a bedtime and return to coop for the night time while still getting a full 14 hours of light...

Off course this is only if you want full egg production and don't care about breeding irregularities on a mixed flock... I have a mixed flock, but this winter I'll probably do the lighting for everyone as most of my peas are not of breeding age and I'm not overly concerned if my Guineas kick into breeding or not next spring... But come next year I'll move breeding peas and Guineas to the 2nd story of the coop and allow natural lighting to cycle them into spring breeding... I just have a lot of remodeling and setup to do on the 2nd story of the coop this year and I doubt it will be ready for birds before winter so they will all share the first story this winter...

 

[Monstro]

I put this in its own thread and was referred here, so I'm pasting it. Now I'll look through, maybe some questions have already been covered. Thanks in advance.

Background:
Our coop is a raised 4x4x4. Not insulated. I beleive upper venting is good; eaves are open (E&W sides) 2 windows both placed high one each N&S side. S side window has plexiglass sliding doors for light. nest boxes are outside of the 4x4 footprint. We don't want electric run to it, could do an extension cord if needed. 5 pullets in it, oldest 2 are about 2 months. Youngest 2 are about 3ish weeks. Using DL method with pine shavings, food and water are set on blocks to help keep clean. MI climate. No run yet, plan on doing panels so its movable and will be putting tires on coop, currently searching for good deal on those.

Questions:
1. Is it likely they won't lay until after winter or might they start in the winter? Trying to get an idea when to open nest boxes, currently wire over them.
2. Should we insulate the center of roof only to keep warmth in and not block eave venting?
3. If we place full straw bales under the coop will it help keep floor warm enough to help with freezing water?
4. What's a good winter waterer? Currently have a plastic one with screw on top. I'm certain it'll crack with ice, especially trying to open it if its full of ice. Thought about using a black rubbery dish because they're great with ice, never had one break. But I've always been told not to have open water with chickens because they drown easy.

 

[lazy gardener]

Where do you get the horizontal water nipples? We are in Maine and just started our flock early this spring. We haven't been through a winter yet. Our run is 20 X 30 and we have 15 chickens and 2 Guinea hens who live peacefully together. Our "big" coop is 4.5 ft deep and 9.5 feet wide and about 5 ft tall. It has a window. The "little" coop cottage is 5 ft X 5 ft. and only 2.5 ft tall inside. But no window.

Right now 4 chickens sleep in the cottage and the other 13 sleep in the big house. I 'm thinking we should make everyone bunk up together in the big house for the winter. What do you think?
Maureen
The Goronson Chicks

I put this in its own thread and was referred here, so I'm pasting it. Now I'll look through, maybe some questions have already been covered. Thanks in advance.

Background:
Our coop is a raised 4x4x4. Not insulated. I beleive upper venting is good; eaves are open (E&W sides) 2 windows both placed high one each N&S side. S side window has plexiglass sliding doors for light. nest boxes are outside of the 4x4 footprint. We don't want electric run to it, could do an extension cord if needed. 5 pullets in it, oldest 2 are about 2 months. Youngest 2 are about 3ish weeks. Using DL method with pine shavings, food and water are set on blocks to help keep clean. MI climate. No run yet, plan on doing panels so its movable and will be putting tires on coop, currently searching for good deal on those.

Questions:
1. Is it likely they won't lay until after winter or might they start in the winter? Trying to get an idea when to open nest boxes, currently wire over them.
2. Should we insulate the center of roof only to keep warmth in and not block eave venting?
3. If we place full straw bales under the coop will it help keep floor warm enough to help with freezing water?
4. What's a good winter waterer? Currently have a plastic one with screw on top. I'm certain it'll crack with ice, especially trying to open it if its full of ice. Thought about using a black rubbery dish because they're great with ice, never had one break. But I've always been told not to have open water with chickens because they drown easy.

1. Depends on their breed. The earliest you can expect some breeds to lay is 16 - 20 weeks, and that's with optimal lighting. Are you providing extra lighting?
2. What is your lowest winter temp? You'll get varying responses re: insulation. It will help to keep things warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer. BE VERY SURE that it is covered so there is no way for the chickens to reach it. They will eat it and it can give them a blockage or kill them.
3. Do they go under the coop? Is that area part of their run? IMO, a run is essential for keeping chickens. A good option for you might be a cattle panel run that you could cover with plastic for the winter months to provide them with a "sun room". They would thank you a thousand times over for that. It's also possible to build it fairly light weight so it can be moved... with a bit of effort. Check Harbor Freight for inexpensive tires.
4. I use a heated dog bowl waterer, and set it on 1/2 of a wood pallet. This keeps it out of the shavings (cuts fire risk), helps to keep them from kicking shavings into it. I put a 1 gallon milk jug filled with water in the middle of the dog bowl. This provides a "moat" of water, which will be plenty to meet your flocks needs for 24 hours. Then you can refill x 1 from the jug, and will only have to take out a fresh jug of water every other day.

 

[Monstro]

Currently I put them outside in a dog crate without tray daily until the run is complete. Under coop will depend on how we do the tires. Plan is roughly a 10x10 run including under coop. This coop is ment to be temporary until we do a larger one next year in the mini barn. Then will be used as a grow out as we add to the the flock. Thinking PVC or the metal conduit stuff for fence panels. Plus at least a wire cover

 

[sammy7100]

I'm purchasing lexan to put around my run. I figure it will keep the wind and snow out, while letting a lot of sun in since it is totally clear. My husband said he can drill some holes in the corners of the sheets (once cut to size) to screw them into place. (They are rigid so 4 screws is plenty.) They will be easily removed in the spring.
I also just added some Styrofoam insulation to the walls of my coop by creating a double will inside. The foam is 3/4 inch thick so it will hold quite a bit of warmth. I do not plan on heating my coop using electricity.
I'm also installing an outlet to heat the chickens water container. This will be my 1st winter with my chickens and I'm already starting to worry about it. Thank god for this site and all its members for helping me get info on what to do!!