Regarding cold weather flock maintenance, Jim the farmer says:

[Mrs MIA]

A 2x4, with the wide side facing up, will give the girls good support and plenty of space to get their feet tucked under their feathers.

I tried smaller sizes (2x2" and dowling) and those just sagged in the middle with the weight of the birds (our coop is 8' across. We're dipping back down to 0F for the second night in a row, and it's nice to not have to worry about the birds.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Please tell Jim 'thanks' for us, Welsummer4.

 

[Wolfwoman]

If some of you have read this before on another thread... sorry

Long ago and far away (Ok about 8 years and 5 miles) we had 6 chickens and I knew NOTHING about chickens. If I remember right it was 2 Polish, a Leghorn, a RIR banty, a NHR and something else... We lived in the cabin with no running water and no electricity (HORRORS!!!). The chickens had a chicken wire area in the yard that was about 15x15 or so. Inside that area was 1/2 of a XL dog kennel for them to shelter in, and lay eggs in, and they did.

Winter came to Chickaloon. And with it 8 LONG weeks of 30-40 BELOW weather and wind. It was THE coldest winter I have ever endured before and since then.

The chickens pecked and squawked and scratched in that weather... they came out to eat snow and get their feed that I provided daily.... I did not give water, it was frozen in such a short amount of time in that weather that it was pointless! Yes they stopped giving me eggs in the winter (I thought that normal!) but they did not get sick, or lose weight. In the spring, normal egg laying and chicken activities resumed.

3 of these 6 birds lived 6 years. The other three: The leghorn and one other met a furry fate of a wolf, and my little polish girl died of no apparent reason I could see in the summer.

I look at my chickens now and tell them they got it MADE!

 

[Ironmaiden]

Okay folks, what is DLM?

 

[mulewagon]

DLM - I think that's deep litter method. Just adding bedding on top of the litter all winter, so it composts and releases heat. In spring, you shovel it out and throw it on the garden.

 

[Ironmaiden]

Oh boy, do I feel silly NOW! Thanks mulewagon!

 

[speckledhen]

Excellent list from Farmer Jim! I can agree with this list for sure! Thanks for picking his brain.


On the corn issue: Though corn in and of itself has no special properties to generate heat, giving the birds something to digest at roost time in winter will keep their metabolism pumping and corn will add extra fat to their diet for winter.

 

[chicmom]

Thank you so much for sharing! I've been worried about my chickens during the winter. (This is only my second winter.) So all those tips make alot of sense!

 

[crawfordmama]

Great info! I especially love the idea of putting leaves in the run. My girls love sifting through them for surprises!

 

[Tdub4chiks]

Quote:
Which side do they roost on - the 1 inch or 3 inch? A 2x4 is really 1.5 x 3.5 and the 1x3 is .75" x 2.5" so I'm guessing you have the 2 1/2 inch flat side up.

Yes, I have the 2.5" side up. Is this ok? Should I replace it with a 2x4? Here is a picture. Not sure if you can tell.