snow in run

[Don 27]

Yet another chicken driving a car, for your amusement!

View attachment 1973562

OK, I'll stop now.

Who's pressing the gas



Or the brake would be more important

 

[Don 27]

From my observation, chickens seem to prefer to roost and perch so that their toes curl around rather than lay flat, even when it’s cold (and while we don’t get into the -40’s, NE Colorado is not what I would describe as warm haha). In any case, in cold weather, the feathers along the flanks and breast seem to do an adequate job of covering feet and toes on a narrower roost in order to provide warmth.

While it’s definitely true that birds have specialized circulatory systems in their legs to prevent cold damage, it also works both ways. The exposed legs, along with combs and wattles, are one of the ways in which chickens rid themselves of excess heat.

I have always suspected the heat conserving qualities of leg veins are less developed in species that evolved in tropical climates, like chickens, as opposed to colder climate species like say, waterfowl. Looking at a flock of mallards or Canada’s in winter blissfully hanging out on frozen lakes and wading through snow covered corn fields goes to show how much more adapted to temperate climates these birds are. Back in the barnyard I watch my own ducks completely unphased by the snow and ice in their run. Meanwhile the chickens are regularly seen standing on one leg, warming one foot at a time and gingerly tiptoeing around. And that’s if they can be convinced to leave the coop at all. Again, this seems to reinforce the idea that their ability to regulate cold temperatures around their legs and feet is not as developed as other species. Not a scientific truth by any means, but if your ancestors came the from hot, steamy jungles of SE Asia there would be little reason to have the same level of cold protection as a bird who’s closest relatives often breed north of the arctic circle. In fact, it would be for more important that they can effectively and efficiently dissipate heat.

I give my birds the option to use square or round . ... And guess what they choose

The trees

 

[gtaus]

Who's pressing the gas Or the brake would be more important

I am hoping the chicken is driving a Telsa smart car with auto pilot tech. I don't think those legs are long enough to hit the brakes, if needed. We are probably looking at the future of autos.

BTW, no joke here, I saw a video of a guy sleeping behind the wheel as his Telsa on auto pilot drove him down a CA highway. Someone in another lane saw the guy sleeping and recorded about 45 seconds of this guy sound asleep before he woke up.

 

[featherhead007]

Who's pressing the gas



Or the brake would be more important

I do have a hen, RIR who loves to ride in my car, I take her with me often. I don't care about the looks I get from other drivers!

 

[Don 27]

I am hoping the chicken is driving a Telsa smart car with auto pilot tech. I don't think those legs are long enough to hit the brakes, if needed. We are probably looking at the future of autos.

BTW, no joke here, I saw a video of a guy sleeping behind the wheel as his Telsa on auto pilot drove him down a CA highway. Someone in another lane saw the guy sleeping and recorded about 45 seconds of this guy sound asleep before he woke up.

What!!! That's crazy people these days!!! another reason why modern luxuries aren't always a good thing to have around.

 

[skipa-za-ko_13]

[QUOTE = "skipa-za-ko_13, post: 21988995, member: 553634"] Je n'ai que trois coqs là-dedans, plus environ 30 dindes et quelques canards et oies. Les coqs sont seuls à s'occuper de la neige et il y a une coopérative de bonne taille pouraudacity temp mail origin eux et pour qu'ils soient assez intelligents pour aller à l'intérieur. Sinon, je pourrais en développer l'ouest et peut-être l'est pour rester à la dérive. [/ QUOTE]

 

[nbryan]

Yes, my gambrel roof on my chicken coop should stand up to any snow we get this winter. But it is built pretty good. For a chicken run, I'm trying to find something that is light weight, lost cost, and still does not collapse from a snow fall. I might build a small A-Frame run for next winter, as it seems to be the option that fills most of my requirements.

I just want something covered that is big enough for the chickens to stretch their legs in the winter. They have no desire to leave their coop with the chicken run covered in snow. Fortunately, I planned for that and built my coop about twice the recommended size for my 10 birds. So far they are doing well, but it's a long winter ahead.

A-frame winter shelter, 12/12 slope, 6 mil poly tightly stapled, 2x3 rafters made from recycled 2x6 decking, 24" 3/8 ply base sheet. Re-used a door from a field pen.
We'll certainly find out soon enough how it holds up with a heavy snow dump. They're fine inside the insulated coop, but having their water and feed outside, with a bit of room to roam/dig on the ground, including under the coop, and access to sunlight, is all important. Has been working for us!

There's 6 - 8 inches of wood chips on the ground under the coop and winter run. They've already established dust bath zones down to the original soil.

We have 24 pullets/hens and 2 cockerels/roosters housed in this setup.

 

[gtaus]

A-frame winter shelter, 12/12 slope, 6 mil poly tightly stapled, 2x3 rafters made from recycled 2x6 decking, 24" 3/8 ply base sheet. Re-used a door from a field pen.
We'll certainly find out soon enough how it holds up with a heavy snow dump.

Very nice. Looks like about 7 feet tall at the peak, is that right? How long are the rafters/sides? I don't see any wire/fencing underneath the 6 mil poly, I'm wondering if that will hold a build up of snow after a good dump? Wondering what is going to happen if the poly rips and there is no wire/fencing underneath the poly to keep the chickens in and the predators out?

I do like the design for it's simplicity and I'm thinking it would be easy to make the A-Frame out of modular panels. Easy to put up and take down by myself. I have enough scrap lumber laying around to build that A-Frame, so the cost to me would be minimal. Only need to buy some poly. The picture really helps me visualize a potential project. Thanks.

One thing I think I would change is that the A-Frame door is almost all the way down to the ground. I'm thinking of building my door at least 12 inches off the ground, so if we get a good snow dump, I'll still be able to shovel off the top layer of snow and get the door free. Sometimes we get freezing rain followed by snow, so a gate all the way to the ground might get frozen in. Also, I like the idea of a door that swings both in and out like the gate on my dog kennel.

Be sure to come back and post the results on how well your A-Frame design holds up to a good snow dump. My other option is a domed cattle panel hoop house, but I am hearing that they can collapse under a good snow fall. We get good snow falls where I live.

 

[aart]

We'll certainly find out soon enough how it holds up with a heavy snow dump. They're fine inside the insulated coop,

So first year for this structure?
I hope you have some good ventilation in the insulated coop.

 

[nbryan]

Very nice. Looks like about 7 feet tall at the peak, is that right? How long are the rafters/sides? I don't see any wire/fencing underneath the 6 mil poly, I'm wondering if that will hold a build up of snow after a good dump? Wondering what is going to happen if the poly rips and there is no wire/fencing underneath the poly to keep the chickens in and the predators out?

I do like the design for it's simplicity and I'm thinking it would be easy to make the A-Frame out of modular panels. Easy to put up and take down by myself. I have enough scrap lumber laying around to build that A-Frame, so the cost to me would be minimal. Only need to buy some poly. The picture really helps me visualize a potential project. Thanks.

One thing I think I would change is that the A-Frame door is almost all the way down to the ground. I'm thinking of building my door at least 12 inches off the ground, so if we get a good snow dump, I'll still be able to shovel off the top layer of snow and get the door free. Sometimes we get freezing rain followed by snow, so a gate all the way to the ground might get frozen in. Also, I like the idea of a door that swings both in and out like the gate on my dog kennel.

Be sure to come back and post the results on how well your A-Frame design holds up to a good snow dump. My other option is a domed cattle panel hoop house, but I am hearing that they can collapse under a good snow fall. We get good snow falls where I live.

Any snow has slid off the poly without encouragement, and well-stapled and wrapped around the gable end rafters, the poly can hold a lot of weight.

The botoom of the door is supported on a 2x6 that is laying on its edge on the wood chips floor. And the chips are 6+ inches thick on the ground. I don't think there will be that much snow that it builds up to interfere with the door. And I'll be running my 26hp kubota with a 63" snow blower by the front of the coop if and when things get too deep.

The door itself is 6 ft x 3 ft, so the peak is 7 1/2 ft (approx) from the floor. The rafters length is 11'0".

An in-swing door would run into the feeder, likely. And 2-direction hinges are expensive and the door I used already had hinges. So no 2-way here.

I'll put wire behind the poly near the ground (1st 3 ft.) of the door wall if the chickens wreck the poly. Otherwise I'm not too worried, yet, about predators in the winter, and they are locked into the pred-proof coop at night.

I'll use my tractor with fork lift attachment to lift the winter structure away from the coop, then I move the coop around the yards all non-snow seasons, and protect them from land predators with a portable charger hooked to poultry-net portable fencing. The coop has 8" pneumatic castor wheels at each corner. Moves easy.