The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Jewelwing]

I keep both food and water outside. I do use big plastic heated dog bowls...keeps spilled food and excess humidity out of the coop. My coop is an old construction trailer, so I can put both water and food under it, it is about 3/5 feet off the ground.

When I have had a coop that was on the ground, I put the food and water underneath a picnic table to keep the snow off (mostly). If you decide to keep food and water outside, you could probably rig up something as a "roof" (even a plastic sled or cardboard box on top of buckets, etc). If you kept it outside, you would also leave more room in the coop for them. When it is 30 below windchill or worse, I do bring food and water inside and leave them locked up. I probably don't have to, but....

It gets to 10 below in my coop, or a little colder, depending on whether any sun warmed it up during the day. bitter cold to me! but they have all been fine.

Now, this year I have a rooster with the biggest wattles I've ever seen, and I know they get wet when he drinks out of the bowl. I am going to try to keep them pretty greased up to see if I can keep them from freezing. its gonna be an experiment!

I do have lots of covered space outside, so that's not a problem (see my first pic below). What I don't have is electricity, so no heated bowls for me! But I can put my glass containers on some rigid foam insulation and then the room temp ff and warm water may take longer to freeze.

I think I will keep them both outside then. Thanks!

Good luck with your rooster!

Chaos here is my coop. We had strong winds and almost 6 inches of snow, this pic was taken this morning. The bottom on each side of the door is open to air. The top halves are covered but still gets ventilation since they are not tight. The right side has about 6 inches open at the bottom the length of the coop. The back side (south) has a plexiglass window and the pop door is below it. The rest is covered in canvas but the bottom half is not tight so still ventilation but keep the breeze out. The left side is covered with canvas as well. But again bottom half is not tight. (I roll them up for summer) in the 2 sides about 8 inches up is 2 vents about 3x6 inches for ventilation. They are lower than the roost.

It was in the low 20s last night with freezing rain, high winds and snow. This morning the water and ff which are outside were frozen. I just dumped them and refilled the water. My guys didn't want to come out either but they finally got hungry enough to come out. I am going to keep the water & food outside as long as I can.

A little snow did blow in a corner but the rest of the DL was dry. As long as there are no drafts ventilation is good. We normally are in the 20s most all days during the winter and last year their roost was in front of an end that was only covered on the top half. The bottom was left open. No frozen feet or frostbite roosting right in front of it. It's the humidity in a coop that causes frost bite not the cold

I learned last year they wouldn't freeze. When u check on them at night after they are roosted put your fingers in their feathers and on their feet. Bet they are warmer than you are

Eta: their roost is right next to the plexiglass window. They are usually fighting on who gets to roost next to it

it's not air tight since its canvas siding with duct tape to hold it to the plexiglass.

Wow, that just sounds so cold and drafty to me! Obviously I'm wrong, and this is my first winter with my chickens (they're 4 months old tomorrow - no eggs yet), so I'm trying to figure out what works.

I've never checked on them at night after they roost. Is that something I'm supposed to do? What am I checking for?

It sounds like all your ventilation is below your roost. Mine is all above, which means warm air escapes. Nothing I can do about that, though. It's nice in the summer!

So do you think I should uncover some of the windows I covered up? In this picture, all the windows were still uncovered. What I have open now is the slanted window on the left of the door and the two triangles above the door, and the same ones on the opposite wall in back (you can see them through the door - the slanted one and one of the tirangles - plus a window in the center of the back wall that is now covered up - I can uncover it, though). The roost is along the right side wall - one end is above the pop door.



The next picture shows the inside of the coop. The only windows still open are the slanted one on the left and the two triangles at the top (plus their twins in the front wall that you saw in the last picture). I covered up both side walls completely, but it still seemed too drafty on them on the roost, so I covered up the right slanted window, and both rectangular ones. I could pretty easily open up the left rectangular one, though, if you think it would be a good idea.

Thanks for reassuring me about them surviving the cold! It was great to see your setup.



ETA: Yes, those are plastic Easter eggs in the nest boxes - hope that works!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Nice coops!

 

[lalaland]

I do have lots of covered space outside, so that's not a problem (see my first pic below). What I don't have is electricity, so no heated bowls for me! But I can put my glass containers on some rigid foam insulation and then the room temp ff and warm water may take longer to freeze.

I think I will keep them both outside then. Thanks!

Good luck with your rooster!


Wow, that just sounds so cold and drafty to me! Obviously I'm wrong, and this is my first winter with my chickens (they're 4 months old tomorrow - no eggs yet), so I'm trying to figure out what works.

I've never checked on them at night after they roost. Is that something I'm supposed to do? What am I checking for?

It sounds like all your ventilation is below your roost. Mine is all above, which means warm air escapes. Nothing I can do about that, though. It's nice in the summer!

So do you think I should uncover some of the windows I covered up? In this picture, all the windows were still uncovered. What I have open now is the slanted window on the left of the door and the two triangles above the door, and the same ones on the opposite wall in back (you can see them through the door - the slanted one and one of the tirangles - plus a window in the center of the back wall that is now covered up - I can uncover it, though). The roost is along the right side wall - one end is above the pop door.



The next picture shows the inside of the coop. The only windows still open are the slanted one on the left and the two triangles at the top (plus their twins in the front wall that you saw in the last picture). I covered up both side walls completely, but it still seemed too drafty on them on the roost, so I covered up the right slanted window, and both rectangular ones. I could pretty easily open up the left rectangular one, though, if you think it would be a good idea.

Thanks for reassuring me about them surviving the cold! It was great to see your setup.



ETA: Yes, those are plastic Easter eggs in the nest boxes - hope that works!

Chaos, I forgot that you are the one with the sweet coop!

So your windows are glass? I'ld be tempted to leave them uncovered for the light in the coop, and to let whatever sunlight there is to come inside the coop. If they are screen, I would leave a couple open on the ends/sides that aren't in your normal wind direction.

My windows are at roost height, and I crack them open, it hasn't been too drafty for them. Drafts mystify me, you always read you need to keep them out of a draft, and yet there are these great open air coops with one of the three walls being just screen, and the chickens do fine!

You don't have to check them at night, but if your girls are flighty, it is a good time to pick them up and examine them - checking for general health, mites, etc. Not every night, but regularly. CHickens are usually pretty docile at night and its easy. If you have one of those headlamps people use for camping, it makes it pretty easy.

Is it possible to run a long extension cord to the coop for the water bowls? might make your life easier, although people do fine with breaking the ice out and replacing with water a couple of times a day. doesn't work with my schedule, I leave too early in the morning in the dark of night, and return late, so it would be too short of a time with water for the chickens. ALthough they do happily eat snow!

 

[armorfirelady]

The next picture shows the inside of the coop. The only windows still open are the slanted one on the left and the two triangles at the top (plus their twins in the front wall that you saw in the last picture). I covered up both side walls completely, but it still seemed too drafty on them on the roost, so I covered up the right slanted window, and both rectangular ones. I could pretty easily open up the left rectangular one, though, if you think it would be a good idea.

Thanks for reassuring me about them surviving the cold! It was great to see your setup.

I check mine at night because its me. I can also check for full crops, look for mites or lice & just get a general impression of them. Also when it gets colder I can stand there and see where the wind is coming in so I know what I need to block. I can also check them and their feet & make sure they are warm Its also when I do my head count for the night.

My theory is as long as the drafts are below their roost they are fine. Thats why the vents I put on the sides is below their roost but still high enough that it doesnt blow on them during the day. Or if its higher opposite them. That's why some ends are open & some are not. I am able to roll up parts of the canvas that are not getting drafts when its needed. During the winter I leave all the canvas down. But its not tight to the cattle panels so some ventilation still occurs.

Also with vents on the bottom it brings in fresh air that then goes out the roof vents I have on the coop. My hope is constantly fresh air will reduce the chance of moisture in the coop.

It looks like all your ventilation is at the the top. I would probably keep the side that's opposite of roost uncovered on both ends. They certainly wont get drafts when they are on the ground with the vents so high.

The best way to figure out if there are drafts on them as they roost is to go in there when its windy. Most people have ventilation on the non prevailing wind side. I do as well but I have ventilation on both side as well. Some I can block if needed.

My screen door window is not closed completely. Its open to the first click which is about 6 inches. Wind can blow in there but its not on them.


This is an open air coop. If I ever made another coop it would be this. That front end is open all year round. The top windows to I believe. Plus there are windows on the side. This is a coop a BYC member made following the old plans the old timers used to use. He never has a humidity problem. I tried to follow this plan but with my hoop coop. It really makes its simple. And proves cold wont harm the chickens. Their down feathers are great insulators and they tend to snuggle with each other so its like a giant chicken sleeping bag

I tend to rattle on so hopefully I didnt lose you. The best way to see if there are drafts os for you to stand in the coop. Just remember you are taller than them so what you feel blowing on your head probably wont blow on the chickens on a roost a couple feet lower than you.

ETA- my heated dog bowls are made for outside use so they are fine outside. I plug them into an extension cord that has a thermo cube on it. When temps are higher that 32 it shuts off. I would love to find a small timer that also would only have it on from dawn to dusk as that would be more time it was off. Still working on finding a timer that fits the need.

And like LALA my girls eat snow as well. I ran out of time to check their water this morning. I know its frozen since the temps were in the 20s last night. Hope fully it starts to melt with the sun. But my friend will be at the house around noon & will check for me. I refuse to hook up the heated bowls till winter is here for good !!!

 

[wantedman66]

I make a spray that has orange in it but I do a white vinegar in which I soak orange peels for a couple of weeks then take out the orange peels.  For about 2 cups of that I probably put in about a tsp. of orange oil, and a few drops each of lavendar oil, peppermint oil, and sometime eucalyptus.  I spray the crevices of the nest boxes and edges of roosts with it.

I've never made a spray with just orange oil and water, but my inclination would be to use about 1 tsp. per cup water...or maybe trying a little less and adding more if needed.  I'd also add some of the other eo's that I mentioned above.  But that is just my guess. 

Thanks but I think that would be too much orange because the stuff I bought from a vitamin shop is pure orange oil in a 4oz bottle so I'm not sure how many drops to add to a spray bottle.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: beard and muffs are also dominant, as is the crest, but not sex linked so which parent doesn't matter. barring is sex linked dominant.

I don't remember what age you said the crested barred chick is, but what you've got is barred, crested, bearded and blue... I would say, if the roo you pictured at the top (crested, bearded, blue and mottled) is the sire, then the mother would have to be barred, and the chick is a cockerel.

if it's a pullet, then if you have a barred rock roo, the mother would have to be blue, crested and bearded...

 

[aoxa]

I check mine at night because its me. I can also check for full crops, look for mites or lice & just get a general impression of them. Also when it gets colder I can stand there and see where the wind is coming in so I know what I need to block. I can also check them and their feet & make sure they are warm Its also when I do my head count for the night.

My theory is as long as the drafts are below their roost they are fine. Thats why the vents I put on the sides is below their roost but still high enough that it doesnt blow on them during the day. Or if its higher opposite them. That's why some ends are open & some are not. I am able to roll up parts of the canvas that are not getting drafts when its needed. During the winter I leave all the canvas down. But its not tight to the cattle panels so some ventilation still occurs.

Also with vents on the bottom it brings in fresh air that then goes out the roof vents I have on the coop. My hope is constantly fresh air will reduce the chance of moisture in the coop.

It looks like all your ventilation is at the the top. I would probably keep the side that's opposite of roost uncovered on both ends. They certainly wont get drafts when they are on the ground with the vents so high.

The best way to figure out if there are drafts on them as they roost is to go in there when its windy. Most people have ventilation on the non prevailing wind side. I do as well but I have ventilation on both side as well. Some I can block if needed.

My screen door window is not closed completely. Its open to the first click which is about 6 inches. Wind can blow in there but its not on them.


This is an open air coop. If I ever made another coop it would be this. That front end is open all year round. The top windows to I believe. Plus there are windows on the side. This is a coop a BYC member made following the old plans the old timers used to use. He never has a humidity problem. I tried to follow this plan but with my hoop coop. It really makes its simple. And proves cold wont harm the chickens. Their down feathers are great insulators and they tend to snuggle with each other so its like a giant chicken sleeping bag

I tend to rattle on so hopefully I didnt lose you. The best way to see if there are drafts os for you to stand in the coop. Just remember you are taller than them so what you feel blowing on your head probably wont blow on the chickens on a roost a couple feet lower than you.

ETA- my heated dog bowls are made for outside use so they are fine outside. I plug them into an extension cord that has a thermo cube on it. When temps are higher that 32 it shuts off. I would love to find a small timer that also would only have it on from dawn to dusk as that would be more time it was off. Still working on finding a timer that fits the need.

And like LALA my girls eat snow as well. I ran out of time to check their water this morning. I know its frozen since the temps were in the 20s last night. Hope fully it starts to melt with the sun. But my friend will be at the house around noon & will check for me. I refuse to hook up the heated bowls till winter is here for good !!!

And here I am worried about my dutch door open halfway..

I just need to keep the water unfrozen and I'm sure they will be fine. I've close it a couple of nights and in the morning the smell was terrible! Air circulation is SOOOO important.

 

[aoxa]

beard and muffs are also dominant, as is the crest, but not sex linked so which parent doesn't matter. barring is sex linked dominant.

I don't remember what age you said the crested barred chick is, but what you've got is barred, crested, bearded and blue... I would say, if the roo you pictured at the top (crested, bearded, blue and mottled) is the sire, then the mother would have to be barred, and the chick is a cockerel.

if it's a pullet, then if you have a barred rock roo, the mother would have to be blue, crested and bearded...

The red and white rooster I posted is dominant white if that makes any difference at all. This would have been the first chick he has ever sired anything other than dominant white (if he is the daddy).

Also, Tina (blue barred) is his half sister. Her mother was bearded, her father was not. So could the gene have been hidden?


Tina's father was Barred Rock x Wyandotte and her mother was Blue Silkie.


Tina's father



Her mother (and the mother of the rooster that could be the father)

Tina showed muted barring as a chick... Really strange, because she is only very faintly barred now.


Here's potential mama with weird faint barring..

If this chick in question is a male, he is very slow developing.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I have no idea what happened there. It's not from a Barred Rock egg, so must be fathered by a Barred Rock.. It has a beard, so it makes no sense! Could be Phoenix over a barred Naked Neck...

I'm liking the coloring on him, I would also try for another if you figure it out.

In such a case I recommend carrying a garden rake at all times and using it like a tennis racket or baseball bat.

I wonder if it is legal to spray one of those keychain attacker things at an owl.

 

[CedarAcres]

I have a question about drafts & ventilation... here's my coop. I have to laugh at how nice all those wood chips look on the side there.. I must have took this right after we put it down and before the chickens got to it!



The wind seems to blow toward that side window, so that window is covered with plastic. They roost right next to that window. The two front windows are not covered at all. But it seems like once the side window was covered there is no breeze inside, even if the wind blows at the front of the coop. My husband went into a big long explanation as to why the front windows don't need to be covered (I just remember that it ended with "It's physics!"). I've stood in there when it's windy out and it doesn't seem like there's a breeze. The only reason I'm questioning it is this is MY first winter where I'm making all the choices myself. My great uncle built these coops in the 60's.. now he used to cover all the windows with glass, but I didn't like that because there was zero ventilation in there. But he has passed away and I don't have him and his 50 years of chicken keeping knowledge to ask anymore. What do you guys think?