Super expanded my cold weather article.
I was hoping some of you cold folks could read through it and tell me if there are any glaring errors or omissions.
Who on here is in a cold area?
@superchemicalgirl and
@Beer can
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/author/alaskan.13660/
Couple thoughts:
- I have a single slant / roof over my coop (8 in the front, 7 feet in the back) so that snow doesn't come off my roof into the front of the coop/blocking the door. If I had to do it over again I would do this again but a bigger slant since at least once a season I have to go up there and shovel it off or else the roof will collapse. I have a flat roof over the duck house (bad idea, do not recommend, but the duck house is ghetto) and the goats have a regular ^ roof which ends up requiring more shoveling when it finally releases.
- My run doors open in and they are up high off the ground, similar set up to you with a 2x4 underneath in the summer to prevent escapes or predators. Otherwise I'd be climbing up the sides of the fence, which I do not want to do.
- My chicken coop is also up high off the ground (18 inches) which not only gives me some leeway for the door operating as intended without snowpack issues but it also gives them a place to get away from the crappy weather. It also can be a place for them to get stuck during a blizzard so I don't let anyone out when there's a big storm predicted. This also reduces rodents getting into the insulated walls.
- Insulation will also increase the time to eggs freezing/breaking open and I don't recommend external nesting boxes in our climate.
- I don't want a ton of snow getting into my coop with sideways snow, so I bought the heating grates at a home store and use those over the soffit holes for ventilation. Those are always open, no matter the weather. The windows in my coop are also always open, unless it's actively blizzarding, then they get closed until it's over.
- I do keep the water inside the coop during the winter. I don't have an ice block all over the place, a minor one when I spill it trying to get it in there. I have it up on cinder blocks, then a heated base, so it's up pretty high and crap can't get into it. If we lose power, the heat of the birds keep the water liquid longer. If it freezes, they can eat snow. For the ducks I have a heated dog bowl which has been great except they run it dry every single day. And make enormous ice rinks with the mess. I think that's a duck problem, though. I also have the rubber buckets and yes, I hop on them too, but after awhile of it just being so cold for so long it isn't worth my time and I only use the heated base/waterers.
- I also bought horse stall mats when they went on mega-sale at
TSC. They are really thick rubber and I have them on the floor of the chicken coop. They help with insulation (especially since my coop is high up).
- I do a bedding change whenever the weather lets up and I can break off chunks of the frozen shavings mess. I generally toss it on the ground outside of the coop in winter... helps the birds want to come out in the snow and when it melts (in April/May/June) it helps with the mud.
- DO NOT HEAT. EVER.
- I also feed suet (rendered fat from the pig) when it gets wicked cold out for fat. Minimum protein for me in winter is 18%. In the mornings they also get a bucket (rubber) filled with feed and then water. I put it outside and it freezes quickly, but they peck at it. Gives them something to do and a reason to get out of the coop (and poop outside, not inside) as well as reduces boredom. I put all kinds of stuff in it (fridge clean out day, sunflower seeds, meal worms) that also freezes and they can work on getting it out. Their regular feeder (hopper style) is inside and filled with dry food. If we're going to get a major storm and I know I won't be out there a few days and they'll be cooped up, I get a flock block.
- I have many places for the weaker birds to hide when they're all stuck in the coop together. Lots of tables and extra roosts. One of my roosts is on chains so it moves like a swing. The weaker birds love this because it's hard to peck and hold balance while swinging in the wind.
- I lose power a lot. I do not have a backup plan other than getting water from work (and/or thawing it beside the wood stove). They'll survive because I DONT HEAT. They can also eat snow in a pinch. It ain't perfect, but they do it.
- Lastly it is dark here and dark early in the winter. I got some of the battery operated Mr Beams and installed them around the run and near the entrance to the coop since i'm out there doing chores when it's dark. It helps PLUS it turns on when a predator comes into the run at night for me to notice/deal with.
- Poocrete: I bought a metal masonry "spatula" which helps pry poocrete off surfaces, but it's best to just let it turn into Poo Mountain below about 20F and get to it as soon as it warms up while it's still like a crushed ice and less like a nasty liquid poo lake. I actually take leave at work on the days it warms up to tackle Poo Mountain. My boss loves my leave requests.
- I'll disagree a little with you on breeds. I have silkies, showgirls and turkens. They are all absolutely fine in the cold and run around like it doesn't bother them, for the most part. This is the first year I've had frizzles/sizzles so I'll let you know how they are. I find that the feather footed breeds are the worst in the snow and some birds that look hardy are giant pussies.
Yay I won! Now why can't I win a few hundred million in the Lottery instead?
Is there a prize? The Golden Snow Shovel?
Hm... a prize... you won it before I could even offer it as a fun something to do to bide time! I wasn't prepared for a prize!
I just offered up my last pack of little blue pill post it notes... I think I might have a little blue pill scrub hat around here somewhere...
but then, I have never had any.
