Think it's too cold for your chickens? Think again...

[Mrs MIA]

Minnesota here hit -20 a few times last winter. I'm changing up my system, too. I plan to copy what my friend successfully does, which is to keep one of those rubber bowls with a birdbath heater in it. I'll rotate two. I plan to keep it in the run rather than the coop. Last winter during those cold snaps I made 3 and 4 trips out to the coop daily because I couldn't keep the water from freezing. I had the cinderblock with lightbulb setup. The bottom tray of water didn't freeze very often, but it got solid in the holding tank and couldn't descend. I liked how clean it was so that's how I'm doing it this summer (no bulb) but in the winter I have to find a better way! I was considering the 5 gal bucket with a birdbath heater inside and the lid loosely set on top and then screwing spigots in...like these
http://www.cornerstone-farm.com/equipment/poultry-float-valve-226

pretty inexpensive and solves the fowl (foul) water problem

Please note that these do NOT work in the winter... the line may be heated but the water in the cup freezes, and the lever freezes with it. Unless you can find some way to heat the cup, too, I wound up just switching to heated dog water bowls in the winter.

 

[Alaskan]

For any of you'll that cover the tops of your run with wire.... Is there any hope that the snow will slide off the wire? Or do you just build the supporting frame super strong and also go out and knock the snow off when it gets too deep?

 

[allsummedup]

I just wanted to say that I hatched my own chicks and I used a heat lamp for the first two days after that i turned it off so far no deaths.

 

[chestypuller]

Lets pray for a long summer and late winter

 

[groverlvchx]

AMEN!

(replace fingers crossed with folded-in-prayer hands)

 

[allsummedup]

Agreed

 

[chestypuller]

It was so hot a couple days this week thermo said 85f my chickens were panting!

 

[groverlvchx]

Mine were panting today, too! and hanging out in the shade. I think hot is tougher on them than cold...

 

[Alaskan]

For any of you'll that cover the tops of your run with wire.... Is there any hope that the snow will slide off the wire? Or do you just build the supporting frame super strong and also go out and knock the snow off when it gets too deep?

Anyone?

 

[Twister-n-Dos]

Anyone?

It seems like it would depend on the type of wire and the kind of snow you get.

4x2 inch welded wire was fine in Fairbanks last winter. It did not accumulate on the wire, But we have light dry snow. In Valdez or Girdwood the whole thing probably would have been crushed and buried.

This year I have built a covered run.