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

[TheyThinkI'mTheirMom]

Quote:
Yeppers!

But even if heat/insulation are not really required, how do you feel about shelter? From wind? From rain? From snow? From sleet? From hail? That sort of thing. I'd be interested in how people feel about these, and what people do about these.

My chickens live on the roof. When they lay an egg, it rolls down into the gutter and exits right over my frying pan. This way, my family never finds out that eggs come from chicken butts.

hahahahahahahaha

 

[Mrs MIA]

TheyThinkI'mTheirMom :

Quote:
Yeppers!

But even if heat/insulation are not really required, how do you feel about shelter? From wind? From rain? From snow? From sleet? From hail? That sort of thing. I'd be interested in how people feel about these, and what people do about these.

By all means, shelter is critical, especially for people living in harsh climates. Shelter from the sun, wind, rain, snow... just how much shelter depends on the climate.

Welsummer4, that was too freakin' funny!

 

[saym]

to who was concerned about shelter...of course you want them to have a place where they can go to get out of the weather..and Ideally have a draft free dry place where they can get up off the ground..that way they can sit on their feet, fluff their down coats and hang out...hopefully whoever has the chickens on the roof has a lean to for his strategically placed girls to send their eggs down the chute! That was cute!

 

[vtgirls]

This is from our local national weather service:

""The average snowfall for November jumps to 6.9". The average date for the 1st inch of snow in Burlington is November 15th. So we are definitely behind the times.
And to put it in perspective, last year we didn't see our first inch of snow until the second week in December, and we still finished WAY above our normal average of 72 inches. Last season after that slow start, we got 17.7" in the second half of December; A whopping 48.4" of snow in January; And a solid 24.0" in February, to give us a 3 month total of 90.1"

We are pleased that the snow has yet to add up to more than a half inch as we have been slow to cover the chicken's run but always wonder - if its a balmy 25 today, the first week of December, and there is just a flurry in the air - are we going to pay for it in the not so distant future??!! Time will tell - for now the birdies all continue to enjoy a stroll about the yard and through the frozen gardens when the doggies are inside soaking up the wood heat! No frostbite yet (we had a bit when cold first struck in October but nothing serious and nothing since) and no one chosing to stay in the coop.

 

[Firework]

If the song birds (who don't have shelter) can make it I guess my chickens that HAVE A COOP can make it too.

 

[JulieNKC]

Quote:
I know. I was worried about my chickens cause it has been in the teens at night. There was a water main break down the street, and because of it there is an icy creek running through my backyard. When I went to give my chicks their food this morning there were about a dozen lil robins taking a bath in the ice water. If it's warm enough for that I'm not going to worry about my chicks freezing in their coop lol.

 

[DebbieLynn]

I feel so much better now, I have a momma hen and 6 babies in a 4x8 run with a dog house that has hay and lots of shavings. Was just outside and watching them they are all running around and no shivering or constant cheeping and even though they're only just over a month old, they seem to be feathering really fast compared to babies I raised under a heat lamp. I made the decision to leave them alone as long as everybody seems ok. Thanks to this post now I don't feel guilty!

 

[77horses]

Interesting thread.

It's been getting down in the 20's to 30's during the day, and below that during the night, plus the wind chill makes it feel even colder. I have a small light on all night out there, just to keep the water from barely freezing. It's not very warm, and the wattage isn't very high (I think it's only 60watts?) so it doesn't get too hot to make me worry about it causing a fire, but it's just enough to keep the water from freezing and so the chickens can have some light if they want to eat or get a drink in the night. Which, yes, I understand they don't need to do that, but it's a personal preference I guess.

 

[Judy]

I have a mama and babies who've been running around for an hour or longer before getting back under mama for a few minutes, since they were one day old. Highs around 50 this week, lows in low to mid 20's. They could care less. Give them a north windbreak and some hay and they're good to go -- the open air coop with roof is just icing on the cake.

I used a heat lamp last winter on occasion, on the waterer, to keep the water from freezing. Used the red in order not to disturb them with the white. Last night was 25 and the water wasn't even beginning to freeze, without light. Guess all that poop and pine shavings over dirt floor keeps it warm enough in there to keep water liquid. I was out there around 5 AM and it was completely liquid. Most of the south wall and both eaves , east and west, are open to the air. A chunk of the north wall would be, too, except I covered it with plastic because all our wind comes from the north (we are in some kind of wind tunnel, apparently.) Roosts are in the SW corner so I didn't want the north wind blowing on them in winter. I woke them up at 5 and they were spread all over the roosts, not even bothering to cuddle, except for a couple. And I have some in full moult.

 

[TheyThinkI'mTheirMom]

Mine are still sleeping in the 20 or so degree temps with high winds in a 3 sided roofed roost [it is 3' from the ground] with an open bottom with the perches attached to them where they locate themselves to sleep. In other words, they are sheltered only from rain and snow when they sleep. And during the day, in addition to exposure to low temps, high winds, if it rains or snows, they are out of luck. The 12'x12' coop has four sides of just heavy wire, and the roof is also wire. My stubborn husband.......

He is probably right, he has raised chickens this way for 30+ years, and heck, we've only been discussing our "differing views" of this for 20.

They do seem okay in spite of it all.

But thanks goodness for this forum.

I have learned some very helpful things to do, such as making sure they get scratch during the day to keep them moving, defrosting their water, and giving them some warm oatmeal right before they go up for the night. I've reduced my lobbying agenda with my main squeeze, hoping to convince him to at least cover the entire coop.