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

[Rooster Rules]

All that AND music too! Looks like a great coop. I bet they will really enjoy the sun coming through that big window.

Bruce

This will keep em feeling a bit better even in Alaska or The Yukon, gonna throw some shavings down and feeder/water tomorrow, then put the 5 banties in....

 

[Smithyard Farm]

I have 3-4 hens that have decided to roost up in the rafters in the outside run rather than inside the coop itself.



They are fairly well protected (coop is surrounded by 6 foot fence and motion detectors from the house point in that direction)

I thought as the temps went down, they would go inside.. but no. Tonight i went out there and there are 5 of them now. I keep moving them in, and they go pretty willingly but its becoming a PIA. (The rafters are a good 8 feet off the ground, and I have to use a makeshift hoe to get them down)

Do you think they will eventually learn? or am I going to need to do this all winter? I have tried to keep them in the coop for a day or so, but feel badly for them, and let them out

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Hello, Winnipeg has parts of the city at or near zone 4, not sure how, maybe all the sewer water from the red river, my are 18 miles north, is zone 3, and it gets to be zone 2 not very far north of here.
Last night it was -6f, 0f for tonight 16f in Winnipeg and 11 out here.
pics of the new/used coop, fully insulated,wired, needs more venting, making a Cupola, and will install, another window, and pop door too. I have made roosts, removable 12 inch litter board, nest boxes next, birds going in either tomorrow or wednesday.














Well, well, well......turns out you live just down the road from my brother and his family who live just off Henderson.
I can remember going to St Andrews Church on a school outing when I was a kid. Small world, my friend.

ps Was just up in Winnipeg for a week...in time for the weather change.

Your coop looks great!

 

[mg15]

This will keep em feeling a bit better even in Alaska or The Yukon, gonna throw some shavings down and feeder/water tomorrow, then put the 5 banties in....

That sure is a good idea enclosing the heater !

 

[bruceha2000]

I thought as the temps went down, they would go inside.. but no. Tonight i went out there and there are 5 of them now. I keep moving them in, and they go pretty willingly but its becoming a PIA. (The rafters are a good 8 feet off the ground, and I have to use a makeshift hoe to get them down)

Do you think they will eventually learn? or am I going to need to do this all winter? I have tried to keep them in the coop for a day or so, but feel badly for them, and let them out

Nice setup! Your profile doesn't say where you live so I can't guess at your likely temperature range.

IF the run is predator proof, what are you worrying about? If they are cold or feeling the wind, they'll put themselves in the coop.

A theory: I understand chickens like to roost as high as they can. They may be choosing the rafters over the roost in the coop because they are higher. If you REALLY don't want them up there, put some wire mesh of some sort attached under the rafters so they can't get up.

Bruce

 

[Rooster Rules]

I am 10-15 minutes northwest of the old church, 5 minutes out of Selkirk, was 0f last night and damp...

 

[newmusher]

well, -41 in whitehorse, yukon today!!! chicks are fine in their coop as I have the propane monitor on low, and am making warm oatmeal/feed mash for them but I have to get the genny running and charge up their battery for their light today. quite low, although they are coming onto their winter patio still during the day so get daylight. as soon as it warms up a bit we are putting in a window into the coop. don't know why the original owners did not do that. so many things to learn and do and we have only been here less than a month and my guy had to go to work 9 days after we moved in (he works in alberta)! our birds seem quite hardy though and I am learning fast!

. tried pasta and tomato sauce on them the other day, boy did they love that so guess I will be buying lots of pasta for them! sure hope the weather warms up a bit soon though.

 

[bruceha2000]

tried pasta and tomato sauce on them the other day, boy did they love that so guess I will be buying lots of pasta for them! sure hope the weather warms up a bit soon though.

Don't buy too much pasta. It isn't healthy for them or for people. Shouldn't be more than a treat.

I hope it warms up soon for you as well. -40 C (and F) is REALLY ****** COLD. But seeing as how it isn't yet December, you have a looonnnggg time before spring, throw some more wood in the stove!

as soon as it warms up a bit we are putting in a window into the coop. don't know why the original owners did not do that.

he works in Alberta

That is one HELL of a commute!

Bruce

 

[toofarout]

...

well, -41 in whitehorse, yukon today!!! chicks are fine in their coop as I have the propane monitor on low, and am making warm oatmeal/feed mash for them but I have to get the genny running and charge up their battery for their light today. ]

Newmusher,
Your -41 sure did beat my -30F this morning.
About the propane monitor....
What exactly is it? I have a Monitor heater in my cabin (similar to a Toyo heater), but it uses oil and has to have electricity to run the electronics or there is no heat.
Did the Monitor company make a propane heater? Or is it a different kind?
I sure would like a heater in the barn that doesn't require electricity to operate, I don't care if the fuel is oil or propane, just don't want a wood stove in there and I would love to get away from using electricity.

Try and stay warm!
Thanks, Sue

 

[CoopChick719]

Hollywood, your chickens should be fine.

Twisted Serpent, I would not put Millies in the snow. Their feathered feet get too wet/cold, and you wind up with frostbite on their feet. Covered run, or don't let them out at all. My Millie pair has a 4x4' pen, inside on shavings, and never go outside except in the summer.
t4dbirds, if it were me, I would give them the choice of being able to go outside. I leave the pop door open all the time, only dropping the towel over it to block drafts if it starts dropping in temps or gets windy. They still have the option of going outside, though.
NickyPick, if they have a coop to go into to get out of the elements, they should do just fine with those temperature drops.

Their down "coats" do a good job of keeping them warm. If it drops like that and gets super windy, then perhaps coop them up until the wind stops, but you shouldn't have to worry about the temps.
Eleanor Kay, since they're all bantams, you might want to give them heat if they start acting like they're miserable... i.e. huddled in a corner all fluffed up and not moving. Again, if they have a size-appropriate coop where they can get out of the elements, they should be fine.

Dear Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain & Eleanor Kay, THANK YOU for the question asked & answered on bantams & heat!!

I have 6 chickens (3 bantam cochin hens, 2 Sizzles & 1 Silkie roo) in an 8 x 12 insulated coop. Night time temps in Maine having started dropping into the 20's. My roo & 1 sizzle sleep on the floor so I've laid in a good pile of shavings for them--they were raised in a heated building, at what temp I have no idea. The others roost but not near enough to each other to cuddle. 2 of the cochins are molting and don't want anyone near them on the roost. Each morning for the past week, I've found everyone huddled under the nesting box area--not moving much & not talking. Even slow moving when I start throwing handfuls of BOSS for them. With all the No Heat warnings on here and from DH & friends,

I was torn about turning on the heat lamp but the way they were acting told me something was not right. Last night was the first night with the heat lamp on a timer. This morning I found out that no one had roosted where they normally had been. All were roosting together where the lamp was shining. That being said, they do enjoy time in their covered run during the day but the bantams don't spend a lot of time outside unless I shoo them out to "blow the stink off ya" as my dad always says. Ladies, thank you again!

I will sleep better tonight than I have in a week!!

P.S. Mrs. AK, I have friends in Kenai--small world!