Warming Their Tootsies and Keeing Them Entertained

[VolailleAmant]

Hello,
Most likely many of the surrounding states of Michigan are experiencing the most beloved accent to the Christmas season.....Snow.
And while we are snug and toasty in our warm homes, looking out the window at our darling little chicken coop and pen, then we see them. Our little cold-survivors

, our flock. So, I do not know about many of you, but for my hens, it is awful cold in their coop- even with all of the doors shut. I do not know it to be normal for my hens to have pinkish feet. Is that normal for the cold to have an impact such as this? I am fairly to chickens-raising on my own.
Another topic, during these wintery months, it is thought to be a bore for some chickens, is there any suggestions of how to keep my hens entertained during the snow-covered months?
So if any of you chicken-ers have any advice on keeping my hens [and ducks] warm this winter on a low-budget, less time consuming process, I would be deeply appreciative!
Thank you for your time in reading this, and for your time in advance.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

 

[centrarchid]

Put some hay in coop where they like to hang out. Then through in some treats like BOSS and other intact grains they can scratch about for.

 

[wamtazlady]

First, I also put hay out in the run with goodies hiding in it. They love to scratch around looking for the goodies.

Second, I have a couple questions about your coop. Are you keeping the chickens locked up in it all day? Have you closed up the coop so there is no ventilation?

A warm chicken is a dry chicken. This means providing plenty of ventilation in the coop. Chickens make a lot of moisture with breathing and pooping. If all that moisture remains in your coop your birds will suffer from the cold and be subject to frost bite.

For example, I have 2 1 foot by 3 foot vents just under the eaves. I also have a 2 foot by 2 foot opening in the clean out door. This opening is only 4 feet from the house and gets no wind. I also leave the pop door open all year round so the girls can go in and out as they please. The roosts are kept low in the coop to keep them out of any breeze that might blow in the upper vents. My run is surrounded by clear vinyl on 3 sides to keep the wind off the chickens. I have a tarp over the run to keep it snow and rain free. Their food and water is kept outside in the run. This morning it was 9 degrees F outside and they were all out scratching around and not even fluffed up. None of them were in the coop. The key idea for ventilation in your coop is to have a lot of ventilation but not allow wind to blow on your birds Wind would fluff their feathers, allowing the warm air next to their bodies to blow away.

 

[VolailleAmant]

Thank you all so very much!

 

[VolailleAmant]

Put some hay in coop where they like to hang out. Then through in some treats like BOSS and other intact grains they can scratch about for.

First, I also put hay out in the run with goodies hiding in it. They love to scratch around looking for the goodies.

Second, I have a couple questions about your coop. Are you keeping the chickens locked up in it all day? Have you closed up the coop so there is no ventilation?

A warm chicken is a dry chicken. This means providing plenty of ventilation in the coop. Chickens make a lot of moisture with breathing and pooping. If all that moisture remains in your coop your birds will suffer from the cold and be subject to frost bite.

For example, I have 2 1 foot by 3 foot vents just under the eaves. I also have a 2 foot by 2 foot opening in the clean out door. This opening is only 4 feet from the house and gets no wind. I also leave the pop door open all year round so the girls can go in and out as they please. The roosts are kept low in the coop to keep them out of any breeze that might blow in the upper vents. My run is surrounded by clear vinyl on 3 sides to keep the wind off the chickens. I have a tarp over the run to keep it snow and rain free. Their food and water is kept outside in the run. This morning it was 9 degrees F outside and they were all out scratching around and not even fluffed up. None of them were in the coop. The key idea for ventilation in your coop is to have a lot of ventilation but not allow wind to blow on your birds Wind would fluff their feathers, allowing the warm air next to their bodies to blow away.

Thank you!

 

[chickens really]

All I toss out is Alfalfa hay.....I have horses also.......It provides them with greens.....they scratch around in it......I still let them out in the run and also free range on warmer days.....They keep busy......


Cheers!

 

[ShanandGem]

On days that are very cold and I keep them in, I throw a few handfuls of scratch into their bedding. Hay is also interesting. I bought a bale of straw for bedding last week and they found it fascinating.
It got very snowy here very quickly and I can open the coop doors and let all the warmth escape, only to find no one has gone outside two hours later when I go to close them up. I would rather they stayed warm and have something to entertain them inside them on days like that.