what do all you cold climate chicken owners do to the coop for winter

[banjoman1]

banjoman1

I have not raised chickens for 40 years so when my grandson asked me to
get some from the flee we were at I could not turn him down. so I got a few to
start. now I am hooked, no problem this summer, but like so many of you
this the first winter for me and the chickens they were al small when I got them
a friend at the feed mill where I get there feed told me to get them off the
ground so I use pine chips 4" deep and sure makes it warmer in the coop that
I built on the ground. last night it got down 21 degrees and I live in mississippi
never used a heat light I would be afraid it would get to hot on them and my
homemade coop.and advice on this is welcome.

 

[fiberart57]

I have a small house, 4'x6'x4.5'in height with six birds. Last night it was 3 degrees and it's colder than that already; it will be below zero here in Colorado. The house is insulated and well ventilated, perhaps too much as it has vents all along the top of the coop. I don't have additional heat. I have covered three of the four vents, all windows and will seal up the vents better tomorrow. Last night I got home from work in time to give them some warm boiled polenta with some 80% lean hamburger in it before they went to roost. They loved it and today I got three eggs from four layers. I've Vaselined their combs and wattles and tonight I heated some water in a pan, not quite to boiling, and filled a plastic jug with it. I took it out to the coop and buried it in the pine shavings and hope that adds more heat. They seem to be okay. When I open the door in the morning the inside feels much warmer than the outside although I don't have a thermometer inside. But they are dry, they have water and extra protein. I'll give them the hamburger stew mixed with FlockRaiser gruel tomorrow.

Mary