"What to feed your chickens so they survive winter."

[Tami2]

My girls get really excited for warm mash on a cold day. Plus, it's a good way to use up some of that powdery feed at the bottom of the bag.

I've brought in the regular water containers & I have been bringing out warm water every morning. I've learned that in the hot summer heat, they LOVE Ice water & in the cold temps they LOVE the warm water. I'm very happy about this.
My parrot Levi will ONLY drink warm water. So I wasn't sure that the chickens would take to it.

 

[cubalaya]

flock balancer pellets, 7-11 scratch for december and january. layer pellets , 5 grain scratch for february and march

 

[Tami2]

flock balancer pellets, 7-11 scratch for december and january. layer pellets , 5 grain scratch for february and march

Okay, thank you! I will look into that. Can you recommend some brands?

I actually did buy an organic grain scratch prior to getting the chicks. I have 3 - 25lb bags of it. I was stocking up & trying my best to get prepared. Is '7-11 scratch' the name of the scratch or do you mean 7 to 11 grain scratch?

Thanks again!

 

[Tami2]

This is what I bought back in May

 

[Tami2]

I'll have to look for the grain count if that is what you meant, 7-11 grains.

 

[WI chickens]

Put a 25 watts bulb closed to the floor and keep it on. They will hang under it and will stay warm. Watch water, it may freeze. U may opt to put water on top of those small candle/popurri /coffee heaters.

This is worse advice than the video, unless the goal is to burn your coop down.

 

[WI chickens]

...and she suggested plugging up every hole and crack in the coop with caulking. ..

I don't like her video and her advice is terrible, but I agree with this. The obvious caveat is that it doesn't mean closing up all your vents. I caulked every seam in my Woods coop. That keeps air from being able to blow in the front big windows and out through the back of the coop. With the back of the coop airtight, wind can't blow into the big front windows and penetrate into the back of the coop where the birds roost. They still get lots and lots of fresh air, but no drafts at all. I agree with you that it may mislead new owners into sealing up every window, and that would be very, very bad.

 

[Tami2]

I don't like her video and her advice is terrible, but I agree with this. The obvious caveat is that it doesn't mean closing up all your vents. I caulked every seam in my Woods coop. That keeps air from being able to blow in the front big windows and out through the back of the coop. With the back of the coop airtight, wind can't blow into the big front windows and penetrate into the back of the coop where the birds roost. They still get lots and lots of fresh air, but no drafts at all. I agree with you that it may mislead new owners into sealing up every window, and that would be very, very bad.

Okay, this interesting.
My husband did caulk all the cracks/seams. He closed the windows 3/4s leaving a portion at the top open on both sides of the addition and lowered their perches, so the open/vents are above their heads. I've only seen them roost all together in the back once. They mostly are split. 1/2 roost in the back and the other 1/2 in the front.

This is a shot of the back of the addition. The perch was above the fan evidenced by the poop on the side of the fan. That entire triangle was an open window. They would perch there with a window view. He did this on both sides. To get a proper air flow & ventilation. But you stated that you closed the back.

 

[WI chickens]

If you look at the picture of a woods fresh air coop, you'll see what I mean. The entire front of the coop is open. It's just a two big windows covered in hardware cloth. The entire back is sealed. That window on the side is closed for winter, as are the big monitor windows in the vertical part of the roof.

 

[Tami2]

If you look at the picture of a woods fresh air coop, you'll see what I mean. The entire front of the coop is open. It's just a two big windows covered in hardware cloth. The entire back is sealed. That window on the side is closed for winter, as are the big monitor windows in the vertical part of the roof.

Very nice! Thanks for the image, appreciate it.