Will My Chickens Freeze to Death?

[jennkretz]

Ok.... my 2 cents.
I have 2 coop and runs with more than enough space for both flocks. In one coop it is a 50 - 50 where some roost outdoors in the (large)run and others outdoors... in the other coop only 5 birds, and they never sleep indoors... even last week in 14 degree weather they were happily perched together on their perch. They are chickens. Nit brilluant math-wise, but tgey know what to do to survive.... be happy they feel secure enough to sleep out in their run.

Thank you! I was kind of thinking they must not hate it if they keep doing it... But added the greenhouse plastic just in case. Also hung some "curtains" to keep the breeze out, while leaving space at the top for ventilation. Will get a digital thermometer/humidity gauge in the next few days. Will post update pictures soon. Thanks for all the love and support, all! <3

 

[LaughingDucks]

I have over 60 birds. I have two coops. Then I have roosting bars inside their run area. I have roof roost birds and ones who will sleep under the coop on the ground. When it gets cold I string a piece of wire between nails on the outbound roosts and across the coop roof. A simple piece of inexpensive metal wire is all I use. I make it tight like a guitar string, they hate it because it hurts their feet, but it keeps them from using the roost I want them to stay off. As for putting them in the coop? It is in the nature of the chicken to roost as high as they can to avoid predators, that's why they are on the roof. If you want them to live in their coop you need to teach them they will be safer inside. First, nix free-range, let them stay in their coop run for a time, usually a week to ten days. Make it a pleasant place for them by adding stuff like, fresh hay in the coop, lots of scratch grain to nibble in the coop run, put vitamin water in their coop waterer. Put treats in their overnight coop feed bowl. Then let nature run it's course. They will adapt. But they will want to go to sleep where they think they are safe. If they don't go in the coop at night put them in and close the door. They will learn it is safer in the coop than outside. Once you see their routine shift to "they go in on their own", you can try to add back free-range. Now I have done this same thing with chicks, but don't be surprised if there isn't one or two diehards in the group. This too shall pass persistence is important here.

My Chicken routine:
I use this method every day at gloaming. I have the feeder and water can inside the two coops. I have a flock of 20 ducks that stay in a fenced run at night behind the chickens so I move them inside first. When I want them to go to bed, I get out the scrape bucket with kitchen scrapes. I add 4-5 cups of corn chops and I go out shaking the bucket. My ducks love this evening treat. They come a running. I dump the food in their TS big black feed dishes. They quickly learn to follow you with that incentive bucket all the way to their little dog houses When you pour those scrapes into their dish, they go in willingly. Then I just shut the door. The chickens try to get in and eat the food. I kick them out shooing them with my Staff. (When Roo's don't behave that Staff is the difference between being gouged and choosing to give push-back with the staff to be safe.) Chickens flourish best with simple routine like this. Mine know they are next so the bucket stirs them up. They can be in the neighbors yard eating bugs and hear me shaking that feed bucket and clucking like a mother hen. You can hear me for quite a distance according to my neighbors. I trained them to come in for the night to the sound of that corn jumping in the bucket. I think of it as the Duckens dinner bell. I fill their feeders and waterers after the gloaming before dusk. Then I add feed wheat and wild bird seed to their bowls for a lite supper, and they run over each other to be first in the dishes. I shoo in the few stragglers. They find their roosts and go to bed. When they are stubborn and won't come in, I find them and after chasing them down, I pitch them in the bad bird timeout box (Before you think I'm stuffing them in a bad place this is an all wire grass tractor style box i use to put out new pullets) and they spend the night in the main coop run caged. It's an eye opener for them but they are never hurt. Sometimes it takes a few times in the BBT-box. If it is going to be cold I layer everything with hay so they can borough. I also have an upside down Dutch door on both coops and I shut the top which is the larger section. You need to establish a routine that makes you the Head rooster, so discourage the things you don't want them to do. Like putting wire on roost I don't want used. I try to find a way to discourage unwanted behavior without my babies associating the discipline is coming from me hence the wire
AS to cold I wrap and staple sheet plastic all the way around the coop run and line it with plant fabric and hay.
Sorry I was so long winded. I had the same issue when it was just 13 Chickens. I wanted to share the progression I went through to save you some time.

 

[jennkretz]

I have over 60 birds. I have two coops. Then I have roosting bars inside their run area. I have roof roost birds and ones who will sleep under the coop on the ground. When it gets cold I string a piece of wire between nails on the outbound roosts and across the coop roof. A simple piece of inexpensive metal wire is all I use. I make it tight like a guitar string, they hate it because it hurts their feet, but it keeps them from using the roost I want them to stay off. As for putting them in the coop? It is in the nature of the chicken to roost as high as they can to avoid predators, that's why they are on the roof. If you want them to live in their coop you need to teach them they will be safer inside. First, nix free-range, let them stay in their coop run for a time, usually a week to ten days. Make it a pleasant place for them by adding stuff like, fresh hay in the coop, lots of scratch grain to nibble in the coop run, put vitamin water in their coop waterer. Put treats in their overnight coop feed bowl. Then let nature run it's course. They will adapt. But they will want to go to sleep where they think they are safe. If they don't go in the coop at night put them in and close the door. They will learn it is safer in the coop than outside. Once you see their routine shift to "they go in on their own", you can try to add back free-range. Now I have done this same thing with chicks, but don't be surprised if there isn't one or two diehards in the group. This too shall pass persistence is important here.

My Chicken routine:
I use this method every day at gloaming. I have the feeder and water can inside the two coops. I have a flock of 20 ducks that stay in a fenced run at night behind the chickens so I move them inside first. When I want them to go to bed, I get out the scrape bucket with kitchen scrapes. I add 4-5 cups of corn chops and I go out shaking the bucket. My ducks love this evening treat. They come a running. I dump the food in their TS big black feed dishes. They quickly learn to follow you with that incentive bucket all the way to their little dog houses When you pour those scrapes into their dish, they go in willingly. Then I just shut the door. The chickens try to get in and eat the food. I kick them out shooing them with my Staff. (When Roo's don't behave that Staff is the difference between being gouged and choosing to give push-back with the staff to be safe.) Chickens flourish best with simple routine like this. Mine know they are next so the bucket stirs them up. They can be in the neighbors yard eating bugs and hear me shaking that feed bucket and clucking like a mother hen. You can hear me for quite a distance according to my neighbors. I trained them to come in for the night to the sound of that corn jumping in the bucket. I think of it as the Duckens dinner bell. I fill their feeders and waterers after the gloaming before dusk. Then I add feed wheat and wild bird seed to their bowls for a lite supper, and they run over each other to be first in the dishes. I shoo in the few stragglers. They find their roosts and go to bed. When they are stubborn and won't come in, I find them and after chasing them down, I pitch them in the bad bird timeout box (Before you think I'm stuffing them in a bad place this is an all wire grass tractor style box i use to put out new pullets) and they spend the night in the main coop run caged. It's an eye opener for them but they are never hurt. Sometimes it takes a few times in the BBT-box. If it is going to be cold I layer everything with hay so they can borough. I also have an upside down Dutch door on both coops and I shut the top which is the larger section. You need to establish a routine that makes you the Head rooster, so discourage the things you don't want them to do. Like putting wire on roost I don't want used. I try to find a way to discourage unwanted behavior without my babies associating the discipline is coming from me hence the wire
AS to cold I wrap and staple sheet plastic all the way around the coop run and line it with plant fabric and hay.
Sorry I was so long winded. I had the same issue when it was just 13 Chickens. I wanted to share the progression I went through to save you some time.

Thank you for all of the helpful information. Basically I turned the run into a big "outdoor" coop with perches, food, water, and house wrap along the bottom to keep out wind/rain and the black attracts warmth and the top is clear plastic for greenhouses, lets in 91% of light and helps retain heat while cutting out wind/rain. I left 2-3 inches along the whole top to allow for ventilation. They have a heated waterer which kicks on around 35 degrees outside and so far has been fantastic at keeping the water flowing. Lots and lots of deep litter method pine shavings, curtains on the door to the coop, and lots of fluffy bedding in the coop and nest boxes. Adding a temperature and humidity gauge this week and we have a wireless camera w/ night vision where we can check in on them. They also get several hours of "free ranging" daily - will post pics soon, as others have asked for them - but need to get home before the sun sets.... Thanks all for the fantastic ideas, support, suggestions and help! Jenn and "The Ladies"

 

[jennkretz]

Thank you for all of the helpful information. Basically I turned the run into a big "outdoor" coop with perches, food, water, and house wrap along the bottom to keep out wind/rain and the black attracts warmth and the top is clear plastic for greenhouses, lets in 91% of light and helps retain heat while cutting out wind/rain. I left 2-3 inches along the whole top to allow for ventilation. They have a heated waterer which kicks on around 35 degrees outside and so far has been fantastic at keeping the water flowing. Lots and lots of deep litter method pine shavings, curtains on the door to the coop, and lots of fluffy bedding in the coop and nest boxes. Adding a temperature and humidity gauge this week and we have a wireless camera w/ night vision where we can check in on them. They also get several hours of "free ranging" daily - will post pics soon, as others have asked for them - but need to get home before the sun sets.... Thanks all for the fantastic ideas, support, suggestions and help! Jenn and "The Ladies"

PS - do you have photos of your set up? Would love to see!

 

[jennkretz]

Would anyone be able to share their set up? I'd love to see. I will share mine and details when I can get some daylight photos (stupid Michigan time change...) haha.

TIA!

 

[BY Bob]

I'll try to get some this afternoon