Winter chickens

[kentypoo]

Hi all. I live in northern lower michigan so it can get down to -20 degreed farenheight with windchill so i need an affective way to keep my 4 hens warm without using electricity.

Open to all ideas

 

[liz9910]

Hi, try posting here for best results: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/2/managing-your-flock or the coop section: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/9/coop-run-design-construction-maintenance

 

[mgroza]

I keep lots of straw in the coup for them in the winter and they do good. Some breeds are better than others for wintering over though.

 

[kentypoo]

How often do you switch out the straw

 

[Fred's Hens]

Hello neighbor and welcome to BYC.

Don't know where you are specifically, but it is true, it is cold up here, or at least, it supposed to be. The fact is the while -20 isn't a daily occurrence or even a weekly occurrence, it does indeed get that cold on some winter nights. Use one of the various methods for keeping the water thawed, provide them with good shelter that also still have adequate ventilation, deep litter to burrow into, if they wish, good feed, and they'll be just fine.

I do believe that some breeds are not recommended for up here, and some of the more frail bantams wouldn't be my first choice either. But the American Large fowl? Well, most of them were bred in upstate New York and New England and are well suited for living up here. Hope that encourages you.

 

[kentypoo]

Thanks

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, kentypoo,and

! Pleased you joined our community! I think you've received some pretty good advice already so I'll just say best of luck keeping your girls warm!

 

[kentypoo]

Thanks redsox do you have any extra advice

 

[ImAnewbie4]

I'm still using the light for them... My husband thinks it's too cold out for them because they're only 6 months old. I'm wondering if we'll now need the light through the winter.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yup, until Edison perfected electricity and GE invented the red heat bulb? There were no chickens in North America. None at all. The fact that some of these breeds were named Plymouth Rock, New York Wyandotte, New Hampshires, Rhode Island Red or Buckeyes from Ohio? Chantecler from Canada? The history books are wrong. The Pilgrims absolutely didn't bring chickens with them on the MayFlower. Didn't happen.



All mythical birds, like the Phoenix.

Hope you folks recognize the humor. Just having some fun.