Winter Food & Water

[trumpeting_angel]

I was thinking I would cover the sides of my run with clear plexi glass for the winter to block wind and the elements. Maybe leave the top few inches open only. Do you think that would keep in warm enough for the chickens to come out in the run each day. It’s covered and about 10 sq ft per bird. If it’s sheltered from the wind, I thought it would be ok.
Thoughts from experts would be appreciated

Not an expert, but I would certainly leave a few inches uncovered by the plexiglass. They need shelter from the wind, but they also need the fresh air and ventilation.

If it gets too humid, their combs and wattles can get frostbite. Their best protection from the cold is dry, not warm. It’s hard to wrap our heads around!

I aimed for 1 sq. ft. per bird of vent. We cut narrow horizontal “windows” near the top of the coop, well above their heads, and installed hardware cloth on each one.

 

[RoosterML]

If you want to put water in a small coop use a 2 gallon bucket and use horizontal nipples. This way you have no open water source in your coop. All you need is a small 1/8” hole at the top of the bucket above the water line to let air in so water can come out.

 

[PirateGirl]

If you want to put water in a small coop use a 2 gallon bucket and use horizontal nipples. This way you have no open water source in your coop. All you need is a small 1/8” hole at the top of the bucket above the water line to let air in so water can come out.

Aren't nipples prone to freezing in winter though?

 

[RoosterML]

Aren't nipples prone to freezing in winter though?

Not the horizontal ones

 

[wamtazlady]

Aren't nipples prone to freezing in winter though?

Vertical nipples are prone to freezing. Horizontal nipples are not. Horizontal nipples have a little gasket that keeps water out of them when not in use. I use horizontal nipples, a tote with lid, and a stock tank deicer in winter. I live in Northern Montana where it gets well below 0 quite often. At -22 F my chickens still had drinking water. When it gets that cold I regularly check up on the water. Have been using this system for 4 years and has never frozen.

 

[PirateGirl]

Vertical nipples are prone to freezing. Horizontal nipples are not. Horizontal nipples have a little gasket that keeps water out of them when not in use. I use horizontal nipples, a tote with lid, and a stock tank deicer in winter. I live in Northern Montana where it gets well below 0 quite often. At -22 F my chickens still had drinking water. When it gets that cold I regularly check up on the water. Have been using this system for 4 years and has never frozen.

Thank you so much for this info. I'm in the CO Rockies and imagine I have similar winters to you. I actually purchased horizontal nipples this summer and have not set them up yet and was debating if now I should wait until spring. I think I will set them up and try and train the birds to use them. It will take a bit longer for the larger container I have for the horizontal nipples to freeze up without heat than their existing container anyway. This is going to make my routine easier for the time being.

 

[wamtazlady]

Thank you so much for this info. I'm in the CO Rockies and imagine I have similar winters to you. I actually purchased horizontal nipples this summer and have not set them up yet and was debating if now I should wait until spring. I think I will set them up and try and train the birds to use them. It will take a bit longer for the larger container I have for the horizontal nipples to freeze up without heat than their existing container anyway. This is going to make my routine easier for the time being.

To get your birds to use the horizontal nipples the first thing to do is remove all other sources of water. Chickens are curious. They are attracted to the color red as well as shiny things. I have never had chickens go for longer than a couple hours before figuring out how to use the nipples. Others say their chickens won't use them. I can just share my own experience with 4 or 5 separate batches of chickens.

 

[Club cramahe coop]

Not an expert, but I would certainly leave a few inches uncovered by the plexiglass. They need shelter from the wind, but they also need the fresh air and ventilation.

If it gets too humid, their combs and wattles can get frostbite. Their best protection from the cold is dry, not warm. It’s hard to wrap our heads around!

I aimed for 1 sq. ft. per bird of vent. We cut narrow horizontal “windows” near the top of the coop, well above their heads, and installed hardware cloth on each one.

My run has an open ceiling/roof of Corregated steel so there is ventilation points along the bottoms edge at the soffits as well as the ridge cap. Then when I cover the sides with plexi glass, I was going to leave the top 1-2” open. That would be 6ft high , so well above the chickens and allow airflow up under the roof. 1-2 inches of open space wouldn’t allow the elements to get in but airflow.

 

[jreardon1918]

Not quite as far north as Ontario. We are in SE Mass. The water and food stay in the run year round. We wrap some of the run with plastic. This is a picture from two years ago. We now do the wrapping with dollar store clear shower curtains. They are more see through. As you can see, we leave about 12" open on the north and south sides. The door faces east and is not wrapped. The 5 gallon water bucket has horizontal nipples and a 250 watt stock tank heater.

 

[Club cramahe coop]

Thanks for that pic. So I think if I cover each side with plastic and leave maybe the top 6-12 inches open on all sides I think I will be fine. I sourced a good price on plexi glass sheets. I can install them with little turn buttons and then simply take them off in the spring. Could even take a few off once we get to slightly wormer days. The cost of plexi glass is actually not that bad if you by direct from a manufacture and should last many years. I am second guessing my watered set up. For mine ,I will be relying on he heater but also a pump to keep the water moving. Maybe I will drain it for the winter and go with the 5 gallon pail with the horizontal nipples and heater. I could even have two. Then I can fill the spare and carry it out and switch it every couple days. I assume a 5 gallon pail will last a couple days for my 12 girls. The reason I was going with the larger rain barrel was for when we went on two week vacation. Then my chicken sitter only had to keep an eye on it and not actually change the water