Winter in Portland Oregon

[RosyChickens]

I live near Portland Oregon, my ladies were hatched in February so everyone is feathered. How do I get ready for winter? What do they need different for the cold months?
there are 7 girls, no roosters , in a good size coop and covered run. That free range during the day.
What is everyone using to keep water from freezing, and do they need warmth in the coop?
i have 1 bantam Cochin, 2 ayam cymanis, 1 golden sex link, 1 polish crested and 2 silkies.
should I keep them locked up during the rain/cold or will they have the sense to take cover?
Just for fun, my crested went out in the rain over the weekend

 

[Boise-girls]

Too cute! I haven't been through a winter with mine yet, so will let others answer that part. I'm hoping a heated dog waterer will work, since I already have one, but time will tell!

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

I live near Portland Oregon, my ladies were hatched in February so everyone is feathered. How do I get ready for winter? What do they need different for the cold months?
there are 7 girls, no roosters , in a good size coop and covered run. That free range during the day.
What is everyone using to keep water from freezing, and do they need warmth in the coop?
i have 1 bantam Cochin, 2 ayam cymanis, 1 golden sex link, 1 polish crested and 2 silkies.
should I keep them locked up during the rain/cold or will they have the sense to take cover?
Just for fun, my crested went out in the rain over the weekend

I would look for a thread for your area, and see what other people do for their chickens.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

I also live in Oregon! We don’t do anything special, but if you want to you can set up a heat lamp or a heat panel (safer). I have also heard that people use water heaters.

 

[3KillerBs]

Don't worry about keeping them warm, just keep them dry and out of the wind and their built-in down parkas will keep them warm.

And make sure that you have PLENTY of ventilation -- which is the key to keeping them dry.

 

[Isadora]

Don't worry about keeping them warm, just keep them dry and out of the wind and their built-in down parkas will keep them warm.

And make sure that you have PLENTY of ventilation -- which is the key to keeping them dry.

THIS. Exactly.
As long as they are dry and have a windbreak, they will be warm enough.
We use a bucket heater for horses to keep the water from freezing. We use a 5 gallon bucket with nipples as the chicken waterer.

 

[WhySayWhat]

I'm in eastern WA, so your winters are more mild than mine (born and raised in OR though, family all over Portland!).

All I do is drop a submersible pail heater into the waterers (I use 5 gallon buckets from Home Depot). This year, I'm also planning in giving the ladies a bale of hay to scratch on in the run, but that's mostly for their entertainment.

I don't use heaters of any kind, there is too big of a fire risk and if the power goes out and the heat source is gone, the sudden cold can do more harm to birds that aren't acclimated to the cold.

 

[Jenessa_096]

Yay! Oregon people! Mine is a covered run, and I put them inside when it rains, so my silkies and frizzles don’t get wet.

 

[Silkie fluff butts]

Hello from across the river! I'm in Vancouver, WA. How is your winter going? We have 5 hens: 2 Silkies, a bantum something-or-other, Buff Orpington and an Australorp. They all do pretty well, except our Silkies. Those 2 don't have the sense to stay under shelter to keep dry. They just roam and scratch around their yard until they're drenched! Many times we have had to bring them in the house to dry off. We just enclosed their run section with tarps and wire fencing so we can make them stay in. Goofballs! I think it depends on the bird. So far this is working nicely for us, except that they've tasted freedom in the yard and want OUT. But better that than getting sick from a prolonged soaking!

 

[RosyChickens]

I think we are doing well, my big girls have found a cozy spot next to the house during the day, and I can hardly get my silkies out of the coop I put a bird bath warmer in their water. And it was really cute seeing all the little chicken prints in the snow