Winter is almost here!! Share your tips and tricks for coping the elements with your chickens!

[PingoBags]

Hello there pingo! Thank you for your input, there are some great ideas there, and I am sure many people will find them helpful! Wow, it is already starting to get chilly up there in Canada isn't it? The lowest temperatures I have seen so far is about 65, fahrenheit. So I am still about 30 degrees warmer than you once you convert C to F.

Yea it is getting colder earlier this year, hope it isn't a sign of a really cold winter.

Here's a few images to visualize it better. I wasn't going for looks, I just wanted it to work.

 

[CuzChickens]

Both my water and food are kept in the run. The run is covered by a tarp so the snow won't get in. Three sides are covered in clear shower curtains. The open side is a few feet away from the house and no wind comes from that direction. Water is in a 15 gallon semi-clear tote with horizontal nipples and a stock tank deicer suitable for a plastic container. Once a day the girls get a treat such as whole corn or scratch. Am also getting straw. The straw will be sprinkled on the snow outside the pen so that they'll get out. Last year they wouldn't walk on snow until nearly spring. Am also getting an additional feeder. I want to make it so that I don't have to go outside to feed and water in a blizzard. Haven't spent a winter in really cold weather for 30 years so not sure if I could deal with a really bad storm at my age. The geese are getting a shelter built from the straw bales and wood pallets with plywood on top. It will be covered in a tarp to keep it waterproof. Will spread a thick layer of straw on the pallets inside the straw bale structure. The pallets are to raise the straw up to make sure the geese have a dry area if they need it. Have bought the 5 geese a 50 gallon stock tank for water and a floating stock tank deicer. Will cover that mostly with wood so they can drink it but not play in it. Best part of all, had a plumber come and install a special faucet outside near the critters so that I don't have to carry water in buckets. Will be able to use the outside faucet and just attach a hose whenever the critters need watered. Planning on getting one of those hoses that shrinks when the water is turned off as they are light weight and small when shrunk. Hose will be brought inside. I'm as prepared as I can be...I hope.

You sound like you have quite the set up there, and I bet you will have some happy, warm chickens and geese this winter! Winter seems to not bother water fowl as much as chickens.

Yea it is getting colder earlier this year, hope it isn't a sign of a really cold winter. Here's a few images to visualize it better. I wasn't going for looks, I just wanted it to work.

Spoiler: Tarp/Plastic windbreak

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Spoiler: Hanging Treat

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Spoiler: Water

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Spoiler: Small fan

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Hey, that looks pretty good! It does not matter what it looks like as long as it works! I can not wait to hear how things are working out for both of you as winter progresses!

 

[CuzChickens]

I am also thinking we might do a chickens in snow photo contest. Limit 4 photos per user and I will pick a winner in March. I don't know what the prize will be yet.....Probably a GFM.

 

[wamtazlady]

It's my first winter too, so I'm not sure if the modifications I did will work.
Past two nights it has gone down to 0c so I'll be testing it soon.

I wrapped 9' of heating tape around a 2 gallon bucket and wrapped that with insulation, it has nipples at the bottom.

From what I have read around here, the vertical nipples do not do as well in the cold as the horizontal nipples. The vertical nipples tend to freeze up as there is always a little water in them and they are hanging under the heated container. That is why I got the horizontal nipples for winter. Seems they do not freeze as fast as the vertical ones. Also, vertical nipples tend to leak and if you keep your water inside the coop that will just be more moisture you'll have to deal with.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

I wish I could get some Winter weather out here in San Diego CA. I've been praying for rain! It's very hot and windy today.

 

[PingoBags]

From what I have read around here, the vertical nipples do not do as well in the cold as the horizontal nipples. The vertical nipples tend to freeze up as there is always a little water in them and they are hanging under the heated container. That is why I got the horizontal nipples for winter. Seems they do not freeze as fast as the vertical ones. Also, vertical nipples tend to leak and if you keep your water inside the coop that will just be more moisture you'll have to deal with.

I read that too. It is a concern of mine. I'm not sure where to buy horizontal nipples besides on the US ebay listing. It would cost me about $15 per nipple.

I do have a plan B if they freeze. Plan C is to bring them fresh water a few times a day.

The vertical nipples I have don't exactly leak, but water is wasted on the ground when they drink.
Because of that, I keep the water in the run. Food is kept in the coop though, our local raccoons steal anything within reach if left in the run.

 

[wamtazlady]

I read that too. It is a concern of mine. I'm not sure where to buy horizontal nipples besides on the US ebay listing. It would cost me about $15 per nipple.

I do have a plan B if they freeze. Plan C is to bring them fresh water a few times a day.

The vertical nipples I have don't exactly leak, but water is wasted on the ground when they drink.
Because of that, I keep the water in the run. Food is kept in the coop though, our local raccoons steal anything within reach if left in the run.

Yikes!!! That is expensive. I just got new nipples from ebay. There were 10 in the package for $20 and free shipping. I'm sharing them with a couple friends who have chickens. Mine from last year are still good but like having some on hand just in case. Not sure how many birds you have but there were 15 in my coop last winter and they used 2 nipples for water.

Heated dog bowls also work well and stay thawed to pretty low. Just raise the bowl so they can't get too much dirt in it. If you use a bowl you might consider covering all but one place for them to drink so they don't make a mess of it.

I figure anything is better than having to haul water. I have bad lungs and don't do well in the cold let alone carrying a bucket of water. The system I have means they only need watered once a week. Last year the house sitter carried water out. This year we're staying in Montana so it's up to me. Since I put in the frost free faucet that means I can water with a hose.

 

[MollySunshine]

Happy to see this thread has been created since it is something I have been contemplating. I too am new to raising backyard chickies and this will be my first winter to learn what works and what does not. If I can save myself some grief by learning some tried and true techniques, heck I'm all for that! Why reinvent the wheel....I am in the process of preparing for the winter. Hopefully it is another mild one, relatively speaking, of course. I purchased the buckets with the nipples and deicers just in case. I have been thinking about how to handle the coop though. The coop itself is board and batton, I believe is the carpentry term. There are small gaps within the siding that provides ventilation. This is great in the summer but it concerns me for the winter. I was wondering if anyone has used carpenters plastic to surround their coop? I am thinking it would work similarly to tarp. Is that the clear plastic I see others posting? Where do I purchase it, the local home store? I was thinking of leaving the very top of the coop left unwrapped to allow for the necessary ventilation. But is that good since my high tier perches are located high. I haven't completely decided on what type of heat I will offer. For those extreme nights. I have looked at black lights, reptile rope and ambient heaters specifically for coops. Any suggestions? I currently have a mesh cover that tops my run. It kept it cool this past summer. It lies flat and I don't think this will hold up nicely with the weight of snow (I dread it already!). I am thinking about placing a 2 x 4 with a flat board on top, in the center of the run, to give the mesh a tent appearance so the snow will roll off or at least not accumulate so quickly. I am interested in whatever ideas are out there. Keep them coming. The run itself, ground cover, I am currently incorporating a sundry of materials. I am using hay, pine chips, cut grass, leaves, twigs. It's worked out real well. Should I change this? They will only be outdoors if there is no snow and the temperatures are fair. Or should I not baby them so?

 

[wamtazlady]

Happy to see this thread has been created since it is something I have been contemplating. I too am new to raising backyard chickies and this will be my first winter to learn what works and what does not. If I can save myself some grief by learning some tried and true techniques, heck I'm all for that! Why reinvent the wheel....I am in the process of preparing for the winter. Hopefully it is another mild one, relatively speaking, of course. I purchased the buckets with the nipples and deicers just in case. I have been thinking about how to handle the coop though. The coop itself is board and batton, I believe is the carpentry term. There are small gaps within the siding that provides ventilation. This is great in the summer but it concerns me for the winter. I was wondering if anyone has used carpenters plastic to surround their coop? I am thinking it would work similarly to tarp. Is that the clear plastic I see others posting? Where do I purchase it, the local home store? I was thinking of leaving the very top of the coop left unwrapped to allow for the necessary ventilation. But is that good since my high tier perches are located high. I haven't completely decided on what type of heat I will offer. For those extreme nights. I have looked at black lights, reptile rope and ambient heaters specifically for coops. Any suggestions? I currently have a mesh cover that tops my run. It kept it cool this past summer. It lies flat and I don't think this will hold up nicely with the weight of snow (I dread it already!). I am thinking about placing a 2 x 4 with a flat board on top, in the center of the run, to give the mesh a tent appearance so the snow will roll off or at least not accumulate so quickly. I am interested in whatever ideas are out there. Keep them coming. The run itself, ground cover, I am currently incorporating a sundry of materials. I am using hay, pine chips, cut grass, leaves, twigs. It's worked out real well. Should I change this? They will only be outdoors if there is no snow and the temperatures are fair. Or should I not baby them so?

You might want to take those high perches down if the wind blowing in your vents can get to the birds. My vents are just under the eaves but my perches are only 22 inches above the floor to make sure there is no breeze blowing on the birds. You can get the plastic at a hardware store or a store like Home Depot. It comes in long rolls. I didn't want to deal with the rolls so I use clear shower curtains around 3 sides of my run and a tarp on top.

I live in northern Montana and give the birds no heat. A dry bird is a warm bird. That is why everyone talks so much about ventilation. When bird breathe and poop they put out a lot of moisture. If that moisture stays in the coop the birds might get frostbite. It got down to -10 or so here last winter. My 13 pullets averaged 10 eggs a day all winter long. The girls are older this year and I expect I won't get nearly that number of eggs, but we'll get enough to take care of our needs. If the girls were not happy and warm they wouldn't have been laying eggs. I wouldn't even think of heating the coop unless it was -20.

Chickens do better in cold than in heat. You wouldn't keep them locked up in the summer. Why would you lock them up in the winter when they are more comfortable? My food and water is in the run. They go out every day. Otherwise they'd get bored. They need to scratch and do chicken stuff to be happy. Believe me, they don't mind the cold. I have 5 week old chicks outside. They were fine when they were less than 2 weeks old and it was below zero. They were running around, eating and drinking. Every once in awhile Mama would stoop down, they'd all gather under her to warm up, then after a few minutes they'd all be running around again. I'm planning on throwing some straw down outside the run to encourage the girls to be outside the run during the day. They don't like walking on snow so the straw is to give them something to stand on and something to peck at to keep the occupied.

What you are using in the run works well. It's great when you can use material you already have. I'm changing to sand this winter as I found out there is a drainage problem. Sand will raise the ground and hopefully the water will drain away under the sand. The girls did almost stop laying when the run was wet. As soon as wood shavings were put in the run as a temporary fix they started to lay again. They did not like the mud at all.

 

[roorooyew]

Im in the south....NC mountians. This will be my first winter here. I moved a whole 25 miles from Sc lol. However im at a higher altitude and they get way more snow here. My question....we converted a childs wooden play house into our coop. I have room for 12 nesting boxes but only have 6 rught now. To roosting sticks and plenty of floor space. The play house came with a vent in the back and a small one in the front. Both are up high. We have no windows because thats whT leads out the to runs on either side. Should i devise a zystem to cover those this winter? The door isnt full size, its a child door. I can however walk in and stand all the way up. The door is wooden with a plexi glass window. We have no power out there. Do i meed more vents? Do i need to cover the 2 windows? How do i keep water from freezing? I have 10 hens and a roo. I have another play house coming to keep bantams and silkies in. Just want to make sure everyone stays healthy and warm.