Winter is Coming 2015-2016

[Peep-Chicken]

What do you all do to prepare for winter?

For me, I put plastic sheets on the side of my run, add extra bedding, give the chickens scratch... I really need a window in my coop for ventilation though! Though between the roof and the coop, there is a gap. That may work if I don't get a window in.

 

[donrae]

For us, winter heralds more a Season of Mud than ice or extreme cold. I have shavings and straw on hand to add to the run as needed to combat the mud. We'd wanted to get a couple loads of decomposed granite to go there, but $ didn't work out this year.

I have one wire coop I'll add an extra tarp to for a wind break.

I'll get feeders with lids for the breeding pens so the feed doesn't get wet.

that's about it around here.

 

[aart]

What do you all do to prepare for winter?

For me, I put plastic sheets on the side of my run, add extra bedding, give the chickens scratch... I really need a window in my coop for ventilation though! Though between the roof and the coop, there is a gap. That may work if I don't get a window in.

Maybe add your location to your profile....big differences across the states and world.


-Take down the shade cloth.
-Close the windows(have plenty of eave ventilation).
-Add the heater to the water jug.
-Replace all the pine shaving bedding.

Oh, and a new one this year:
-Take down the insulation sheets from under the south roof and store them on the ceiling of the coop over the roosts to block any wind and snow blowing in thru eaves.

 

[Mrs. K]

I set up a sun porch. just an open box, with a slanted roof, and a sheet of plexiglass leaned on the front in the south. The sides are open. on the east and the west side.

This really encourages my birds to go outside in the winter, it is often surprising how much warmer it is under that plexiglass out of the wind. I spread a lot of old hay around, and if there is going to be a storm, I will make stacks out of it, then then next day, I will flip the bedding on top of the snow. Encourages them to get outside.

This year, I have stapled cardboard on the inside of the coop at the roost level. Decrease the draft around them and is cheap. I do take down warm water each day, but do not provide heat either in the water or in the coop.

I leave a lot of ventilation as I have quit worrying about keeping my chickens warm, and started keeping them dry. I don't lock them in the coop either.

Mrs K

 

[lazy gardener]

My girls have access to a hoop green house that is well stocked with leaves and grass clippings. They'll happily spend all day in there, flipping through the bedding looking for the scratch that I toss in there. The coop has 2 south facing and 1 east facing 2 x 3 thermopane windows, as well as a thermopane people door. All that glass really helps the coop to warm up during the day. Heated dog bowl. No supplemental heat, unless they get sluggish, and their feed consumption goes DOWN.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

Maybe add your location to your profile....big differences across the states and world.


-Take down the shade cloth.
-Close the windows(have plenty of eave ventilation).
-Add the heater to the water jug.
-Replace all the pine shaving bedding.

Oh, and a new one this year:
-Take down the insulation sheets from under the south roof and store them on the ceiling of the coop over the roosts to block any wind and snow blowing in thru eaves.

Ah, I'll have to fix.

I do the same with the sheets of insulation.

I set up a sun porch. just an open box, with a slanted roof, and a sheet of plexiglass leaned on the front in the south. The sides are open. on the east and the west side.

This really encourages my birds to go outside in the winter, it is often surprising how much warmer it is under that plexiglass out of the wind. I spread a lot of old hay around, and if there is going to be a storm, I will make stacks out of it, then then next day, I will flip the bedding on top of the snow. Encourages them to get outside.

This year, I have stapled cardboard on the inside of the coop at the roost level. Decrease the draft around them and is cheap. I do take down warm water each day, but do not provide heat either in the water or in the coop.

I leave a lot of ventilation as I have quit worrying about keeping my chickens warm, and started keeping them dry. I don't lock them in the coop either. 

Mrs K

That sun porch is a great idea! I might have to do that.


Love the other ideas. I'll need to take some of them into consideration.