Winter is Coming! Checklists, tips, advice for a newbie

[smschultz]

I'm planning on screwing a couple shower curtains on my coop run for some protection from rain and some insulation. Hope it holds up for winds. Anyone think this is adequate for silkie chickens. My chicks are a little to young to be added to my coop yet but I'm getting 2 6 month olds from Amber waves, delivered late this month. I'll add a pic of my coop, I just hope the chickens can survive 29 deg. As that's about the lowest it gets here.

 

[smschultz]

 

[Alaskan]

I'm planning on screwing a couple shower curtains on my coop run for some protection from rain and some insulation. Hope it holds up for winds. Anyone think this is adequate for silkie chickens. My chicks are a little to young to be added to my coop yet but I'm getting 2 6 month olds from Amber waves, delivered late this month. I'll add a pic of my coop, I just hope the chickens can survive 29 deg. As that's about the lowest it gets here.

Well, it is 't clear to me how many chickens you will have, and just how big that coop is.....

But 29 degrees is just fine, and no problems for chickens.

However, that is cld enough that you will want to make sure that you have a good amount of ventilation in the coop. Fresh air is good for chickens!

 

[smschultz]

I have five chickens total. But yes, there is enough ventilation in the coop. Just got some rain today any the shower curtains are working so far.

 

[bigmrg74]

LMAO I was going to suggest something similar!!

It was too easy, I had to go there.

 

[LadyCluck77]

How do you keep nipples fro freezing

For those type of waterers, the aquarium pet store heaters seem to work fine in keeping them from freezing through. Run your lines inside the bucket, and keep it full daily, it has to make contact with the water to work. Keep it on the lowest setting. You can also get a heat sensor attachment to turn it on only when the temperatures go below 30 F. Somewhere on this thread a guy drew a diagram of how he builds them.

 

[aart]

Quote: Vertical nipples are much harder to keep open, horizontal nipples are the way to go.
My design is linked just a few pages back:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ts-tips-advice-for-a-newbie/980#post_15809906

 

[kschicks2013]

I live in Northern Nevada where it gets cold and snows but not below zero. I have infrared heat lamps plugged into a thermal cube which turns them on when it gets below 30 degrees and turns off at 40. My hens are cold hardy so there are times i don't turn on the lamps to see just how much they can tolerate. The coop isnt drafty at all but there are vents that can be adjusted. So far no problems for over 2 years.

 

[Raulerson]

Hi LadyCluck77--This is the 2nd year for my "regular" Seramas, but this will be the first year for the "silkied" one. I am more concerned as she is much smaller and I can see her skin in some places. If I start seeing some distress, she will become a house chicken for a few months. And I think I am going to add to the coop's insulation this Fall. Good luck with your birds this winter as well, and to all who have to weather the cold! "Jackie" Raulerson

 

[AishaCameron]

I live in Northeastern Vermont about an hour from the Canadian border. It gets COLD here too. I've been raising a small flock of chickens for only 2 and a half years so I am certainly no expert but I did my research and made sure I got hens that were suitable for cold winters and hot summers. My first winter I did try using a low-wattage heat lamp in my small coop with 10 hens in it. I also added an LED light on a timer. The hens didn't mind the LED light at all BUT they HATED the heat lamp! Twice they pecked it till it came apart and stopped working so finally I did more research and found that heating a coop is NOT recommended at all! Those hens knew what they were doing! I did not heat the coop last winter and will not again this winter. I'll just be sure to have enough hay in there and will remember to close the vents on really cold days! Good luck with your flock! And hopefully you have chosen breeds suited to cold weather. It makes all the difference!