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

[Brennigan]

We randomly lost a chicken right before the winter and want to wait until spring to add to our flock. Problem is we only have TWO HENS now. Will they provide enough warmth when they snuggle together?

No heating lamps here, and our coop is quite tall (for ventilation), but smaller as far as square feet. I have a thermometer in the coop that's reading 31*, but that's the same as what the WeatherChannel says that its outside! We even added insulation to the walls, so I'm just hoping there is some difference from outside...

- first time chicken owner, so new mama problems.

 

[centrarchid]

[COLOR=333333]We randomly lost a chicken right before the winter and want to wait until spring to add to our flock. Problem is we only have TWO HENS now. Will they provide enough warmth when they snuggle together? [/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]No heating lamps here, and our coop is quite tall (for ventilation), but smaller as far as square feet. I have a thermometer in the coop that's reading 31*, but that's the same as what the WeatherChannel says that its outside! We even added insulation to the walls, so I'm just hoping there is some difference from outside...[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]- first time chicken owner, so new mama problems.  [/COLOR]

Keeping the birds dry, out of direct wind but with good ventilation, on roost that does pull too much heat from feet, in good health, and in good nutrition should suffice. Egg production may suffer during periods of extreme cold and feed intake can be expected to increase more than with birds under thermally neutral conditions. Diversify their diet with greens and maybe even some whole seeds.

 

[Henna56]

I only have two hens too with no extra heat--dry, insulated, well ventilated and wind proof coop. I am putting extra insulation of straw right above their favourite roosting place, which is quite high up. I will post pictures when I have some--I think this should work well. edited to add that I live in Quebec Canada and this is my first winter with hens...but I know lots of people who do not use extra heat for their hens--I should add I do have a heated water bowl for them.

 

[Brennigan]

yes, @Henna56 -- we also have a heated water bowl..sorta.

DH made a cookie-tin heater for our waterer! Works great for only $11!

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/11/make-cookie-tin-waterer-heater-under-10.html

 

[JackE]

yes, @Henna56 -- we also have a heated water bowl..sorta.

DH made a cookie-tin heater for our waterer! Works great for only $11!

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/11/make-cookie-tin-waterer-heater-under-10.html

I built one of those. This will be it's 5th winter. See it in action in the left side of the pic below. Built mine for less than $5. Inflation, huh?

 

[morrison7368]

So here is our setup. We had some cor.plastic lined on the top and the wind blew it off we are planning to make a proper roof this weekend to protect from rain and snow. I would like to make a smaller door on the side like in the second picture instead of having the gaint swing door that we are currently using. I would like to line the outside with clear tarp to protect from the wind but dh doesnt want to. He thinks the wind will tear it apart too easily. And we do get some strong winds sometimes but not always strong... but at least some constant cold wind. Im seeing from everyone on the forum that most chickens dont like to walk in the snow so ours will probably be locked up in the run... so I guess I am asking am I right or is dh right "enough" in thinking wind protection isnt needed in the run?

 

[Blooie]

So here is our setup. We had some cor.plastic lined on the top and the wind blew it off

we are planning yo make a proper roof this weekend. I would like to make a smaller door on the side like in the second picture instead of having the gaint swind door that we are currently using. I would like to line the outside with clear tarp to protect from the wind but dh doesnt want to. Im seeing from everyone on the forum that most chickens dont like to walk in the snow so ours will probably be locked up in the run... so I guess I am asking am I right or is dh right "enough" in thinking wind protection isnt needed in the run?

I can't tell you what to do, of course. But we did cover our run, and we're glad we did after this unexpected cold snap! We've been 12 below zero for a couple of nights, but our run is covered and our coop is well ventilated to allow moisture and ammonia to escape. But there are no direct drafts on the chickens, in either the run or in the coop.

The advantage I see to covering the run is your concern about wind. The analogy I always use is this: Everyone loves a down coat in the winter time. It traps heat within the air spaces of the down, and those air spaces hold your heat in close to your body underneath the coat. But what happens if you're walking to your car in a winter snowstorm, the winds are howling, and the zipper breaks in your down coat? Instant icicle! Every bit of that warm air that was trapped by the down to hold in your body heat is gone! It's the same with chickens. They have their down and feathers and those do an excellent job of insulating the against the elements. But add cold wind to the equation and it's a totally different story. The wind ruffles the feathers, allowing all of the naturally stored heat out and chilling the birds, sometimes even beyond their tolerances.

 

[morrison7368]

We've been 12 below zero for a couple of nights

I live in the puget sound. We get cold but nothing below 0. Thank you for the advice though. I would really feel better about using tarp but trying to convince him is proving difficult. I'll probably just get the supplies and rummage through his tools and do it myself lol

 

[Blooie]

I live in the puget sound. We get cold but nothing below 0. Thank you for the advice though. I would really feel better about using tarp but trying to convince him is proving difficult. I'll probably just get the supplies and rummage through his tools and do it myself lol

I used to live in Bremerton - I remember those winds howling off the mountains one minute and the Sound the next! But boy, was it beautiful! One of the few duty stations I truly hated to leave.

 

[Alaskan]

We've been 12 below zero for a couple of nights

I live in the puget sound. We get cold but nothing below 0. Thank you for the advice though. I would really feel better about using tarp but trying to convince him is proving difficult. I'll probably just get the supplies and rummage through his tools and do it myself lol

You are both right. The wind rips stuff up something awful, but blocking the wind would make the chickens much happier.

To keep stuff from tearing, reduce any flapping as much as possible.