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

[cluckermomofsix]

Hi all. Thanks for all the great advice!! I will be biting the bullet this year and not provide heat to my girls. I have in the past on really bitter cold nights but will not any more after watching my neighbors coop burn to the ground just a few weeks ago. They had a heat lamp in their coop which caught the coop on fire. All eight hens perished in the fire. It was horrible!! I would rather deal with frost bite than the horror of something like that.

So, I have reinsulated the coop, checked for good ventilation and will be adding tarps to the north facing side of their run. The hanging water containers in their run are heated at the base and work pretty well most of the winter. I provide them fresh water in their coop when it freezes.

After all, God made these creatures to survive in cold temperatures. I constantly see wild turkeys at 10,000+ feet in elevation when hunting. It is bitter cold in the Rocky Mountains and they do just fine. And, so will my girls, especially since they have a coop to protect them from the wind and snow.

 

[chiknlil82]

My husband and I have had chickens for quite a few years now and if it were up to me, I would bring all 29 inside with me LOL We actually put up plexi (spelled wrong) glass to block the wind and we also put a heat bulb in their house. They don't seem to like the heat bulb and dont stay behind the plexi. They would rather be out in the cold running around. Whatever they do is fine with me, just as long as they are comfortable and know that they have a warm place to go when they want to. We also put hay down where they nest at at night time. Everyone does things differently though. I am just very attached to all of my animals and want to make sure they have a place to get out of the cold. Also with their water, if it gets to the point where it freezes, we bust it or we put water over top of it to melt it down. Have to make sure they stay plenty hydrated. Hope this helps you.

 

[mrchicks]

We're adding a cover to the run, but not adding heat. Last month we had a brooder lamp fall from where we thought it was securely clamped. Luckily hubby noticed the smoke before the smoldering turned into flames. No birds were injured, but we were all quite frightened! My girls are molting now (20 degree nights) and will be fine all winter. We do have insulation in the coop and a heated water base. Our only concern over the winter is fetching eggs before they freeze, and giving them things to keep them busy without bugs to chase. We're in WI, it gets really cold here, and we have never lost a bird to the cold. They still run around outside, in the snow.

 

[cluckermomofsix]

Hubby gets a

for that catch!!!!

 

[mrchicks]

Hubby gets a

for that catch!!!!

He's now my hero!

 

[bluecoop]

Living in Teton Valley Idaho, things get pretty nippy. Thought I'd give the girls a heat lamp, set on a timer, maybe get some more egg production. They hated it, as soon as it went on they'd leave the roost and go play elsewhere.
I may have chosen a bulb with too much heat but they seem contented just being dry and out of the wind

 

[mrchicks]

I think they get too warm with the lamp. They are all set in winter coats, then we add more heat. When I'm out doing chores and my hands are cold, I tuck them under nice hot wings.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Yeah I don't think you need a heat lamp unless it's well below zero...It's not worth the fire risk. I saw my chickens bask under my heat lamp once on a -30 F day. Otherwise -10, -15 F--(basically I offered it at -10 and lower). They were content to not use the lamp at all and were waiting by the pop door. If you decide to use the heat lamps secure it at at least 2 or 3 points. Keep it away from where any fluttering wings will knock it down or pull a cord. Put wire fencing around the bulb--because I guess they are notorious for the sockets slipping out of the fixture. I would always double check that my lamp was screwed in tightly --bulb and socket into the lamp itself. ugh...those things make me nervous.

 

[megg0602]

This is my first year raising chickens, so this is my first winter as well!
I have a couple questions...
My coop is roughly 7 ft long with openings along the side walls where the roof meets them. I covered the entire opening along one side with towels. It's the side that would probably get more wind because the other has the run right next to it.

Is this too closed up? Should I take the towels out and leave both openings open?

I was worried about heat loss as I am not using anything to heat the coop. Just deep littering it and covering the run with plastic.
I've already began deep littering using pine shavings and adding hay layers as well.

How deep should the litter be during the winter?

I've been reading and reading about preparing! I think I've got most planned/figured out, but still had these simple questions!

And just FYI, I have cold hardy birds and live in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts.

Thanks!!

 

[MEMama3]

This is my first year raising chickens, so this is my first winter as well!
I have a couple questions...
My coop is roughly 7 ft long with openings along the side walls where the roof meets them. I covered the entire opening along one side with towels. It's the side that would probably get more wind because the other has the run right next to it.

Is this too closed up? Should I take the towels out and leave both openings open?

I was worried about heat loss as I am not using anything to heat the coop. Just deep littering it and covering the run with plastic.
I've already began deep littering using pine shavings and adding hay layers as well.

How deep should the litter be during the winter?

I've been reading and reading about preparing! I think I've got most planned/figured out, but still had these simple questions!

And just FYI, I have cold hardy birds and live in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts.

Thanks!!

I made a wind block for my eaves. I attached a 1"x3" board to the rafters. It allows air to exchange but does not allow wind to blow in.