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

[Bogtown Chick]

Oh and just if someone is considering a covered run for winter. Go big! Lol seriously. This one is 10x12. 10 square feet per bird is recommended for runs. We have 11 birds currently, We'll be going down to 9 this fall. Trust me when I say that the extra space is nice for the birds and you.

 

[Henna56]

excellent idea with the clear shower curtains! i was using clear plastic that comes in rolls--not very strong.. thanks!

 

[Blooie]

Well, since we're supposed get below freezing tonight and tomorrow I opted to seal off the rollout nest boxes. Lifted the outside lid, wedged blue foam insulation into the gap where the eggs roll to the outside, and then packed the entire external box with more blue foam. The coop isn't insulated but since the girls sit for sometime in the inside portion of the nests and the opening in the coop between the inner side of the nests and the outside is almost 3 inches, a little protection there would probably not be amiss. I also don't get out there every 15 minutes to check for eggs, contrary to common belief, and I didn't want the eggs that rolled out to freeze waiting to be gathered. That's all I can do - the rest is up to the girls and their inborn sense of survival and down jackets.

 

[LadyCluck77]

Here in Prince George (middle of BC Canada) we had our first frost last night, and since it's my first winter with chooks I'm wondering about insulation heating etc.
I've got a 6x10 metal single sheet coop, and I'm planning to stack hay bales around up to about 5' high so the ventilation still works!
Not sure about the roof, it should be sturdy enough for snow to stay on and insulate it but it is metal so do I insulate before the snow comes? Not planning on additional light, so if they moult, stop laying then so be it. Anyone else local? We got down to -34 last winter, and it stays under ten below for months over winter.
I have three orpingtons and three marans, all ladies (I think, orpies are too young to call yet!)

I use a metal shed to store my feed and bedding supplies. I did shovel /brush it off every storm, it has an a peak, so some slides off, but there was one whopper that dumped two feet of heavy wet snow while I was at work. I came home to it buckling slightly, but it could have been much worse. The roof of that shed did bend in some from the weight, and when spring thaw came, it leaked a little. We were mostly able to repair it by dinging out the dent and used silicone caulking to repair the tear.

Hay sounds like a good idea, from my experience, the metal seemed to conduct the cold more than wood structures did last winter. I still have, and still use my metal shed, but it's only to store those supplies. I think hay would make a good insulative. I've seen people build sod houses from mud and hay that are amazingly efficient in winter. Are you going to brace the hay bales with garden stakes?

 

[hennible]

Here in Prince George (middle of BC Canada) we had our first frost last night, and since it's my first winter with chooks I'm wondering about insulation heating etc.
I've got a 6x10 metal single sheet coop, and I'm planning to stack hay bales around up to about 5' high so the ventilation still works!
Not sure about the roof, it should be sturdy enough for snow to stay on and insulate it but it is metal so do I insulate before the snow comes? Not planning on additional light, so if they moult, stop laying then so be it. Anyone else local? We got down to -34 last winter, and it stays under ten below for months over winter.
I have three orpingtons and three marans, all ladies (I think, orpies are too young to call yet!)

I'm in Burns Lake, 3rd winter with my flock. What you want to do sounds great. Think the birds will be fine. I had a black sex-a-link last January that would not go back to the coop for about a week she was fine no frostbite nothing, I could not catch her or I would've put her back in the coop. Anyway that should illustrate how tough these birds are. The biggest problem I have is the freezing water. I would like to try a heated waterer.
I do use a heat lamp, and bank the snow up around my coop ( it's poorly insulated ) the heat lamp always melts the snow off my metal roof, it might be better without the lamp as the snow would stay better and insulate. So if you use a heat lamp insulate the roof. That's my experience/opinion. Also there is another local on here called kimschicks she's in PG maybe ask her, you could see what she thinks.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/144/canadians-check-in-here/2850#post_14070311
you can find her and other BCers on this thread.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I agree with bunking it with hay too. It will be cozy in there. I would try to insulate the roof. First winter I was a bit behind and was putting roof insulation up at 15 degrees. I could feel the difference in the coop almost immediately. Like you say ventilation can happen in the upper wall area that won't have the bales. Sounds like you have a good plan in motion.

 

[aart]

I'd advise to keep the snow load off the roof of the metal shed.....I had one collapse this last winter(not a chicken coop).
We had a total of 160" of snow, was very cold all winter so snow was dry.....until the last foot of snow we got that was very wet.....luckily I got the snow off the second metal shed while it was only bowed but not bent. That last one stuck to the 2x4 mesh run roof too and darn near collapsed it.

 

[traceyj]

The roof is braced but I'm thinking I might shove a 4"x4" pole in the middle. Insulated the roof with 1" expanded polystyrene with silver foil coating, the hay bales are getting delivered by the weekend hopefully. Thanks all for your replies.

 

[cbmb06]

Will be following. I'm in CT near the ocean, it gets pretty cold here in the winter with a decent amount of snow and wind. This is my first winter with chickens. To say I'm freaking out a bit would be an understatement.

 

[Alaskan]

Will be following. I'm in CT near the ocean, it gets pretty cold here in the winter with a decent amount of snow and wind. This is my first winter with chickens. To say I'm freaking out a bit would be an understatement.

Just keep telling yourself...they are FINE in the cold!

You need wide perches, close to 4 inches wide.

You need LOTS of ventilation! (Do not panic at the cold and lock them up tight)

Keep the water away from where they roost to keep your humidity down. I like it outside in a sheltered spot, if possible.



They truly are great in cold!