Winter management poll

[pontoosuc]

Insulated coop: yes/no
NO

Approximate coop size:
5x 16

Litter method:
pine shavings, rearranged every day, added to every day, scooped out weekly

#of chickens in coop:
16

Location (state and/or city):
MA

How many winters have you been through with your chickens?:
FIRST

 

[woodmort]

heat--no--other than under waterer

insulation-- have two rooms one has the wall and ceiling insulated, the other has none and won't add more(When I built the coop 25 years ago I had some leftover house insulation and used what I had, no reason otherwise.)

coop:12 X 12 X 8 feet high

location: western Catskills NY--USDA zone 4/5--possible low temperature -20 F

litter: deep pine shavings

chicken numbers: right now 43 but have overwintered as few as 18

No. of years: 24 winters, this will be the 25th

I also add additional timed light up to 15 hrs total

ETA: Never had frostbite nor cold related loss--just a few frozen eggs.

 

[welsummer4]

Wow! Keep 'em coming!

 

[Carrie Lynn]

welsummer4,
Do you think it would be helpful to ask about winter losses or frostbite?
I'd like to know how chickens faired if no heat was used.
Great idea for a thread!

 

[cfdf]

Quote:
this will be my first winter

 

[chicken_crazy93]

Heat=No; Insulated Coop=No; Ventilation=2ftX10ft; Coop size=6'6"Wide by 8' Long by 8' High; Litter=None; # of Chickens=19; Location=Mascot,TN.; How many winters=This will be the first.
Quote:

 

[True Grit]

Quote:
None yet

 

[Mrs. K]

heat - no
insulation - no
coop - 5 x 6 x 5
hens 5-12
non heated water - carry it down each morning, knock out the ice, the hens eat the ice chips

third year western SD - dry humidity, but generally reach -20 to 25 below 0 for a week or two, sometimes longer. Have wide swings in daily temperature.


* I did get a few black speckles on the combs last year, but they disappear, so must have healed up. Had decent egg production all year, but did have a small problem with eggs freezing if not gathered quick enough, just thawed them out in a cup. Also, I have round shovel handle size roosts and no problems with toes.

mk

 

[welsummer4]

Quote:
Good Idea--added similar question to poll.

 

[Imp]

Quote:
Never a problem