Winter management poll

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom :

Heat: yes/no sometimes, for some birds, related to showing the best combs

If yes on heat, what method do you use (lamp, flat panel, etc.)?: have used heat lamps and low-heat pet bed warmers

Insulated coop: yes/no this year yes, last year no

Amount of ventilation (approximate sq.ft.)you employ during the winter: last year-way too much
this year 16 sq ft for 16X 20 ft coop with 40-50 birds. also has a 3in fan running 30 min of every hour. Plan to reduce the ventilation area as seems appropriate from monitoring.
Trying to keep the coop just above freezing without having to add heat if we can help it.

Coop size: 16X 20 ft coop

Litter method: 3in pine shavings will build up to 6in by winter's end

#of chickens in coop: 40-50 (I really haven't counted recently)

Location (city and/or state and/or zone): Trempealeau County WI zone 4

How many winters have you been through with your chickens?: 1 at this location, but many more as a child on a farm.

(Optional) briefly describe how your flock has fared using these methods: last year some comb and wattle damage on roosters. Trying to avoid that this year.​

 

[welsummer4]

Just bringing this back to the top

 

[welsummer4]

Still shootin' for more responses, especially as the mercury drops.

 

[pwand]

Heat: yes and no

If yes on heat, what method do you use (lamp, flat panel, etc.)?: I tried the heat lamp. I also have a heated dog dish for their water. Works great.

Insulated coop: no

Amount of ventilation (approximate sq.ft.)you employ during the winter: about 2 square ft.

Coop size:6ft by 8ft

Litter method:Straw

#of chickens in coop: 10 chickens

Location (city and/or state and/or zone): Courtenay on Vancouver Island Zone 7b

How many winters have you been through with your chickens?: 7 winters

(Optional) briefly describe how your flock has fared using these methods: I have tried the heat lamp and I find it screws them up laying eggs. We don't stay cold for very long here. Maybe a week or two at a time. So this time I have decided not to use a heat source. Reading this forum on this topic has helped me accept that my chickens will more than likely be ok and get through this.

 

[welsummer4]

Have a lead on some graphing software to pour all of this data in to. Should have some results by this weekend. But in the meantime, anyone else want to reply?...

 

[Where The Wild Things Are]

Heat: yes...as needed

If yes on heat, what method do you use...lamp

Insulated coop: yes (roof, floor, doors, walls and window)

Amount of ventilation: 3 sq ft (4 sq ft if pop door is open)

Coop size: 4'X6'X5'

Litter method: 4" Cedar shavings/dry maple leaves

#of chickens in coop: 5 (plus 2 ducks on the coldest of nights)

Location (city and/or state and/or zone):Herriman, Utah

How many winters have you been through with your chickens?:This is my first

(Optional) briefly describe how your flock has fared using these methods: Last night temps dropped to 5 degrees with a high today of 18 degrees (-1 forecast for tonight). The water froze in their galvanized hanging waterer last night, so I decided to impliment heat via a 100 watt soft white bulb during the day today. That raised the temp to a much more comfortable level (still waiting for my wireless thermometer to ship). To prevent blinding the poor girls all night I replaced the soft white bulb with a 60 watt black light tonight (hopefully I don't end up with tyedyed eggs tomorrow

) But adding the heat has come with a price...condensation! I only plan on using the heat in the coldest of temps, so hopefully this will not be a continual problem. I would much prefer frozen water to frostbite, so if it does persist I will stop heating. I will either need to leave the pop door open (it has been closed since we have over a foot of snow on the ground right now) or consider more ventilation before next winter. (or wiring for a heated waterer). I am finding this first year to be quite a "live and learn" experience thru trial and error...ugh. But rewarding and worth each and every gray hair

 

[JosieChick]

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They are doing just fine so far but we haven't had any real bad weather yet! It was freezing rain the other day and they were all outside running around so it must not be too bad!

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Heat: no

If yes on heat, what method do you use (lamp, flat panel, etc.)?: N/A

Insulated coop: no

Amount of ventilation (approximate sq.ft.)you employ during the winter: I leave the big door open all day, windows are shut..Both are closed at night

Coop size: 7x10

Litter method: deep litter method using pine shavings

#of chickens in coop: 11

Location (city and/or state and/or zone): central NC zone 7

How many winters have you been through with your chickens?: this will be my second

(Optional) briefly describe how your flock has fared using these methods: last yr was my first yr w/ chickens and our coldest in decades--All were well and no frostbite

 

[kendra1178]

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[Mrs MIA]

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