Winter management poll

[Mahonri]

Quote:

 

[mkearsley]

Heat: No

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

Insulated coop: No... but I may insulate it for next winter, depending on how they do.

Amount of ventilation (approximate sq.ft.)you employ during the winter: I have about 6"x4" vent on the top back, the door to the caged coop is about 1'x1', and the 5' tall door is usually cracked about 6"-12" to allow the birds access to the yard.

Coop size: about 5' tall, about 5' wide, about 10' long, with 4' being completely enclosed & 6' being wired around the edges. A tarp is covering the whole thing.

Litter method: 1/4 bale of straw fluffed in both caged & enclosed. I let the birds stomp it down. The layer is about 3-4" deep in the enclosed, and runs between 0 & 2" deep in the caged

#of chickens in coop: 3 (one is currently in the house recovering from being mauled by the neighbor's dog, so hopefully she'll rejoin before winter is over)

Location (city and/or state and/or zone): Mountain Home, Idaho (south-west Idaho)

How many winters have you been through with your chickens?: This will be my first ever.

(Optional) briefly describe how your flock has fared using these methods:

The three birds are still alive

They haven't set foot outside in the snow. I've been feeding them some extra treats - canned dog food & corn, & BOSS, along with their 20% protein layer crumbles. My one bird who was producing eggs stopped back in September.

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

Quote:
No heat

Coop not insulated

4 to 5 square feet but I can decrease this if I necessary

5 to 6 inches of pine shavings

Mountains of NC

First

 

[duckking]

Heat: yes

If yes on heat, what method do you use (lamp, flat panel, etc.)?: 250w infrared lamp

Insulated coop: no

Amount of ventilation (approximate sq.ft.)you employ during the winter: 2 'windows' 2'x 1' (hardware cloth) and top ventilation hardware cloth across most of the top front of coop (6"x5'). We have leaned some plywood against the lower windows on the side to prevent drafts.

Coop size: 8'Wx6'Dx5'H at highest spot

Litter method: Deep bedding

#of chickens in coop: 4 at the moment

Location (city and/or state and/or zone): West foothills of the Cascades, 700', in river valley, WA

How many winters have you been through with your chickens?: First - so far so good and it's been 1F at night......weird for here

(Optional) briefly describe how your flock has fared using these methods: Got through the coldest it's been in 50 years, plus 6.5" of snow. They are just over 3 months and seem very happy and healthy

 

[michickenwrangler]

Heat: No, coop doesn't have electric and if we do get power outages in the winter, it takes 3 days to get back online. On an extremely cold sub zero night I will fill up a jug with hot water and put it in the coop.

Insulated coop: No, but we use thick plywood and we live in a valley protected from the wind

Amount of ventilation (approximate sq.ft.)you employ during the winter: Not sure exactly, but both coops do have windows.

Coop size: 4 x6 and 4 x 4

Litter method: Crushed corn cob bedding topped off with pine needles, straw and/or shavings

#of chickens in coop: 8 and 6

Location (city and/or state and/or zone): Northeastern Michigan, Zone 4 (though the larger area is Zone 5, in our valley the cold air settles and it has been as low as -30 here)

How many winters have you been through with your chickens?: 2

(Optional) briefly describe how your flock has fared using these methods: Great! They stay fluffy and sassy all through winter. The only issues I've had have been frostbite on the tips of combs on an extremely cold night where I forgot to shut the coop door and our roo got a bit of frostbite on his wattles when he got a drink, wattles got wet.

 

[Noncentzter]

Heat: No

Insulated coop: No

Amount of ventilation (approximate sq.ft.)you employ during the YEAR: approx. 20 sq ft on the West side and 20 sq ft on the East side. I have a pitched roof and the eaves are not boarded up. I have hardware cloth covering the eaves.

Coop size: 10 X 12

Litter method: 4" of sand

#of chickens in coop: 27

Location (city and/or state and/or zone): Coos Bay, OR

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

 

[Ricks Chicks]

Heat - no
insulated coop-no
litter method- Hay
# of chickens-13
Location- Leicester Massachusetts
3 winters

 

[zooarch]

Heat: yes/no NO

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

Insulated coop: yes/no No

Amount of ventilation (approximate sq.ft.)you employ during the winter: Not quite sure of sq. ft....maybe 1 sq. ft.
Coop size: 3'x 5' raised coop with attached run.

Litter method: DLM that is fluffed weekly

#of chickens in coop: 4 bantams (2 cochins, 2 barred rocks)

Location (city and/or state and/or zone): Central Missouri

How many winters have you been through with your chickens?: My first....

(Optional) briefly describe how your flock has fared using these methods:
So far, so good. I've previously kept chickens, but always in the country in a large coop with heating.
There has been frozen water, and my wireless temp gauge shows it only being a few degrees above what outside temp is, but the hens look ready to go in the morning. They spend all day outside in the run or backyard.

 

[elieugene6]

Quote:
So far so good. Winters just starting here. Last year conditions were worse (no insulation, drafts and door open 24/7) and everyone fared fine.

 

[humbtrfly]

Heat - NO
Insulated coop - No
amount of ventilation - one entire side of coop is open and there is a small 20" by 4" opening on the opposite side - their roosting and nesting box area has a door i close at night when it is below freezing
Litter method - wood shavings in the roosting/nesting area and sand in the outer area
# of chickens - four - two buff brahmas and two barred rocks
i am in Prescott Arizona about 5500 ft elevation - we have been down to 17 so far this winter but it has gotten down to single digits in previous winters
this is my first winter with chickens

so far so good. they don't seem to mind the wind or the cold. although they are quite protected from the wind.