Winter Prep?

[NancyNurseCxMama]

This will be my first winter with chickens and I was wondering if there was anything special I should be doing to prepare my coop for winter.
I have six girls and I will be doing a thorough cleanout, wiping down the interior with white vinegar and replacing all bedding (I use pine shavings and some PDZ right now). The interior is painted and I have a loose-laid piece of vinyl flooring in place.
Is it advisable to do a preventive dusting or spraying with permethrin to control any mites that could be present? I haven't seen any in the coop or on my birds but who knows. I was figuring that it would be easier to do while I had everything out of the coop than try to deal with it later.
Do any of you use herbs in your coops? I have lavender, mint, oregano, rosemary, thyme, dill, and parsley, and marigolds growing now that I plan on drying and have seen articles on using them in coops for various health and pest control benefits. Anyone here do that?
Thanks for any input!

 

[SIMZ]

It sounds like you have a good plan. There's really no need to treat for mites if you don't have them. Although, I'd suggest checking them every week or so in the winter (around the vents) to catch mites right away. It can get out of control quickly. IF you do find mites I'd suggest using permethrin dust to take care of the problem right away instead of messing around with DE and other "natural" things. I've learned this from personal experience.

I'm not sure where you are, but here we have lots of wind and snow that keep the chickens cooped up a lot. We've started wrapping their outdoor run area in construction plastic for the winter to block the wind so they come out more. It works great and relieves the stress of being cooped all all winter.

Also check for proper ventilation and repair any areas that might leak. Cold & wet is a disaster for chickens in the winter.

My personal opinion is that the herbs are a nice idea, but do nothing. Lots of people will strongly disagree with me, so do what you feel is best! There is certainly no harm in it and it can make for a pretty coop.

 

[sourland]

Sounds like a plan to me. Keep the coop dry and well ventilated and your birds should do fine.

 

[aart]

Got your water heater figured out?
Snow management planned and equiped?

 

[Feather Fanatic 2000]

Ice, Wind, snow, and ridiculously cold temperatures are the biggest problems with winter. Make sure that

• Your coop is insulated enough to keep the birds warm and you have plenty of fluffy bedding for them to snuggle in if they need
• Your coop is draft-free (but still has ventilation) to keep icy winds outside where they belong. That and wet are the main proponents of Frostbite
• You will have a way to get into your coop if large levels of snow accumulate and there is enough room for your hens inside the coop if they can't be let out. (I don't know where you live, but in the Catskills of NY, we can get feet at a time)
• You have a way to keep your bird's water from getting iced over, because dehydration is just as much a winter problem as a summer one.

As long as you can check these off, most breeds shouldn't even need a heat lamp in all but the most extreme weather (I'm talking negatives) or if they are of a breed that has poor cold tolerance. If you are not sure how well your birds can tolerate the winter, a quick internet search will easily provide this information.

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

Got your water heater figured out?
Snow management planned and equiped?

No, not really. No electricity so I am thinking heat packs or possibly the tire/rock thing. To start I will probably go out there a few times a day and switch out waterers as needed. We are retired so it wouldn't be a terrible thing to make us get our butts off the couch and walk to the coop.

Ice, Wind, snow, and ridiculously cold temperatures are the biggest problems with winter. Make sure that

• Your coop is insulated enough to keep the birds warm and you have plenty of fluffy bedding for them to snuggle in if they need
• Your coop is draft-free (but still has ventilation) to keep icy winds outside where they belong. That and wet are the main proponents of Frostbite
• You will have a way to get into your coop if large levels of snow accumulate and there is enough room for your hens inside the coop if they can't be let out. (I don't know where you live, but in the Catskills of NY, we can get feet at a time)
• You have a way to keep your bird's water from getting iced over, because dehydration is just as much a winter problem as a summer one.

As long as you can check these off, most breeds shouldn't even need a heat lamp in all but the most extreme weather (I'm talking negatives) or if they are of a breed that has poor cold tolerance. If you are not sure how well your birds can tolerate the winter, a quick internet search will easily provide this information.

• Coop roof is insulated, lots of pine shavings on floor and nest boxes.
• Coop seems pretty draft free but I am thinking of putting a baffle device on the back vent because it is right behind their favorite roosting bar. Right now it has a door that drops down but nothing preventing the winds from hitting them directly. Very dry---I've never seen any wetness whatsoever in that coop.
• Snow blower and snow shovels and a plow attachment for the lawn tractor if need be. The coop size allows for about 4.5 feet for each bird if they have to stay in there---I wish it was bigger (oh haven't we heard THAT before) but it is what it is. Half of the 200 square foot run will have a roof on it so I am thinking they will still be outside during all but active storms.
• My girls are BO's, SLW's, and GLW's. Chosen for their cold hardiness. We occasionally get sub-zero temps but not all that often. Hoping I chose well!
  

 

[Feather Fanatic 2000]

Perfect. You sound very well prepared, and every single one of your breeds are renowned for their cold-hardiness! You should be fine!

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

Perfect. You sound very well prepared, and every single one of your breeds are renowned for their cold-hardiness! You should be fine!

Thanks, but I am not counting my chickens before they hatch.
So much of this is trial and error for me. Trying to do my best here.
Oh, another question---do you put anything on their combs and wattles when the whether gets really cold? I have seen where people slather Vaseline on combs, wattles, and sometimes even feet.
Anyone?
And food---read about giving scratch or corn before they go in for the night, warm mash in the morning.
As always, over thinking every damn thing.

TIA for your tolerance.

 

[Feather Fanatic 2000]

Most hens aren't as prone to getting frostbite on their combs as males, but it can still be a problem in extremely cold, wet, or drafty conditions. Your wyandottes, with their small, thick combs should be fine, but if you are really worried, you can slather some petroleum jelly on your BO's with larger combs. As for feet, most chickens should be fine, they have nice fluffy feathers to keep their toes warm when they perch. Some people give corn for extra energy in the winter, but again, it's not strictly required. Chickens have been bred to survive winters, and I'm sure that we give them much better accommodations than they used to centuries ago. The problem with scratch is that too much can make them fat, which is why you should really only provide it in small amounts or when absolutely necessary. If you feel like you want to give them warmed mash, that is fine, but is more work than I would ever put into keeping chickens warm. But hey, if it makes you feel better, do it!

Overall, I think you will be completely fine and are definitely overthinking things. Don't worry, enjoy your chickens, and stay warm this winter!

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

LOL---thank you!