Winter Time in CT

[WitksChicks]

Ok, I know it's only August, but winter will be here before we know it. This will be my first winter with chickens, and I have a few (well maybe more than a few) questions.

1) My 8'x 16' run is only covered with welded wire, will that be enough?

2) Will the girls go out in the snow? Or do I have to shovel the run?

3) Are there any precautions I need take for their feet? Icey run?

4) Do I have to put vasoline on their combs and waddles? What's the best way to accomplish this task?

5) Will they be warm enough in the coop? (It's 4' x 6' and has electricity)

Any advise would be greatly appreciated, so I can start preparing.

 

[Mahlzeit]

Hi there. I'm on Long Island not to different climate wise.

I'm not sure exactly what your asking for in your first question. Will the welded wire be enough for what?

They will go out in the run but they will jump in the snow and freeze like what is this stuff all around me. If there is a lot of snow i like to atleast get most of it pushed aside. They don't like it when it's too deep.

I haven't had any issues with my chickens feet. When they roost they have them tucked in their feathers and the snow and cold doesn't seem to bother them during the day.

I haven't had to vaseline combs or wattles for a while. I keep and eye on them and if they start to turn any color other than red I do. They have been fine for me though. When it gets really really cold I do turn a heatlamp on inside for them. That helps.

For the most part it should be warm enough inside for them. They huddle up together and keep warm. If their comes start getting frostbite I might put a heatlamp inside the coop for the nights. Hope this helps.

 

[WitksChicks]

Mahlzeit

Thank you for the info.

In question 1 I was asking if all I have is welded wire for the top of the run, do I need anything more than than, i.e. a roof or tarp over the top. it's a flat top run meaning it doesn't have a pitch to it, so whatever I put up will be flat and will hold snow.

Any thoughts!!

 

[YankeeRider]

What size mesh is your welded wire? Mine is 2x4 and I expect most of our snow will fall right through (This will be my first winter too.) A tarp will prevent the snow from falling through, meaning your run structure and wire will need to be able to carry 35 lbs per square foot.

I plan to just put a small roof inside the run by the pop door to give the ladies a small almost-snow free area. I positioned the pop door on the south side so that the shelter of the coop combined with the sun will give them some outside area.

Jerry

 

[chickensRheaven]

Last year was my first winter...and did I stress! I'm in Maine and we get a lot of snow and a lot of cold...I have a 6x6 coop and the only changes I made in winter is plug in the heated bowl (after a lot of banging of ice). Lights...err ...cost us more than I wanted to spend to run them and only used them on the super cold days. Otherwise, I also have it very lightly insulated with foam insulated behind the paneling. As long as there is no drafts in my new coop I am skipping the insulation this time around. I used no vaseline and my roo only lost a tip or two on his comb....
I also let them out everyday...doesn't mean they went out everyday...but they had the choice! Good luck and don't stress! I figure they are adapted ...

 

[Mahlzeit]

The snow should fall right through. I actually use netting for the top of my run. I'm surprised how longs its lasted. I've had it up for about 4 or 5 years now. Most of the snow falls through but when it's wet snow it sticks to the netting and weighs it down. As soon as I knock the snow off though the netting goes back to how it was not stretched out at all. Very impressive.

 

[tellynpeep]

I'm in NH, and last winter was my first with the chickens. I worried because I have no heat or electricity up at the coop. The girls spent most of every day outside, and my biggest problem was keeping water out since it kept freezing. They don't like the deep snow, so I shoveled paths for them.
A little frost-bite on a couple of them, but they really are much hardier than I thought!

 

[Monk]

1. Probably not, tarp would help some. Probably would have to scrap the snow off of it frequently, better than shoveling out the run. Best answer would be a permenent roof, well pitched.

2. My chickens have never shied away from the snow, but I have heard some do??? Shoveling seems like a major pain, best answer would be a permenent roof, well pitched.

3. I haven't taken any precautions, I did turn my roost made from a 2 x 4 to the flat side as recommended on here. Chickens can lay on feet better to keep them warm, at least makes sense to me.

4. Never had or had problems with frostbite.

5. My new coop is 4 x 6, the older one was much larger with no problems. Both are/were well insulated, well ventilated and pretty much draft-free though. I have electicity also and have a 100w bulb on a timer to come on early in the morning to extend daylight time in the winter. It probably does provide minimal warm along with the waterer heater???


Hope this helps? It is just what works for me and I too is always looking for more information and a better way to get it done.

 

[patandchickens]

A tarp or roof will keep more snow out. However they will also tend to make your run collapse, and should not be used unless you have VERY STRONGLY ENGINEERED SUPPORTING STRUCTURE for your wire mesh roof.

Actually you should have a *reasonably* strong system of rafters or whatever to support your mesh roof ANYHOW, because you will be shocked how much wet snow it catches. Browse threads from last Nov/Dec/Jan along the lines of My Run Collapsed In The Snow. You'll see what I mean. Wet snow is HEAVY, and it WILL TOO stack up on a mesh or netting run top. So you need to provide for supporting teh weight.

They may well go out in the snow, but this will be easier for them in deep snow if you shovel the run if it's 'deep powder'.

You can vaseline their combs at night after they're roosting, use a headlamp, they'll just sit there in the dark being docile and confused

Make sure they have sufficient (i.e. GOOD) winter ventilation (see my page in .sig below), as humid air in the coop is at LEAST as big a risk factor for frostbite as cold per se.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[tiffanyh]

I am also in CT, this last winter was my first winter with any problems and it was because of a sneaky draft I didnt notice until my poor roo had some frostbite. I have had chickens for years in CT (Durham) and I have plywood coops that are up against a shed. I pack with hay and my flocks are allowed to be out all day if they like. Everyone always does quite well.

You could always tuck some bails of hay underneath to keep the floor of the coop from being to cold. I use hay around my goat house that way.