Winter Time

[CrazyHorse18]

We have four chickens and one duck, and right now, they currently live in a playhouse at night, and free range all day. I plan on putting a super huge dog crate in my wooden shed with a heat light and the shed has a tarp with three windows. I was going to keep the chickens and duck in the dog crate, but let the chickens out during the day when it's not too bad out. Should I even let them out at all? Is it okay to keep the duck in? Should I let him run around, too? Thanks in advance.

 

[woodmort]

You can let them all out if they want to go. I'd lose the idea about any kind of heat, your birds will all be fine without it as long as they are out of the wind and have ventilation. Chickens and ducks can take the cold a lot better than the people that are keeping them.

 

[CrazyHorse18]

My fear with the heat lamp was if they flew up at it and pecked it or something. My chickens can fly at a pretty good height. It doesn't really make THAT much of a difference as far as temperature wise, and my shack is insulated. I'll be honest...I was afraid that my duck's feet would get stuck on wet ice or something!

 

[woodmort]

I kept ducks for about 15 years, never had their feet freeze to anything. Just make sure there is a lot of pine shavings on the floor.

 

[BitsyB]

They will be alot healthier if you let them have the choice to go out. They need fresh air and exercise just like we do, and besides staying in all day and night would be booooring. Which could be stressful, which can lead to ill health.

Animals seem to mostly know what's good for them, and like Wood said- they can handle the cold a lot better than their owners!

 

[teach1rusl]

I baby my birds (I do use supplemental heat on really cold nights), and I have always left the pop door open to give them an option to go out, even on the coldest days. You may want to put a windblock up in front of the pop door to help keep cold air from blowing in during the day (straw bales stacked can work fine), and if you have a run, you may want to tarp the prevailing wind side(s). Icy winds would keep chickens inside much more than cold...