Winterizing a coop

[Leigti]

I don't have electricity to my coop. So I don't add any heat or light for winter. I have lots of ventilation at the eve level and above their heads. The lack of light will cause many chickens to not lay eggs or to decrease their Edlane but that doesn't bother me. If you want to keep the egg supply going you might consider adding lights but it's totally up to you.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Are chickens really that good at keeping themselves/each other warm? Yes.
Special diet? Do yu add corn all year No just through the fall & winter or put them on a strictly corn diet? No I continue feeding layer pellets whole corn is a supplement in a separate feeder.

 

[ripper8382]

Can you use scratch grains as a winter supplement? My girls love it and I'm afraid if I had a second feeder with it they wouldn't eat the layer crumbles.
Is a roof vent and vent holes under the overhang enough ventilation, you think? I was planning on covering all my wire with thick plastic for this winter.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Can you use scratch grains as a winter supplement? I use whole corn only as a supplement I know it is high in protein and does the job. I can not really comment on scratch grain as all scratch grains are not created equal.
Is a roof vent and vent holes under the overhang enough ventilation, you think?It may be all you need time will tell if it is adequate you are definitely on the right track.

Monitor you coop daily and if you have ammonia problems and moisture problems you may have to create more ventilation. It is all about balance number of chickens vers amount of ventilation. In some coops the deep litter method adds heat to the coop (the deep litter in my coop freezes as hard as a brick until late April or May).

I was planning on covering all my wire with thick plastic for this winter.Sounds like a good plan you can always create a few flaps in the plastic if you are having ventilation issues.

 

[aart]

Can you use scratch grains as a winter supplement? My girls love it and I'm afraid if I had a second feeder with it they wouldn't eat the layer crumbles.
Is a roof vent and vent holes under the overhang enough ventilation, you think? I was planning on covering all my wire with thick plastic for this winter.

Layer feed is usually has bare minimum (16%) protein to maintain laying...anything else you feed reduces that.
I feed a 20% protein and give an 8% scratch daily in a quantity to be at about 18% total protein.
These levels are about the same all year round.

What is your climate?
That coop? run? has 2 full walls of mesh, so plenty of ventilation...tho the chicken wire is not predator proof.

 

[SheptheRooster]

So a lot of you let your chickens out during the winter? I was planning on locking them up. I guess I could get some good plastic and seal up the run...

Anyhow, there are vents along the eaves, and I have plans to put a vent in the top where there used to be one, when I lock the girls up at night I found that they are in the rafters to sleep even tho I have a roost setup at the back. I will try and get pictures tonight.
My run is not predator proof, but the coop is. Hence why I lock them up at night.


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[aart]

So a lot of you let your chickens out during the winter? I was planning on locking them up. I guess I could get some good plastic and seal up the run...

Anyhow, there are vents along the eaves, and I have plans to put a vent in the top where there used to be one, when I lock the girls up at night I found that they are in the rafters to sleep even tho I have a roost setup at the back. I will try and get pictures tonight.
My run is not predator proof, but the coop is. Hence why I lock them up at night.


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I imagine your winters are harsh?
You could cover most the walls of the run with plastic to keep out snow wind, leave the top 6" open for ventilation, would be a nice place for them to be outside in winter.

 

[wamtazlady]

So a lot of you let your chickens out during the winter? I was planning on locking them up. I guess I could get some good plastic and seal up the run...




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I don't seal up the run all the way. I leave the side away from the wind that is close to the house open so that the run airs out a bit. Otherwise there will be ammonia build up. There is a tarp on top to keep the snow out. The girls love to be outside. Their food and water is kept outside in the run. They hate to walk on snow but if there is some straw sprinkled on top of the snow they'll even come out of the run on nice days to peck around.

 

[aart]

My run is just mesh covered, tho there is a small portion that is under the coop.
I keep the snow cleared from parts of run and they go out on milder days.
I too spread a thin layer of straw on the ice and snow.

 

[timebider]

Brand new chicken keeper in northeast Wisconsin here, and I'm really grateful for all these terrific ideas! This greenhouse-type thing is what I'm planning to hook up to my coop (which was made by the same guy):

http://cedarchickencoop.com/multi.html

My question is, what do you folks in cold climates use for bedding in your coops? I've been reading about sand, which is confusing because the first Google result is a widely known site that gives evidence-based reasons for being strongly in favor, but the second is also a widely known site that gives evidenced (and conflicting) reasons for being just as strongly against it. I've just about decided not to use it, at least in fall and winter, because everyone agrees it is cold and I have no idea what I'd do with an accumulation of sand. I'm currently using aspen shavings, which are expensive, a pain in the rear to maintain, and attract hordes of flies no matter what I do. Not sure how the deep litter method (another that people either love or hate) would work in a raised coop like mine (16" or so off the ground), where I'm constantly climbing in and out to change food and water, etc., and accidentally kicking bedding out onto the ground. I'm also paranoid about doing it wrong and winding up with an even worse, unhealthy mess. What do you cold-climate people think is a good solution for bedding in areas with -20 temps?