Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[akitafriendakita]

I just a plastic ice scraper I don't care about on frozen poo, pops off a lot of the time and can be dislodged. Usually not all of it but most!

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

I just a plastic ice scraper I don't care about on frozen poo, pops off a lot of the time and can be dislodged. Usually not all of it but most!

With the straw I just use a farm fork and it comes up like a giant pancake. Especially in the goose hut. Takes like 15 min to clean their hut.

Other than being in the cold, cleaning is easier in winter than summer IMO.

 

[TOR]

Heat wave next week. Get shorts suntan lotion ready. Kidding, but when the temps stay low and 30 degrees comes sure seems warm

 

[babylady4]

works for us. The lime keeps the ammonia down. Most days the coop is warmer than the outside, but we have the luxury of moving it anywhere we want. Right now we have the windows facing south and have the door on the north side shut. In the spring when I complete the big clean out, the inside smells more like compost than anything else if it is maintained correctly during the winter with the lime.

Jim, glad Annie is feeling better.

 

[jvls1942]

first time in a long time it stayed above zero all night. 5F right now. it's a start.
i don't think our resident ground hog is going to wake up tomorrow.
the cat in the garage is brave enough to take his daily stroll.
all we are doing is staying inside and cooking and eating. not good for the belly .

 

[Kzp1020]

I'm new to chicken keeping and had a question, with these cold temperatures when do yall expect to get some eggs? We got our chickens pretty late last year and they didn't mature until late fall so we didn't get any eggs before winter started. Now I'm just anxiously (okay more excitedly) waiting for our first eggs.

 

[akitafriendakita]

I'm new to chicken keeping and had a question, with these cold temperatures when do yall expect to get some eggs? We got our chickens pretty late last year and they didn't mature until late fall so we didn't get any eggs before winter started. Now I'm just anxiously (okay more excitedly) waiting for our first eggs.

Often times it can depend on the breed and if they just tolerate winter well/have good lighting (longer daylight hours.) My silkies will lay all winter, but also they didn't start laying until 8 months. Other breeds can lay a lot sooner such as 4 months.

Some people do lights at night (and let the chickens stay up a little later) to trigger egg laying since our daylight hours in Wisconsin are so short during winter. Obviously, they need a lot of cover to be staying up late though to be safe from animals such as a large wired coop or shed. We are at the point of the year where we are starting to get daylight hours back this month so maybe they'll drop some eggs for you soon.

Chickens are very awkward and a little confused when they first start laying, might lay in a weird spot or hide the eggs. It's worth checking around. I remember when mine first laid - they didn't really know where to do it (walking around and loudly whining) and they would take hours and hours to get one egg out so usually it's pretty obviously with their behavior.

 

[jvls1942]

welcome kzb1020
chickens need 12 to 14 hours of light to lay eggs
some people add a little light to either morning or evening to accomplish this. some people do not believe in adding light. Bigzeo doesn't add light and his chickens lay almost all winter.
it has a little to do with the breed.
what breed is your chicken ?
also, if you are feeding laying formula.
adding "treats" is not a good idea.
many treats lower the overall percentage of the protein .
do you have a real feed mill close to you?
many feed mills have a good formula for eggs.
usually less expensive than crumbles from FF.
feel free to ask any dumb question. we will not judge you.
i have a good plan for a feeder that doesn't waste feed.

 

[Kzp1020]

welcome kzb1020
chickens need 12 to 14 hours of light to lay eggs
some people add a little light to either morning or evening to accomplish this. some people do not believe in adding light. Bigzeo doesn't add light and his chickens lay almost all winter.
it has a little to do with the breed.
what breed is your chicken ?
also, if you are feeding laying formula.
adding "treats" is not a good idea.
many treats lower the overall percentage of the protein .
do you have a real feed mill close to you?
many feed mills have a good formula for eggs.
usually less expensive than crumbles from FF.
feel free to ask any dumb question. we will not judge you.
i have a good plan for a feeder that doesn't waste feed.

My chickens are Light Brahmas and Easter Eggers (Americanas). We have been using all flock feed because we also have ducks. We are adding in oyster shell though to make sure theyre getting calcium and they are getting some treats but not very often.