Would this stupid rooster have anything to do w/ NON-Laying

[Mommysongbird]

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Okay, thank ya!

We are planning on putting plastic over most of the run just to keep it a little warmer during the cold windy times (we seem to get a lot of those sometimes. I also plan to put a sheet of plastic (just draped down with something heavy on the end) over the clean out on the back side of the coop because of where the door has bowed, and over the nesting door. All of the plastic will be on the outside and all I have to do is roll it up a bit.

There should still be plenty of ventilation from the top and a side window that is closed, but is cracked enough where air can flow through.

 

[Mommysongbird]

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Wondering the same thing. How do you use the hand warmers??

 

[flocksalot]

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I have electricity, but there is always the potential of loosing it due to bad storms. I put the hand warmers under a metal pan with the water on top. I attach them with duct tape (yeah McGyver) so the heat flows into the metal. I also use these on the underside of my parrot cages with a blanket thrown over top to contain the warmth. They do only last so long, but they have helped keep things from freezing. I keep an LP heater and a kerosene heater. I'm great with the ventilation or I would not even try it. I also have an LP brooder that I have set up for a bit of warmth too. You really don't need much warmth, but keeping them around 40 is much appreciated in eggs. If you don't have electricity in your coop buy some extention cords for outdoors and run them out. A heat lamp and a water heater are pretty important when it gets into the dead of winter. I tend to clean the coops out more over the winter as the girls spend a bit more time indoors then, so for me having some heat is a neccesity. I'm not adverse to running an electric heater just to make myself more comfortable (I have fibromyalgia and the cold makes my pain so much worse). The thing to remember is that if you are using either kerosene or gas you must have awesome ventilation. I do in my two large houses and also will in the goose/duck house I'm currently building. The other 3 coops that are used over the winter are small enough that the hand warmers are all I need in the event of a power outage. Next year I'm going to try outfitting one of the coops with a solar panel and battery. That would be awesome.

And Mommysongbird I hope your chickens don't go crazy over plastic like mine do. The little nut cases will eat every little bit they can. It's almost as bad as rigid foam insulation. I wonder why they don't lay plastic eggs.

 

[so lucky]

Yeah, there are so many differing opinions about the heat-or-no-heat issue. I guess everybody has to make their own decision. I might try that with the hand warmers for the waterer, tho. Thanks.

 

[flocksalot]

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It all depends on your weather. If I lived in a warmer climate I wouldn't worry about it, but here in WI it gets pretty cold sometimes. Some people keep their chickens inside during really cold spells. Mine would chew threw the walls! They like to go sit in the horse shed, or find other places to hang out. I've even seen some of them go lay beneath the heat lamp to warm up and then right back out there where it's miserable. I keep a 20 x 20 greenhouse (with chicken wire keeping them away from the walls) set up that they also have access to. There is only solar heat, but it's all they need during the day. That way they can take dirt baths and lie down in the sun or just hang out. They still run around outside when ever they feel the need. They also have access to the horses extra waterer. It's actually a pig waterer. The horses can drink out of the top and on the side is a place for the chickens. I'll keep that in there even though we ran water down to them this summer. We have some very playful horses and our large gelding particularly likes to play in the water. That way the other two can still have fresh water from the automatic waterer and Ranger can't knock the pig waterer over as it sits too low to the ground. As a bonus the chickens get access to water while they are outside. This was a boon for over the really hot days this summer. Just drop in the tank heater and we are good to go for the winter. Like I said it all depends on your winters. If we didn't get so cold I wouldn't need to have some of the things I do, but ultimately it is your choice on how much to spoil your birds. Mine are actually my 7 almost 8 year old's pets. He gathers eggs, feeds, and with my help he worms, performs health checks, cleans coops, and treats sick or injured birds. He needs to pay for feed, but the rest of the money from his egg sales is his. Some goes into savings (probably for more birds knowing him) and he's allowed to spend $5 a week or save up until he has enough to get whatever he wants. He loves those girlies probably more than me, so they get a bit spoilt. I've tried to instil into him that animal husbandry should always be what's right and healthiest for the animal, but we humans need to be able to work within that environment too!