Now the exact opposite is on the horizon. Old Man Winter is yawning as Jack Frost is poking at him to wake up and play. Winterizing the coop means different things for different people. There are many different options and methods. Much depends on what climate one lives in and how harsh or mild winters can be.
I love nothing more than to watch large snow flakes pile up outside the picture window with a hot "cup of joe" in hand. We recently were part of an event called Poultry Palooza and Carabassett Coffee Company - based right here in Maine - was wonderful and helped sponsor the event.
Winters can be very harsh here in Maine and we lean towards the deep litter method at Clover Run, however, is not without its own set of challenges. I will post separately about the Deep Litter Method later. For now I would love to hear from you and how you manage the winter months in regards to warmth, water and even feed changes etc.
Let us know your way of surviving the cold months and what climate you are dealing with.
we lay down a thick layer of shavings then pack in lots of hay as well as we tarp the out side with hay between the tarp and outer wall we find that keeping the ducks and chickens together create good heat and keep each other warm i might keep the chill off with a heat light this winter since we built a bigger barn for every one
ReplyDeleteI have some new White Leghorns this year, so I'm doing a bit more than usual. In addition to the Deep litter that we always do, I'm going to put up heat lamps (shatterproof) and leave them on day and night. I'm also thinking to do foamular insulation inside the coop and wrap the outside in Canvas. You can see our coop from the road, so no tarps for us :) We are a little microfarm on the edge of town- gotta keep it looking smart ;) I'm also going to use more Zeolite in the litter to cut down on ammonia in the coop since it's going to be more airtight. The window will also get outdoor plastic sheeting to keep out the wind.
ReplyDeleteDeep shavings, no hay (mites like it), no insulation, 100 watt bulbs over cages for the more fragile birds, prevent drafts and keep everything good and dry.
ReplyDeleteVery good point on the hay! I will be including that in teh future post on Winterizing! :-)
Deletere: Hay - also retains moisture=more potential for ammonia. re: fragile birds - do you cage them all the time or only at night. I have four "ornamental" chickens (bantams) that refuse to roost and rather 2/3 stay under the roost and the little D'Uccle beats to her own drum - she holds her own during the day but at night prefers solitude or isn't comfortable with the LF often she tries to get high up in the rafters despite it being netted off. Looking for suggestions with smaller and/or more fragile/non-conforming birds.
DeleteYour Facebook post links to the initial blog entry instead of this one but I'm glad I found this post!
ReplyDeleteWe moved this summer so we're rethinking winterizing in our new location. The exterior western wall of the coop will have hay bales all the way up. The coop itself is already insulated and we'll close the storm windows and shutters all around. We have a heat lamp on a timer so it only runs from three hours after sunset to two hours before sunrise but our winters aren't too terrible usually. Since we're on a sand ridge now, we'll be using deep litter for the first time this year. Previously, we had a concrete floor with a crawl space beneath that kept a relatively even temperature year round.
I don't have insulated barns, (I call them barns because they are for the most part bigger than coops) and have no intentions of insulating. I learned along time ago that there is such a thing as keeping your birds to warm. They will have a tendency to get sick quicker. They need plenty of ventelation during the winter months to prevent frostbite. The higher up you can put vent holes the better. I use the deep litter method in all my coops during the winter adding shavings each week to keep litter dry on top. Underneath it is composting and adding a bit of heat so feet stay warm on the days that they can not go out or won't go out. I allow my birds the freedom of choice to either go or not. I will on occasion use a heat lamp in the barns but not in each pen, I hang my lamp up high enough that birds cannot get to it. They can stand under it for a bit of heat if they choose to. I only am trying to add some to the barns when it is below zero for any length of time. I check for eggs many times during the day almost every hour and bust out ice in water. I use the rubber pans in winter and will not under any circumstance use the heated one, I am afraid of fire, to many people I know have lost all their birds and coop to fire.
ReplyDeleteI agree with too warm- that is why I never did much before this year- but then I got Leghorns in Northwest CT :( I'm dismayed at how much it takes to keep them from freezing to death :(
DeleteI've heard the biggest issues with Leghorns is frostbite on their combs - use coconut oil is one of the better preventatives rather than using petroleum based products.
DeleteWe use deep litter, plastic wrap over some areas to decrease drafts, extra lighting for heat and egg production, heated water bases to keep from freezing and lots of tlc
ReplyDeleteIn coastal SE Texas, we don't have to worry as much about snow as we do high winds. We use deep litter and heat lamps to keep everyone toasty and to extend daylight hours for the hens. The many large windows which are necessary in summer are all built with hinged covers, so they block wind and rain. Any areas built with wire only are tarped and have hay bales stacked to block drafts. A fresh sand pile allows us to fill any flooded areas fairly quickly. I also check on the various pens multiple times each day and am able to address problems before they grow unmanageable.
ReplyDeleteWe are expecting some good cold weeks here in NW Ohio, and as my coop/run is setup with hard base boards I plan to line out the majority with bales of straw, and the last three feet to the ceiling with plastic, leaving vents all around. The roof of the run is OSB with a Galvanized Tin top, and I have no more than four foot radius without a 6x6 upright, making snow buildup less of a concern. I will keep the circulation fans active, but add two 250w heat lamps available to both the chickens and the ducks. Bulk lighting will be provided by sealed 14w LED weatherproof lighting strips, allowing the birds to maintain a somewhat regular schedule.
ReplyDeleteWe will be adding more more ventilation in the peaks of the roof, and trying the deep liter method with pine shavings. We don't have any electricity out there, so I'll be planning to bring fresh water 3-4 times a day....
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