cold weather advice

[dirty]

this will be the first winter, in a cold climate, that i have had chickens.

the coop is insulated. but i would have to run an extension cord get electrical out there.

any advice on what you've experienced would be helpful.

[Kathy]

For the 18 yrs I lived in WI, I had chickens and used a single 250 watt red heat light in the well insulated coop. Depending on the size of your coop you might need two. I don't know how cold it gets in your area but we got down to -30 regularly in West Central WI. I did put lots of fluffy straw on the floor too to help with radiant cold seeping up from the ground through the floor.

I didn't have my coop wired for electric either so I used heavy duty outdoor extension cords(3 to be exact); the big orange ones. I did wrap the connections with duct tape to help keep moisture out.

As long as the chickens have a draft free space with dry bedding and a little additional heat at night, they should do fine. Mine did and they laid reliably throughout the winter months.

[Deleted]

I know it gets a tad colder (uaually) where you are than it does here, but I just use a regular bulb and mine do fine. They do have a fairly draf free coop, and nice clean straw to cuddle in.

Where are the pictures? You getting eggs yet?

Kaza

[dirty]

yea i figure i'll have to run an extension cord. i need to fix the long one i have. i managed to shoot it in half :-[with my .22 while chasing a weasel.


i am worried about proper ventilation.


yea Kaza i got more eggs than i know what to do with.

how are chickens in the snow?

[Kathy]

I put one of those turbines($19.95 Lowes) on the south side of the coop roof because I started noticing the interior walls were sweating due to the chickens respiration causing condensation.

[Deleted]

What kind of chickens do you have, Dirty? Mine, which are Brahmas (they have feathers on their legs), don't mind the snow at all, except at first. For instance, we just had a blizzard and they were snowed in for two days, but when I finally opened the coop for them today, the only ones who came out were the guineas (and them not very far). In another day or two, though, they'll be out running on the snowdrifts, leaving little dinosaur tracks everywhere.

One thing I would invest in above all else is a base heater for a metal waterer. That to me is invaluable. I don't usually turn on a heat lamp until it gets below minus 10F (that's my limit, not theirs - they could go colder), but having their water be liquid all the time is not only better for them, but much easier for me. If you're going to run an extension cord anyway, get one of those. You'll be so glad you did.

~Lannie

[dirty]

thanks, Lannie, i have been on the fence about one of those heaters. i'll go look at Tractor Supply tomorrow.

ran extension cord today. just getting ready. had a light snow fall today.


one other thing. anyone ever use one of these? www.petvetsupply.com/equmfrm022.html

i'm thinking it might be a good way to control a heat lamp and the water heater.

[Kathy]

I check out that energy regulator, in the winter do your temps go above 35 very much??

I noticed it said on at 35, off at 45. \

[dirty]

Nov 8, 2008 22:01:00 GMT -5 Kathy said:

I check out that energy regulator, in the winter do your temps go above 35 very much??

I noticed it said on at 35, off at 45. \

i was thinking it would go on the end of the extentsion cord in the coop.

just built the coop this summer. i'm not sure what the temperature will average in there. but i would hope it would move above freezing some of the time.

not only is the coop better insulated than my cabin. i couldn't find double pane windows for the coop. so i installed one single pane on the outside and one single pane on the inside. got the windows cheap at habitat.

[Kathy]

Ahh, now I understand!

[Deleted]

Hey, Dirty, if the coop's well insulated and you have enough chickens in there, their body heat will raise the temp inside. Last winter, the temperature inside my coop was usually 10 degrees warmer than the outside temps, but this winter it's more (I have 13 more warm bodies in there than I did last year). The other morning, when it was 8 above outside, it was 25 in the coop, and yesterday it was about 20 outside and 35 in the coop. And that's even with their ventilation window open (it's small - only about 6" by 2'), and their little 12"x12" pop door. We also have two big south-facing windows, so if the sun's out, it gets even warmer inside. You should be OK.

~Lannie

[Deleted]

Nov 7, 2008 9:35:02 GMT -5 dirty said:

yea i figure i'll have to run an extension cord. i need to fix the long one i have. i managed to shoot it in half :-[with my .22 while chasing a weasel.


i am worried about proper ventilation.


yea Kaza i got more eggs than i know what to do with.

how are chickens in the snow?

lol @ shooting the extension cord! Sounds like something I would do!

Try selling them. (the eggs, not the chickens) Even at a low price, it helps with the feed costs.

My chickens always liked the snow. Well, I dunno if they "liked" it, but it didn't seem to bother them at all, so long as they had a place to get warm and get out of the elements.

Kaza

[dirty]

Nov 7, 2008 17:50:20 GMT -5 @lannie said:

What kind of chickens do you have, Dirty? Mine, which are Brahmas (they have feathers on their legs), don't mind the snow at all, except at first. For instance, we just had a blizzard and they were snowed in for two days, but when I finally opened the coop for them today, the only ones who came out were the guineas (and them not very far). In another day or two, though, they'll be out running on the snowdrifts, leaving little dinosaur tracks everywhere.

One thing I would invest in above all else is a base heater for a metal waterer.

~Lannie

oh you were so right. i've had my base heater working for a few days. it is a great addition. worth ever penny.

now i need to round up a ceramic heater that screws into a light bulb socket, for night time heating.

[Deleted]

If you have a ceramic socket, just get a heat lamp bulb (or 3 - they seem to burn out fast, even though they say "Long Life"). Or get a heat lamp bulb and reflector with a cord, just plug it in to your extension cord (can you put something else on there?) and hang the fixture from the roof of the coop. I have two like that. Well, no, Rich hardwired one in, and the other one is just hanging, but same diff. When it's cold out, I turn one of them on, and when it's REALLY cold (and windy) out, I turn them both on. Any chickens that are cold can huddle under the warm lamp(s) and it keeps it a lot warmer in there. Works great!

~Lannie

Ooops, I meant to say, I have red lamps, so it doesn't keep the chickens up at night. One of them is kind of pointed at the roosts, so it's cozy for them while they're sleeping.

[Deleted]

How are your chickens doing, Dirty?

[dirty]

Dec 14, 2008 13:10:42 GMT -5 @kazahleenah said:

How are your chickens doing, Dirty?

they are doing good. that water base heater is working perfect.

i had a 75 watt bulb hooked up in the coop. but the one time i used it i started getting condensation on the windows. so i turned it off. i now have replaced it with a florescent bulb for lighting, which doesn't generate heat.

the temp in the coop seems to be ok for the chickens without the regular bulb anyway.. i figure i can watch their comfort level just like when they were chicks. they aren't huddled together. they are moving around and spread out.

i do have the two windows in the coop open a couple of inches. and i close one when it gets to single digits.

the only thing i feel i need to improve on, is getting some variety into their diet.



ETA: bbird is right. there is no way i'd fill out all those questions in the 'get to know you' thread.