coup prep for freezing weather

[Chic Rustler]

had some time today and there's some weather comin. put about 2 feet of hay in the coup and cleaned out the next boxes.

WHAT do you guys do for cold weather?

 

[Chic Rustler]

they are always curious afterwards. I think they like the hay.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That looks comfy! I don't even have a chicken coop - per se. We don't get much in the way of big temp extremes here so I really don't do much. I have two groups of chickens and two barns. They stay in their respective barns. The big barn out back has a whole lot of bodies to help keep it warm. The chickens roost on a dividing fence right in the middle. They have the choice of bedding down in the hay - but they don't. The same goes for the other group.

Some years back I had some chickens that were determined to roost outside on the fence. I couldn't tell you how many times I'd go out in the dark on a particularly cold night and pluck chickens off the fence and toss 'em in the barn. They weren't blessed with a very big brain, lol.

 

[Hinotori]

Silkies have little dog houses or coops that size since they pile sleep. I give them fresh shavings for cold weather. Fresh hay in the covered runs. I wrapped the silkie pens with greenhouse tarps this year. The water has only froze once and not bad enough to that the silkies hadn't pecked holes through long before I was out there.

The large fowl run is too wide to roof. I'm concidering narrowing it. Fresh straw there. Fresh shavings for inside the 8x16 coop. I don't close the door unless it's staying in the teens during the day. Inside doesnt fair quite as well as the silkie pens have this year but the birds are happy.

Mud is more an issue here. Especially with birds that like to get wet like the silkies do. Lowest temp we've had in my years here is 9°F.

 

[CrealCritter]

Small tight confined spaces for chickens. A bunch of them get in there together and seem to keep themselves warm. This weather your talking about how cold?

 

[Chic Rustler]

not bad. high 20s. we had a dusting of snow that was melted before nightfall today. it was a Texas blizzard

 

[tortoise]

I use a heated waterer and turn a heat lamp on when temps get below zero. But now I have silkies that dont roost. I'm keeping an eye on them.

 

[CrealCritter]

not bad. high 20s. we had a dusting of snow that was melted before nightfall today. it was a Texas blizzard

Ah... Chickens are hardy at that temp. Just make sure you have plenty of clean unfrozen water for them to drink

 

[WildBird]

I make sure the coop is clean and make sure the silkies are dry and sleeping on the nests. No supplemental heat as long as the silkies are dry (besides the heat chip in the waterer). What I do: How To Overwinter Chickens Naturally

 

[Hinotori]

My silkies never have had cold issues. They will peck out a hole in the ice in their water bowls if it's thin enough. I take out fresh water twice a day when it's really freezing.

Actually, picking up one of the little fluff balls and cuddling it is a good way to help warm hands.