I've been keeping chickens for about 13 years (I still have one girl from the original flock and she's still healthy and occassionally lays) and I was very paranoid about winter early on. But they seem much more comfortable in the cold (SW MO here) than during the heat of summer. They have a covered run and I don't even close their little coop door unless it drops into the single digits. What you said about dry conditions is so right. The coop has some vents high above their perches so humidity can't build up. It's much more important, in my experience, that there be fresh, dry air flow than almost anything else in cold weather.
We live in northern Wisconsin. When we first decided to get chickens, my husband came across your channel to get ideas for a coop and chicken breeds who do well in the winter. We built one somewhat similar with some similar ideas you had at the time, with the raised coop and water and food compartments. I think if we rebuilt it, we'd skip the water and food compartments. My husband built an attached covered and enclosed run and we keep their food and water in there. This spring, he built an identical coop with a covered enclosed run, but without the extra compartments 😊 We also have learned from last year to avoid breeds with taller combs. This year we bought pea comb and rose comb breeds ❤ I also add red pepper flakes, cinnamon, garlic, Italian seasoning and oregano to their grains mix. Thank you for your informative videos!
This is my first winter with chickens. I build the coop on legs and attached to the south side of the garage to provide north wind protection. I have a polytunnel I build from an old trampoline that I used for summer crops attached to their open run. They use that as a covered run for the winter and build me compost with food scraps, sprouted seeds, wood chips, and manure. So far they have been great. Fingers crossed it keeps them happy thru the coldest part of our damp Eastern Canada winter.
I appreciate your videos, we live in MN, so same climate. First winter with my chickens and so far a mild one. Looks like next week we are going sub zero. We will see how it goes. Thanks for 5he suggestions
Last year was my first year keeping a small (5) flock through the winter (Vermont) and we found a really good rhythm with their care. -smaller coop door into the exposed run. I hung a clear plastic shower curtain over the top part of the coop door to keep wind and sideways snow/sleet out. -Mid-weight clear shower curtains around the run to limit the elements. We also zip tied a tarp roof onto our run and I just made sure to shovel it off after every heavy snowfall. -dry places to roost in the run. We used a wood pallet to get them up out of the mud when the snow melted into the run. An old wood ladder is on the list for this year!
I live in southern Wisconsin. I built my own coop and will be getting my first chicks in the spring. Super grateful to get first hand knowledge from someone living in a similar climate. Thanks!
Your Channel has helped me so much! Thank you!!!!! I am finally getting chickens in the spring, but wanted to research everything first. Thanks for all the great videos
We are just barely over the border in Illinois! We love your videos they're so on point and we have learned a ton! This is our first winter with our first flock! ❤
My husband and I are prepping for chickens this year to properly taking care of them next year. I'm so glad I found your Chanel since we live in Michigan and I've been wondering how we're gonna keep them alive in winter 😅.
Another great episode - thank you so much. I've been inspired by many of your videos and I'm going in to my first winter with chickens, in the Okanagan BC. We can see highs of 42 C (107 F) but lows of -30 C (-22 F) in a normally super dry climate; (almost desert - forest fire country!) I've built an insulated chicken coop without heat, using pine chips for deep litter method; It's a wet time of the year here - not dry and snowy as usual - an 'atmospheric river' and I'm seeing condensation on the inside of the insulated, sliding window I put in. So - how do I know if it's too humid in there? The source of moisture would be the bedding I guess? Now about 8" deep and about 2 months of use. I do not have an outdoor hygrometer but is seeing a bit of moisture on the inside of insulated windows - around freezing temperature - when it's close to freezing rain - - is that normal or too humid? And any idea of 'how much humidity is too much for when I get a hygrometer in there? Thanks
These are some really great questions. Unfortunately I haven’t taken any numerical measurements… in the past, if we saw condensation inside the coop, we actually cut out more ventilation around the top to reduce moisture. However, our climate isn’t quite as extreme as yours, so I’m not sure what people in your area do. It might be worth seeing what other chicken keepers in your area do - if you find anything out, can you report back? I’m very intrigued!
@@OakAbode Thank you. They seem quite happy and are coming outside every day (we now have snow on the ground). I insulated the roof of the coop but left the perimeter of the roof unfinished so I could monitor things. I think the vast amount of humidity escapes through the roof. I plan on cutting conventional vents in the walls - in the summer but thought I have enough flow-through for this, wet-season. Now (and Spring) are the worst, in a month when it's colder it will be much drier. I'm going to get a hygrometer and will record 'numbers' and see how it goes. The condensation on the window was only there in the middle of the day for two days - now it's gone. (Still getting good egg output. 🙂) What would be a sign - in the hens - that they are in too much humidity? What ailment or condition would illustrate that their coop needs to be drier? Thanks again. Mad Respect from BC!
@@bc-guy852 So glad to hear egg output is still strong! A few signs that things could be too damp might be frostbite (usually on the comb, wattles, and/or feet), respiratory issues/sick chicken signs, or even just shivering. But I know moist air tends to manifest in frostbite, especially, as it condenses & forms ice crystals on their skin (combs/feet, etc), which taxes their systems more.
@@OakAbode Thank you. That makes sense! Sounds like I need to do some more research too. The humidity condensing on the windows was brief but I will keep an eye on it closely in the Spring.
It’s funny, we used to live in NY until this past June and we always did cold protection. Now we moved to south Florida and this is no longer an issue. Now it’s about shade cloth abs lots of vents in the coop to cool it down.
I feed pretty much the same thing as a treat / supplement in the Winter (and possibly summer too :) Soldier fly larva (which I can sometimes make on my own) and a good healthy scratch (I use Country Feeds Scratch Grains - which has a whole bunch of great stuff in it as well as some cracked corn). Great video.
For our wildly-varying climate, we have a mixed flock of cold-hardy and temperate birds and they have all done well in the winter. The only ones that had any frostbite issues were the roosters which felt the need to stay on patrol in inclement weather. We had one that lost part of his comb but it healed fully and he’s fine - and now less susceptible to frostbite after losing the fine points on his comb. We do have warming heaters in the large coop thermostatically controlled that keep the air temperature around 40-45 degrees F when it’s freezing outside. In our smaller coop, 4 birds’ body heat is enough to keep it sufficiently heated. We haven’t tried heated waterers yet - that could be a real labor saver. We do add extra wind bracing with tarps/plastic to keep them comfortable and allow them a place to seek shelter outside of the coop. So for those new to the hobby, don’t stress out - follow Oak Abode’s advice and the good folks on this thread and you’ll do fine. Chickens are definitely survivors, made tougher than you’d think and carry an innate intelligence to know what’s best for them.
Question: How much do you feed a chicken? lol We are building a small chicken coop (6-10 hens) and starting with 2 hens. In all the videos I've watched, I just realized no one has mentioned how much feed to give a full grown hen ?? How often ?? 🤷♀ Love your video's 😊
Oh yes! That sounds about right. Hence why it is great at helping pack on some extra fat, if needed. Edit: To clarify, we use it as a supplement to their normal diet, not as the whole thing.
I've been keeping chickens for about 13 years (I still have one girl from the original flock and she's still healthy and occassionally lays) and I was very paranoid about winter early on. But they seem much more comfortable in the cold (SW MO here) than during the heat of summer. They have a covered run and I don't even close their little coop door unless it drops into the single digits. What you said about dry conditions is so right. The coop has some vents high above their perches so humidity can't build up. It's much more important, in my experience, that there be fresh, dry air flow than almost anything else in cold weather.
We live in northern Wisconsin. When we first decided to get chickens, my husband came across your channel to get ideas for a coop and chicken breeds who do well in the winter. We built one somewhat similar with some similar ideas you had at the time, with the raised coop and water and food compartments. I think if we rebuilt it, we'd skip the water and food compartments. My husband built an attached covered and enclosed run and we keep their food and water in there. This spring, he built an identical coop with a covered enclosed run, but without the extra compartments 😊 We also have learned from last year to avoid breeds with taller combs. This year we bought pea comb and rose comb breeds ❤ I also add red pepper flakes, cinnamon, garlic, Italian seasoning and oregano to their grains mix.
Thank you for your informative videos!
This is my first winter with chickens. I build the coop on legs and attached to the south side of the garage to provide north wind protection. I have a polytunnel I build from an old trampoline that I used for summer crops attached to their open run. They use that as a covered run for the winter and build me compost with food scraps, sprouted seeds, wood chips, and manure. So far they have been great. Fingers crossed it keeps them happy thru the coldest part of our damp Eastern Canada winter.
I appreciate your videos, we live in MN, so same climate. First winter with my chickens and so far a mild one. Looks like next week we are going sub zero. We will see how it goes. Thanks for 5he suggestions
I live in South Central WI and we just got chicks this spring. I’m so glad I found this!!! Thank you
Last year was my first year keeping a small (5) flock through the winter (Vermont) and we found a really good rhythm with their care.
-smaller coop door into the exposed run. I hung a clear plastic shower curtain over the top part of the coop door to keep wind and sideways snow/sleet out.
-Mid-weight clear shower curtains around the run to limit the elements. We also zip tied a tarp roof onto our run and I just made sure to shovel it off after every heavy snowfall.
-dry places to roost in the run. We used a wood pallet to get them up out of the mud when the snow melted into the run. An old wood ladder is on the list for this year!
I live in southern Wisconsin. I built my own coop and will be getting my first chicks in the spring. Super grateful to get first hand knowledge from someone living in a similar climate. Thanks!
You will love the whole experience of chickens!
Your Channel has helped me so much! Thank you!!!!! I am finally getting chickens in the spring, but wanted to research everything first. Thanks for all the great videos
We are just barely over the border in Illinois! We love your videos they're so on point and we have learned a ton! This is our first winter with our first flock! ❤
My husband and I are prepping for chickens this year to properly taking care of them next year. I'm so glad I found your Chanel since we live in Michigan and I've been wondering how we're gonna keep them alive in winter 😅.
Another great episode - thank you so much. I've been inspired by many of your videos and I'm going in to my first winter with chickens, in the Okanagan BC. We can see highs of 42 C (107 F) but lows of -30 C (-22 F) in a normally super dry climate; (almost desert - forest fire country!) I've built an insulated chicken coop without heat, using pine chips for deep litter method; It's a wet time of the year here - not dry and snowy as usual - an 'atmospheric river' and I'm seeing condensation on the inside of the insulated, sliding window I put in. So - how do I know if it's too humid in there? The source of moisture would be the bedding I guess? Now about 8" deep and about 2 months of use. I do not have an outdoor hygrometer but is seeing a bit of moisture on the inside of insulated windows - around freezing temperature - when it's close to freezing rain - - is that normal or too humid? And any idea of 'how much humidity is too much for when I get a hygrometer in there? Thanks
These are some really great questions. Unfortunately I haven’t taken any numerical measurements… in the past, if we saw condensation inside the coop, we actually cut out more ventilation around the top to reduce moisture. However, our climate isn’t quite as extreme as yours, so I’m not sure what people in your area do. It might be worth seeing what other chicken keepers in your area do - if you find anything out, can you report back? I’m very intrigued!
@@OakAbode Thank you. They seem quite happy and are coming outside every day (we now have snow on the ground). I insulated the roof of the coop but left the perimeter of the roof unfinished so I could monitor things. I think the vast amount of humidity escapes through the roof. I plan on cutting conventional vents in the walls - in the summer but thought I have enough flow-through for this, wet-season. Now (and Spring) are the worst, in a month when it's colder it will be much drier. I'm going to get a hygrometer and will record 'numbers' and see how it goes. The condensation on the window was only there in the middle of the day for two days - now it's gone. (Still getting good egg output. 🙂)
What would be a sign - in the hens - that they are in too much humidity? What ailment or condition would illustrate that their coop needs to be drier?
Thanks again.
Mad Respect from BC!
@@bc-guy852 So glad to hear egg output is still strong! A few signs that things could be too damp might be frostbite (usually on the comb, wattles, and/or feet), respiratory issues/sick chicken signs, or even just shivering. But I know moist air tends to manifest in frostbite, especially, as it condenses & forms ice crystals on their skin (combs/feet, etc), which taxes their systems more.
@@OakAbode Thank you. That makes sense! Sounds like I need to do some more research too. The humidity condensing on the windows was brief but I will keep an eye on it closely in the Spring.
Thank you for this informative information. I’m getting chickens in the Spring, and am trying so hard to learn everything I can. ❤ 🐓 🐓
QUESTION: Do you keep the water in the coop or in the run in the winter? I was under the impression it shouldn’t go into the coop?
It’s funny, we used to live in NY until this past June and we always did cold protection. Now we moved to south Florida and this is no longer an issue. Now it’s about shade cloth abs lots of vents in the coop to cool it down.
We had a low twenty day last week the chickens didn’t even go in there covered run except in short trips for food and water.
I feed pretty much the same thing as a treat / supplement in the Winter (and possibly summer too :) Soldier fly larva (which I can sometimes make on my own) and a good healthy scratch (I use Country Feeds Scratch Grains - which has a whole bunch of great stuff in it as well as some cracked corn). Great video.
For our wildly-varying climate, we have a mixed flock of cold-hardy and temperate birds and they have all done well in the winter. The only ones that had any frostbite issues were the roosters which felt the need to stay on patrol in inclement weather. We had one that lost part of his comb but it healed fully and he’s fine - and now less susceptible to frostbite after losing the fine points on his comb. We do have warming heaters in the large coop thermostatically controlled that keep the air temperature around 40-45 degrees F when it’s freezing outside. In our smaller coop, 4 birds’ body heat is enough to keep it sufficiently heated. We haven’t tried heated waterers yet - that could be a real labor saver. We do add extra wind bracing with tarps/plastic to keep them comfortable and allow them a place to seek shelter outside of the coop. So for those new to the hobby, don’t stress out - follow Oak Abode’s advice and the good folks on this thread and you’ll do fine. Chickens are definitely survivors, made tougher than you’d think and carry an innate intelligence to know what’s best for them.
Could you please make a video on cross breeding of chickens which will cover everything that will be ur graciousness
What hatchery do you use? I’m from Wisconsin also
Question: How much do you feed a chicken? lol
We are building a small chicken coop (6-10 hens) and starting with 2 hens.
In all the videos I've watched, I just realized no one has mentioned how much feed to give a full grown hen ?? How often ?? 🤷♀
Love your video's 😊
Nice info ❤️ 🙋♂️👍
Hi I live in Canada, where can I buy Terra black soldier grubs?
Where do you buy your chicks from?
another question.... lol
Just came up, do you deworm ?? 🤔 if so, how ?
👀 What happened to Reptar?
I grow my chicken feed inside
I’m confused I thought corn or cracked corn was a big NO because it’s like candy for people
Oh yes! That sounds about right. Hence why it is great at helping pack on some extra fat, if needed. Edit: To clarify, we use it as a supplement to their normal diet, not as the whole thing.
Do you butcher your chickens just asking?
They look like layers, don’t appear to be broilers.
Shouldn’t change feed quality only quantity.