I live in Ontario, Canada in an area known as the snow belt which is just east of lake Huron. While I do not personally own chickens, my sister does and when the weather got really cold here she actually knitted them sweaters!!! I am not kidding... they were more like vests as they had holes for their wings to come out, but it was hilarious to see Rhode Island red hens in pink striped sweaters!!! They seemed to like them, none of them were trying to get them off and it seemed to help as they spent more time outside than they did without them!!! So if you or anyone you know likes to knit, it was a good way to use up left over yarn. Doesn't take a lot to make a chicken sweater!!
UPDATE 2/13/21 - We have our coop plans available to download, if you want to build one yourself. Click here for the plans: www.etsy.com/listing/947189202/efficient-chicken-coop-plans-diy?ref=shop_home_active_1 Three things I forgot to mention. 1. We do NOT use supplemental light during the winter to force them to keep laying. We believe winter is a much-needed time for their bodies to rest and self-regulate, and being in the business of growing food naturally, we're not about to manipulate their little systems. Plus, it means they'll likely continue laying at an older age, too! 2. You may notice that one of our Black Copper Marans, Ms. Frizzle, is showing early signs of comb frostbite. We discovered this week that she'd been broody on a hidden nest in the backyard for who-knows-how-long, and her increased exposure to the elements took a toll on her poor little comb! 3. Sorry for the snowblower noise! Snow removal is part of each day where I live, and I'm not about to complain about my neighbors snowblowing, just as they're not about to complain when my chickens sing the egg song. People mind their own business around here, and we're all proud of that! #nokarensplease
Super cold here in Colorado right now. We have been putting in a 5 gallon bucket with lid of tap hot water into the coop. It's passive heat and water has a super high heat capacity. Measured outside temp was 6 F, inside coop was 22 F about 5 hours after putting in the bucket. No fire danger, only moderate heating to enable chickens to continue to self regulate, and a very simple short term way to gently provide a buffer of sub-zero temp dip in Colorado.
When shes talking about chickens being stuck in a coop , at the 12:28 mark, you see a chicken in the background (right behind the coop) escaping and as the video goes on (13:10 mark) the chicken is getting further and further away 🤣🤣 so much for being stuck in the coop. Hilarious ! Run chicken run!! 🤣
This is hands down the best backyard chicken raising channel that covers so so much that I rely upon so often! I really like that you focus so much on chickens, it’s what keeps me watching so often
I’m a fellow Wisconsinite- SO happy to see some chicken videos from Wisconsin! Winters are nasty and long here, so tips for winter care for chickens is very appreciated!!!
OMg...I currently have a cheapy coop so right now during our fridged mid-west winter, I have a 4 person tent attached to their 6 ft. run in our garage which only gets to 32 degrees but averages 40-45 degrees. Until I build a better hefty coop like yours, they will be in my garage next to my car through the winter. Their tent has 3-4 inches of wood shavings (and there is literally no chicken poop odor in my garage just a bit more dust) and a roosting bar. I cut a door from the back end of the tent to their run which houses their food and water so they can go back and forth between tent and run. The tent has vents at the top. They love it! I take them for a walk a few times a week, but if it's snowing, they turn right back around and run to the tent. These are the most spoiled chickens ever!
We are in Northern Alberta and -20c to -40 is our average temperature in the winter. Our coops have to be on the ground and insulated well. We have heaters in them that go on at -20c. They are locked in quite a bit through the winter do to extreme cold. So we need bigger coops.
Kudos to you guys for bringing the chickens indoors in extreme weather. “You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.” - The Little Prince
Hi, I had found something interesting in Iceland...they have a law that where people keep their animals at night in their barn stalls. The law say they have to have 10 inches of straw or wood shavings bedding at least 10 inches thick ... They said doing this can raise the temperature to ten degrees and gives off a mild heat. For the animals. Deep litter idea works... .so it might be a good idea to try. Another idea I was thinking of trying is geothermal and can be used for other buildings too ...works like this a 4" plastic PVC pipe buried 8 to 10;foot deep. One end open to the back corner and the other to the front corner. 8 foot a pipe will heat 6' of floor space . Now a small electric fan to pull the air through the pipe and a thermostat to cut on at 50 ° farinheit and heard of people using it in greenhouses to warm them in areas of extreme cold. And acourse the geothermal is a lot more work but is well worth the effort for you and your farm the only problem I have is I'd have to dig the trenches by hand but if I could hire someone with a back hoe it would be so much easier...good luck and thanks for your tips ....fair thee well in your endeavors!
I’m glad you mentioned that chickens got sick after the-30 temperatures because everyone else on TH-cam says they will be fine. I live at 10,000 feet in the Colorado mountains and -30 temperatures are normal with 90mph winds. Someone I know up here with chickens said we need one 60 watt bulb for every 10 chickens in the winter in their coop. I want to get chickens and I’m doing research but sounds like my local person is right.
I raised my puppy with adult chickens when he was small enough to learn not mess with their pointy little faces. Keeping them together and letting the dog see me treat the hens as friends not food, as well as encouraging him to be extra protective of 'his' birds I think set him on the right path with poultry. Sorry, I have no idea how to train an adult dog not to chase hens. If I had that problem, I think I’d go straight to a professional trainer. It wouldn’t be worth the trial and error of figuring it out on my own.
If you have the coop built properly then no need for supplemental heating. I think you covered all the basics of a good coop for winter and a few that I didn’t think of. Especially proper ventilation which I think is the biggest factor that you have to get correct. Haven’t had chicken in years but when we did we didn’t use the very popular deep litter method that seems to be the way many are going. It definitely makes sense though that as the litter decomposes you get the heat reaction. We never had issues in the winter although we never made it down to -30F. I think our record was around -15F and going into the negatives at all was extremely rare. I do plan on getting chickens again but winters will not be a problem at all where I live now, but summer could be problematic. Going to build a very different style coop for the overwhelming heat here in Florida.
A most excellent point you made about wild animals can go find the place to survive and the animals you are a taking care of are dependent on you and the materials you provide and they can’t move around. Glad I found your channel.
I've always used the deep litter method with great success and just this winter, I moved several cubic yards of hot compost into their covered run and they loved it! They had the best winter ever! Also, if I need to take the edge off the cold in the coop, I’ve had good luck by putting a crockpot full of sand in there and it helps them weather particularly frigid Vermont nights.
Also in WI. I keep my chickens in a plastic covered hoop greenhouse over winter, they love it. Lots of leaves in bags for the deep litter bedding, a heated waterer, and an inner coop inside this which is a small A fram covered with reflectix and a tote with a door cut into it inder that, they roost on top of the reflectix and it keeps their feet warm, they can go under it into the tote if they want to be even warmer, but so far they never have except thats where they prefer to lay eggs.
We use heat lamps in our coop but we have them on a timer so they don't stay on. I think our usual timer is 20-30 minutes on and 1 hour-1 hour and a half off. This seems to keep our coop at a moderate temperature without over doing it. We also keep a thermometer in the coop to make sure it isn't getting too warm. The coop usually stay around 40-50F in our cold buffalo winters. Mainly so our waterer doesn't freeze.
We have a raised coop as well and when it snows I just create a path to get under coop. We have a heated water system with an aquarium heater, pump and a closed loop pvc in coop. Makes a big difference. Also used deep litter method . Was in single digits last week but never drops lower than about 21 degrees F. I do give them a bunch of grain (scratch) before bedtime. They are wearing the equivalent of down coats after all. Love the video.
I live in town and watched your deep litter method. It works amazing. there is 0 smell. Living in town with neighbors so close, I was afraid of smell, thank you so much for sharing!
Under the floor of your coop you could cut pieces of styrofoam insulation to squeeze between the boards, but you would also have to cover it with something they couldn't tear up. Plywood, thick plastic, sheet metal tacked in place. Since heat goes up, just stopping the cold from below would make it considerably warmer. Sort of the same theory as putting your electric blanket under the mattress instead of covering up with it. Just a thought.
OMG! It was so funny to watch Lucy (black chicken) walking through the deep snow! 😂 Your videos are so entertaining as well as informative!! 😄 Thank you!
The tent idea is a good one. Although I think I will just set them up in our garage if weather gets too cold which isn’t heated but we can easily provide some mild heat within the area so they don’t then get too warm.
Great tips, thank you. We've moved to a slightly colder climate that stays colder longer than where we lived before so I appreciate hearing from someone who lives in an even colder one!
I love your content, I will be getting my first set of baby chicks in a couple months and I am so excited. Your videos have been such a great resource for me. I live in a very similar climate (Wyoming) and your tips are very helpful. I actually used to live in Wisconsin and know the winters there can be brutal.
So glad I first watched this a while ago. Went to Dicks Sporting Goods last night and got a cheap tent to get ready for tomorrow’s blizzard and -40° windchill that’s coming. Tnx for the vid!
Thank you so much, I'm preparing to get a chicken for a pet but my husband said I have to keep it outside so I decided to get three so he can stay warm, in our Illinois farm country weather. Thank you so much for the information enjoyable video!
I'm in long island and this is going to be my first winter with chickens. I built a coop with the idea that I would be using a radiant heater panel inside of it for our sub zero days. Our winters are so erratic, sometimes it can be 30+ all winter, others get extremely cold for long stretches. So I wanted to be prepared. My idea is to buy a heated dog water bowl. I have this idea to box out a corner of the run with 2x4's, put gravel in it, and then some chicken wire on top of the gravel so the chickens can't throw the gravel around, but the water has a place to go when it spills so it doesn't create mud. Which I think would be beneficial in the winter especially. And i could put a bowl heater buried in that gravel to keep the bowl from freezing.
Nice job on the chicken coop as well I've been raising chickens off my life and don't quite a few chicken coops looks like you guys take care of him and do a good job it's great God bless
I live in upper peninsula Michigan. I have a ceramic wall heater in my coop that I only use for when it is double digit below zero for a length of time. That has worked well for me so far since I’ve been doing that I have not had any deaths or sicknesses. When I have walked into the coop with the heater on it is certainly not warm in there but it is at least not as bitter cold as it is outside.
I live in a place that got down to -36 degrees at night I don’t use supplement heat my chickens are doing great and I have silkies what I do with my water is just leave the hose on in a kiddie pool so the ducks can swim still And I have to leave it on so the pipes don’t freeze so win win also we have 2-3 feet of snow and I do shovel I want the chickens to get out and make there own yard and they made quite a bug yard down to the dirt
We just got that -20 for a few days here in southwestern Wis I'm sure you had the same .Yes i had to give my Babys some heat .My biggest worry is so much dust in the run . Letting my babys out summer or winter is bad so many eagles and hawks . Its so nice to have another person from the same state to know how they handle different weather . In the summer i have big barn fans they sure love them . Thank you for the tips have a great day .
Love your videos. I live in NY and this video was so helpful. I'm a newbie with chicks. We have 11 babies in a brooder now (really only wanted 6 but they sent me extras). We need to add an attached condo on to our Tractor Supply hen house....
I've been raising chickens half of my life about 25 years built a lot of chicken coops Grace is a nice job on that one good luck on the chicken raising and keep up the good work
we use a heated roost bar, it is warm so it helps them stay warm, we also use deep method we also put straw in their run and we have started putting up a tarp up around their run so the wind and when it does snow wont get in the run and they can come out and run around
Good for you for believing -30 is too cold... it is. I have one of those 200 watt panel radiant heaters that I turn on at 15F on low and put it on high when it hits 0F. Works out for me. I also cut down the ventilation when it gets really cold. I hate seeing frozen combs and wattles.
Chicken raiser in WI.. Never have used heat lamps in the coop. Our large insulated coop, the first winter, totally covered all vents. This was not good, huge humidity, and they got frost bite on combs. Since then, I cover the vents, but leave a bit open, and have not had and issue with high frozen moisture since. I have never had the frost bite issue since. I have never brought mine in my home (basement or what ever) in winter.. mine have survived sub zero temps, and have never lost any due to this, or any gotten sick. I do however have a much larger coop then you, fully insulated except for the vents. They snuggle on the roosts (varying heights) and have all been safe. I have a base heater for water, and love it.. I love your feedback/videos however, so see how small coops may differ.
Eastern Canada here, we have been hitting -35-40 Celsius- we added a hail of straw within the entire coop. I have never seen a shivering chicken before! However it varies by breed 100% I have orphingtons and sex links a few Easter eggers. They do well!
@@matts1364 definitely! They will be super spoiled girls. Their hatch date is April 5th but I'll watch the weather and make sure they're ready before they go out to the coop.
Thanks for all your info. We are brand new to chickens and I have started building a chicken coop just recently. Not finished but we love your information. Thank you.
I put my 24 babies in the garage on those bitter cold days. In fact, they’re in there now 😂 don’t mind scraping dookie off of everything and a cold car in the morning if it means the chickies are safe!
Me and mum have been thinking abt owning chickens for a while now. We livein sweden so in the summer it's like 30 degrees celsius andin winter it's a -18 snow wonderland lol so this was super helpful! Even if we don't actually get chickens this's still super informative
Just found you in my feed. New sub! I’m in PA and got my chickens last spring. Thanks for the advice. I broke down and heat my coop, but we keep it just at 30-32 ish. I don’t have a heated watered but it will be in my coop next year. I have to go change out the water 4-5 times a day. Thankfully I have the time and availability to do so.
Where we live it's the blasted heat that is hard on animals. Working with cold weather and wind is doable, but there isn't much we can do with the heat except shade and fresh water.
This is my first winter for chickens. I have 15. I think next year I'll get 5 more. I've been doing research. My neighbor told me ...don't do anything. I'm in southeast PA.
I use heat lamps Hang with a chain. Insert a seperate hook and put another chain If one fails you got a back up. They can get under of cold. Around if they need to Works great for my 5 ladies.
Great video! Bought the heated roost bars you link as I’m a first time chicken mama and animal lover and feel bad for them. I love that they turn off at 35 degrees!
I'll put them in my garage run when it gets too cold. In south central Pennsylvania we've had some cold winters and lots of snow and blizzards. Looks like 2022 is going to be a harsh one! I heard a blogger say scrambled eggs and cinnamon before they're bedtime keeps them warm, I'll definitely try this too. Also putting the liquid cocnut oil on their waddles, cones, and feet help keep frostbite from happening. Correct me if I'm wrong please 🙏🏼 🙂 Thanks, Cheryl
I'm going to have to put in a lot of thought into a enclosure for some chickens coop too since I live in Montana just a few miles outside of Glacier National Park. We have weasels, bobcats, foxes, coyotes, wolves, and both black and grizzlies bears here. I might have to electrify around it. But I love those birds.
We had 8 degree overnight cold for three nights and temps inside roost were mid-20’s. We have a small roost enclosure with a 12x6 run with a roof and hardware cloth covered with clear plastic. I’ve been in there with winds in the 35 mph range and hardly feel any breeze. I do not use deep litter. If moisture is a threat for frostbite then their poop would be producing a lot of humidity. Every day I scoop out what I can and keep bedding fresh as possible. Not one spec of frostbite on the ladies.
Me watching this in August because I got chickens this year and have no idea how to winterize there coop. Also super pumped learning you’re from Wisconsin.
Nice video! I wrapped my run (on two sides) with roofing felt paper that I had laying around. It has worked really well. That still fly up on the perch above it when they want to look around more.
Midwest winters get cold 🥶 We follow most of the same...but we don’t do heated waterers we do a trade out method. The main thing chickens need is a draft free coop so a supplemental heat isn’t necessary...at least for us...and we’ve been hit with polar vortexes.
Get video. 👌I agree with you on the cold. I don't consider chickens wild animals. They need us and we are responsible for them. We rescued some seramas (bantams) and the heat was too much. They live inside now and they are so tiny and are cuddle bugs. They have a great set up.. The normal girls are outside but we leave in Cali so we don't have cold weather. 🤣
i use the heated waterers with horizontal poultry nipple waterers and they have never frozen. The vertical ones will freeze because they work differently than the horizontals. I put plastic sheeting up on the sides under the area of the coop so that they can still go under the coop and dirt bathe. the area under the coop is predator protected as well with 12 inches of hardware cloth embedded all around the perimeter. I checked outside today and the temperature outside the coop was -14. if it stays low like that , I will probably bust out the CozyCoop heaters. My coop is in Cleveland Ohio and we are currently being hit with high winds and blowing/drifting snow. the girls are getting plenty of snacks now. i need to think about the straw bales as a wind buffer
Great tips! Also, you need to choose your chicken breeds carefully, some are more heat/cold tolerant than others I am planning to get chickens again in the the next year or two 😎
Going to have to watch the weather where I live, in southern Alberta we can have -40 one day and then the next we will get a Chinook and it'll be 45 and back to freezing in a couple days, and don't even start on windchill, we are in the second windiest city in Canada so there is almost always wind. Thinking of getting a heater of some sort for the extremes but for sure want to stay clear of fire hazards.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL. If you want to stop guessing about the temperature in the coop check out some temperature recorders like SwitchBot, 4 for approximately $40. These little devices continuously record the temperature and the data can be retrieved via a Bluetooth app on your phone so you can keep track from whereever the bluetooth limit gets you. I place one unit outside (shaded and wind protected) as my control and a second unit adjacent to the roost. Once you have a baseline adjust your windscreens, wraps, vents, insulation, liter, etc and review the results. You will learn what you need to do to control the temperature of the coop about as fast as the chickens learn about the automatic door.
Oh I wish I'd had this info about horizontal air flow. We usually never get better 20 at night not -10. I lost 7 chickens to the cold. 😥 sadly I am a new chicken raiser. And I have been trying to keep birds alive all year. I'm watching your feed from now on.
Thank you! I’m a brand new chicken mamma, got my babies in May, It’s September, they should start laying eggs in November I believe, and I’m wondering what I need to Change for the winter! Your in Wisconsin, the weather is just like us here in Michigan!
Unfortunetly, all their body heat will also go out if you make the ventilation up high. I cover my high ventilation with plastic during the cold months, and have lower ventilation (below their perches) to use during the colder months, so they retain their body heat within the building. This just makes more sense to me, but do whatever works for you and your chickies :)
![[UNCUT] The Loyal Pin ปิ่นภักดิ์ EP.15 (1/4)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/TLBjiHvkKtE/mqdefault.jpg)
I live in Ontario, Canada in an area known as the snow belt which is just east of lake Huron. While I do not personally own chickens, my sister does and when the weather got really cold here she actually knitted them sweaters!!! I am not kidding... they were more like vests as they had holes for their wings to come out, but it was hilarious to see Rhode Island red hens in pink striped sweaters!!! They seemed to like them, none of them were trying to get them off and it seemed to help as they spent more time outside than they did without them!!! So if you or anyone you know likes to knit, it was a good way to use up left over yarn. Doesn't take a lot to make a chicken sweater!!
UPDATE 2/13/21 - We have our coop plans available to download, if you want to build one yourself. Click here for the plans: www.etsy.com/listing/947189202/efficient-chicken-coop-plans-diy?ref=shop_home_active_1 Three things I forgot to mention. 1. We do NOT use supplemental light during the winter to force them to keep laying. We believe winter is a much-needed time for their bodies to rest and self-regulate, and being in the business of growing food naturally, we're not about to manipulate their little systems. Plus, it means they'll likely continue laying at an older age, too! 2. You may notice that one of our Black Copper Marans, Ms. Frizzle, is showing early signs of comb frostbite. We discovered this week that she'd been broody on a hidden nest in the backyard for who-knows-how-long, and her increased exposure to the elements took a toll on her poor little comb! 3. Sorry for the snowblower noise! Snow removal is part of each day where I live, and I'm not about to complain about my neighbors snowblowing, just as they're not about to complain when my chickens sing the egg song. People mind their own business around here, and we're all proud of that! #nokarensplease
Super cold here in Colorado right now. We have been putting in a 5 gallon bucket with lid of tap hot water into the coop. It's passive heat and water has a super high heat capacity. Measured outside temp was 6 F, inside coop was 22 F about 5 hours after putting in the bucket. No fire danger, only moderate heating to enable chickens to continue to self regulate, and a very simple short term way to gently provide a buffer of sub-zero temp dip in Colorado.
This is a good idea. Just starting to get colder here in Northern IL. And my biggest worry was the cold.
Thx for the tip Cuz
You do this daily?
Humidity is horrible for your birds, the birds can handle the cold as long as they don't have major draft and free from moisture
@@Beautyprossalon there was a lid on top, no evaporation
LOL! That random chicken that wander off in the snow towards the ends cracks me up. XD
When shes talking about chickens being stuck in a coop , at the 12:28 mark, you see a chicken in the background (right behind the coop) escaping and as the video goes on (13:10 mark) the chicken is getting further and further away 🤣🤣 so much for being stuck in the coop. Hilarious !
Run chicken run!! 🤣
This is hands down the best backyard chicken raising channel that covers so so much that I rely upon so often! I really like that you focus so much on chickens, it’s what keeps me watching so often
I’m a fellow Wisconsinite- SO happy to see some chicken videos from Wisconsin! Winters are nasty and long here, so tips for winter care for chickens is very appreciated!!!
same here. we saw tons that lost toes and combs if not their lives. we had a heater on. we have had several yrs of -30--40 even.
yes. Im also in Wisc.
OMg...I currently have a cheapy coop so right now during our fridged mid-west winter, I have a 4 person tent attached to their 6 ft. run in our garage which only gets to 32 degrees but averages 40-45 degrees. Until I build a better hefty coop like yours, they will be in my garage next to my car through the winter. Their tent has 3-4 inches of wood shavings (and there is literally no chicken poop odor in my garage just a bit more dust) and a roosting bar. I cut a door from the back end of the tent to their run which houses their food and water so they can go back and forth between tent and run. The tent has vents at the top. They love it! I take them for a walk a few times a week, but if it's snowing, they turn right back around and run to the tent.
These are the most spoiled chickens ever!
That's awesome! Way to be creative!
We are in Northern Alberta and -20c to -40 is our average temperature in the winter. Our coops have to be on the ground and insulated well. We have heaters in them that go on at -20c. They are locked in quite a bit through the winter do to extreme cold. So we need bigger coops.
Same here in Finland. I’m just building a new chicken coop (house) and making sure it’ll be warm even in -35 degrees celsius.
You are a Wisconsin chicken tender with a hen named Reptar. You have gained my subscription and respect ✊
Same 🤣❤️
Great tips, thanks. This is our first winter with chickens and it’s going colder in a few days. 🥶
Kudos to you guys for bringing the chickens indoors in extreme weather. “You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.” - The Little Prince
I like that quote. Truth.
Hi, I had found something interesting in Iceland...they have a law that where people keep their animals at night in their barn stalls. The law say they have to have 10 inches of straw or wood shavings bedding at least 10 inches thick ... They said doing this can raise the temperature to ten degrees and gives off a mild heat. For the animals. Deep litter idea works... .so it might be a good idea to try.
Another idea I was thinking of trying is geothermal and can be used for other buildings too ...works like this a 4" plastic PVC pipe buried 8 to 10;foot deep. One end open to the back corner and the other to the front corner. 8 foot a pipe will heat 6' of floor space . Now a small electric fan to pull the air through the pipe and a thermostat to cut on at 50 ° farinheit and heard of people using it in greenhouses to warm them in areas of extreme cold. And acourse the geothermal is a lot more work but is well worth the effort for you and your farm the only problem I have is I'd have to dig the trenches by hand but if I could hire someone with a back hoe it would be so much easier...good luck and thanks for your tips ....fair thee well in your endeavors!
I’m glad you mentioned that chickens got sick after the-30 temperatures because everyone else on TH-cam says they will be fine. I live at 10,000 feet in the Colorado mountains and -30 temperatures are normal with 90mph winds. Someone I know up here with chickens said we need one 60 watt bulb for every 10 chickens in the winter in their coop. I want to get chickens and I’m doing research but sounds like my local person is right.
Can you make a video about how you trained your dogs to like the chickens please!!!
YES PLEASE!
Yes!
Yes, please!
My dog like the chickens, my chickens don’t like the chickens. The chickens have known each other from birth, I think he’s just too playful lmao
I raised my puppy with adult chickens when he was small enough to learn not mess with their pointy little faces. Keeping them together and letting the dog see me treat the hens as friends not food, as well as encouraging him to be extra protective of 'his' birds I think set him on the right path with poultry. Sorry, I have no idea how to train an adult dog not to chase hens. If I had that problem, I think I’d go straight to a professional trainer. It wouldn’t be worth the trial and error of figuring it out on my own.
If you have the coop built properly then no need for supplemental heating. I think you covered all the basics of a good coop for winter and a few that I didn’t think of. Especially proper ventilation which I think is the biggest factor that you have to get correct. Haven’t had chicken in years but when we did we didn’t use the very popular deep litter method that seems to be the way many are going. It definitely makes sense though that as the litter decomposes you get the heat reaction. We never had issues in the winter although we never made it down to -30F. I think our record was around -15F and going into the negatives at all was extremely rare.
I do plan on getting chickens again but winters will not be a problem at all where I live now, but summer could be problematic. Going to build a very different style coop for the overwhelming heat here in Florida.
A most excellent point you made about wild animals can go find the place to survive and the animals you are a taking care of are dependent on you and the materials you provide and they can’t move around. Glad I found your channel.
I've always used the deep litter method with great success and just this winter, I moved several cubic yards of hot compost into their covered run and they loved it! They had the best winter ever! Also, if I need to take the edge off the cold in the coop, I’ve had good luck by putting a crockpot full of sand in there and it helps them weather particularly frigid Vermont nights.
Dumb question, you hear the sand? And on hi or low temp for how long?
@@winniecash1654 I would assume on keep warm setting.
Also in WI. I keep my chickens in a plastic covered hoop greenhouse over winter, they love it. Lots of leaves in bags for the deep litter bedding, a heated waterer, and an inner coop inside this which is a small A fram covered with reflectix and a tote with a door cut into it inder that, they roost on top of the reflectix and it keeps their feet warm, they can go under it into the tote if they want to be even warmer, but so far they never have except thats where they prefer to lay eggs.
We use heat lamps in our coop but we have them on a timer so they don't stay on. I think our usual timer is 20-30 minutes on and 1 hour-1 hour and a half off. This seems to keep our coop at a moderate temperature without over doing it. We also keep a thermometer in the coop to make sure it isn't getting too warm. The coop usually stay around 40-50F in our cold buffalo winters. Mainly so our waterer doesn't freeze.
We have a raised coop as well and when it snows I just create a path to get under coop. We have a heated water system with an aquarium heater, pump and a closed loop pvc in coop. Makes a big difference. Also used deep litter method . Was in single digits last week but never drops lower than about 21 degrees F. I do give them a bunch of grain (scratch) before bedtime. They are wearing the equivalent of down coats after all. Love the video.
I live in town and watched your deep litter method. It works amazing. there is 0 smell. Living in town with neighbors so close, I was afraid of smell, thank you so much for sharing!
Really enjoyed this vid,all the best from the UK🇬🇧…….subscribed 👍🏼
Under the floor of your coop you could cut pieces of styrofoam insulation to squeeze between the boards, but you would also have to cover it with something they couldn't tear up. Plywood, thick plastic, sheet metal tacked in place. Since heat goes up, just stopping the cold from below would make it considerably warmer. Sort of the same theory as putting your electric blanket under the mattress instead of covering up with it. Just a thought.
Chickens eat Styrofoam like popcorn.... Its very annoying.
Fellow Wisconsin native here! About to start a flock with the weather warming up. Great videos and tips!!!
OMG! It was so funny to watch Lucy (black chicken) walking through the deep snow! 😂 Your videos are so entertaining as well as informative!! 😄 Thank you!
Your videos are always very well done and helpful. You also have a great personality that comes through and makes your videos fun to watch!
The tent idea is a good one. Although I think I will just set them up in our garage if weather gets too cold which isn’t heated but we can easily provide some mild heat within the area so they don’t then get too warm.
They are beautiful chickens! Great tips! We are surviving our first winter with chickens now.
Great tips, thank you. We've moved to a slightly colder climate that stays colder longer than where we lived before so I appreciate hearing from someone who lives in an even colder one!
I love your content, I will be getting my first set of baby chicks in a couple months and I am so excited. Your videos have been such a great resource for me. I live in a very similar climate (Wyoming) and your tips are very helpful. I actually used to live in Wisconsin and know the winters there can be brutal.
Your video is exceptionally helpful. I wish I had this information a few years ago before we gave up raising backyard chickens in Minnesota.
❤ all of your videos. Fun to see the black chicken walking in the snow behind you during this one.
So glad I first watched this a while ago. Went to Dicks Sporting Goods last night and got a cheap tent to get ready for tomorrow’s blizzard and -40° windchill that’s coming. Tnx for the vid!
Thank you so much, I'm preparing to get a chicken for a pet but my husband said I have to keep it outside so I decided to get three so he can stay warm, in our Illinois farm country weather. Thank you so much for the information enjoyable video!
I'm in long island and this is going to be my first winter with chickens. I built a coop with the idea that I would be using a radiant heater panel inside of it for our sub zero days. Our winters are so erratic, sometimes it can be 30+ all winter, others get extremely cold for long stretches. So I wanted to be prepared. My idea is to buy a heated dog water bowl. I have this idea to box out a corner of the run with 2x4's, put gravel in it, and then some chicken wire on top of the gravel so the chickens can't throw the gravel around, but the water has a place to go when it spills so it doesn't create mud. Which I think would be beneficial in the winter especially. And i could put a bowl heater buried in that gravel to keep the bowl from freezing.
Nice job on the chicken coop as well I've been raising chickens off my life and don't quite a few chicken coops looks like you guys take care of him and do a good job it's great God bless
I live in upper peninsula Michigan.
I have a ceramic wall heater in my coop that I only use for when it is double digit below zero for a length of time.
That has worked well for me so far since I’ve been doing that I have not had any deaths or sicknesses.
When I have walked into the coop with the heater on it is certainly not warm in there but it is at least not as bitter cold as it is outside.
What a cool smart chicken lady. I just built a coop and got 3 Rhode Island reds. Pretty excited about it ahah
Nice little Coupe you got there keep them dry and well-ventilated and will survive all the winters
I live in a place that got down to -36 degrees at night I don’t use supplement heat my chickens are doing great and I have silkies what I do with my water is just leave the hose on in a kiddie pool so the ducks can swim still And I have to leave it on so the pipes don’t freeze so win win also we have 2-3 feet of snow and I do shovel I want the chickens to get out and make there own yard and they made quite a bug yard down to the dirt
We just got that -20 for a few days here in southwestern Wis I'm sure you had the same .Yes i had to give my Babys some heat .My biggest worry is so much dust in the run . Letting my babys out summer or winter is bad so many eagles and hawks . Its so nice to have another person from the same state to know how they handle different weather . In the summer i have big barn fans they sure love them . Thank you for the tips have a great day .
Love your videos. I live in NY and this video was so helpful. I'm a newbie with chicks. We have 11 babies in a brooder now (really only wanted 6 but they sent me extras). We need to add an attached condo on to our Tractor Supply hen house....
I've been raising chickens half of my life about 25 years built a lot of chicken coops Grace is a nice job on that one good luck on the chicken raising and keep up the good work
we use a heated roost bar, it is warm so it helps them stay warm, we also use deep method we also put straw in their run and we have started putting up a tarp up around their run so the wind and when it does snow wont get in the run and they can come out and run around
Thank you for this information! I am in the research stage of preparing for getting my own flock.
Good for you for believing -30 is too cold... it is. I have one of those 200 watt panel radiant heaters that I turn on at 15F on low and put it on high when it hits 0F. Works out for me. I also cut down the ventilation when it gets really cold. I hate seeing frozen combs and wattles.
Just bought my first flock this weekend. Really enjoying your channel.
Chicken raiser in WI.. Never have used heat lamps in the coop. Our large insulated coop, the first winter, totally covered all vents. This was not good, huge humidity, and they got frost bite on combs. Since then, I cover the vents, but leave a bit open, and have not had and issue with high frozen moisture since. I have never had the frost bite issue since. I have never brought mine in my home (basement or what ever) in winter.. mine have survived sub zero temps, and have never lost any due to this, or any gotten sick. I do however have a much larger coop then you, fully insulated except for the vents. They snuggle on the roosts (varying heights) and have all been safe. I have a base heater for water, and love it.. I love your feedback/videos however, so see how small coops may differ.
And also love the deep litter method here.. and makes great compost for my garden!
@@dorriwaldera3081 makes wonderful garden material! We just moved our coop and new run, so didn’t get our compost this year 😔
Eastern Canada here, we have been hitting -35-40 Celsius- we added a hail of straw within the entire coop. I have never seen a shivering chicken before! However it varies by breed 100% I have orphingtons and sex links a few Easter eggers. They do well!
Thank you for all your chicken videos! I'm on the border of WI and IL and I just placed my first order for chicks! I've learned so much from you
Be prepared to keep them indoors for at least 9 weeks so their feathers fully grow in. That will be a tough transition from indoors to blast of cold.
@@matts1364 definitely! They will be super spoiled girls. Their hatch date is April 5th but I'll watch the weather and make sure they're ready before they go out to the coop.
Just got my first chicken and your channel has been SOOO helpful. Thank you!!
Do you have a coop or where do you house the chicken?
Only 1 chicken?
We have an inner run and an outer run. We put a tarpaulin stapled to the outer run. It stops all the wind and they have a big area out of the wind
Thanks for all your info. We are brand new to chickens and I have started building a chicken coop just recently. Not finished but we love your information. Thank you.
I put my 24 babies in the garage on those bitter cold days. In fact, they’re in there now 😂 don’t mind scraping dookie off of everything and a cold car in the morning if it means the chickies are safe!
Me and mum have been thinking abt owning chickens for a while now. We livein sweden so in the summer it's like 30 degrees celsius andin winter it's a -18 snow wonderland lol so this was super helpful! Even if we don't actually get chickens this's still super informative
Just found you in my feed. New sub! I’m in PA and got my chickens last spring. Thanks for the advice. I broke down and heat my coop, but we keep it just at 30-32 ish. I don’t have a heated watered but it will be in my coop next year. I have to go change out the water 4-5 times a day. Thankfully I have the time and availability to do so.
Where we live it's the blasted heat that is hard on animals. Working with cold weather and wind is doable, but there isn't much we can do with the heat except shade and fresh water.
This is my first winter for chickens. I have 15. I think next year I'll get 5 more. I've been doing research. My neighbor told me ...don't do anything. I'm in southeast PA.
I use heat lamps Hang with a chain. Insert a seperate hook and put another chain If one fails you got a back up. They can get under of cold. Around if they need to Works great for my 5 ladies.
We only get down in the teens where I live thank goodness. Still gonna get a water heater and draft proof some areas!
Great video! Bought the heated roost bars you link as I’m a first time chicken mama and animal lover and feel bad for them. I love that they turn off at 35 degrees!
I am getting chickens this spring and I am so excited. Your videos have been the most enjoyable to watch and so informative. Thank you!
Excited for you 🙌🏼 We love having chickens...they are just fun to have, give eggs and the poo makes great compost. You’ll love em, we do ❤️ 🐓
I'll put them in my garage run when it gets too cold. In south central Pennsylvania we've had some cold winters and lots of snow and blizzards.
Looks like 2022 is going to be a harsh one!
I heard a blogger say scrambled eggs and cinnamon before they're bedtime keeps them warm, I'll definitely try this too. Also putting the liquid cocnut oil on their waddles, cones, and feet help keep frostbite from happening. Correct me if I'm wrong please 🙏🏼 🙂
Thanks,
Cheryl
I'm going to have to put in a lot of thought into a enclosure for some chickens coop too since I live in Montana just a few miles outside of Glacier National Park. We have weasels, bobcats, foxes, coyotes, wolves, and both black and grizzlies bears here. I might have to electrify around it. But I love those birds.
We had 8 degree overnight cold for three nights and temps inside roost were mid-20’s. We have a small roost enclosure with a 12x6 run with a roof and hardware cloth covered with clear plastic. I’ve been in there with winds in the 35 mph range and hardly feel any breeze.
I do not use deep litter. If moisture is a threat for frostbite then their poop would be producing a lot of humidity. Every day I scoop out what I can and keep bedding fresh as possible. Not one spec of frostbite on the ladies.
Me watching this in August because I got chickens this year and have no idea how to winterize there coop. Also super pumped learning you’re from Wisconsin.
Just ordered the roost. Love that idea!
Nice video! I wrapped my run (on two sides) with roofing felt paper that I had laying around. It has worked really well. That still fly up on the perch above it when they want to look around more.
Up Here in Vermont its rough in the Winter so coops got a Rv diesel heater just keep it above freezing
Thinking about heat and light, my suggestion would be a hydronic heat system and a sealed full spectrum LED panel.
It's true ...our chickens are dependent on us.
All your video's are very informative, thank you.
We are new to chickens and your tips are very helpful! Thank you!
Midwest winters get cold 🥶 We follow most of the same...but we don’t do heated waterers we do a trade out method. The main thing chickens need is a draft free coop so a supplemental heat isn’t necessary...at least for us...and we’ve been hit with polar vortexes.
Make some thankful to live in Florida lol! But I will have to take precautions in the summer.
I am living in Wisconsin as well and planning on keeping some layer chickens this year. This is definitely helpful. Thanks for the video.
Get video. 👌I agree with you on the cold. I don't consider chickens wild animals. They need us and we are responsible for them. We rescued some seramas (bantams) and the heat was too much. They live inside now and they are so tiny and are cuddle bugs. They have a great set up.. The normal girls are outside but we leave in Cali so we don't have cold weather. 🤣
i use the heated waterers with horizontal poultry nipple waterers and they have never frozen. The vertical ones will freeze because they work differently than the horizontals. I put plastic sheeting up on the sides under the area of the coop so that they can still go under the coop and dirt bathe. the area under the coop is predator protected as well with 12 inches of hardware cloth embedded all around the perimeter. I checked outside today and the temperature outside the coop was -14. if it stays low like that , I will probably bust out the CozyCoop heaters. My coop is in Cleveland Ohio and we are currently being hit with high winds and blowing/drifting snow. the girls are getting plenty of snacks now. i need to think about the straw bales as a wind buffer
Last year Wisconsin where we are in the northern part of Wisconsin it was -40° but we also got 36 inches of snow and one day
And that is in the Hayward area
Thank you for the great video, I am in WI too.
I need your summer tips!
Great tips! Also, you need to choose your chicken breeds carefully, some are more heat/cold tolerant than others
I am planning to get chickens again in the the next year or two 😎
U r just the cutest out in the snow
Thank you for the insight!
Going to have to watch the weather where I live, in southern Alberta we can have -40 one day and then the next we will get a Chinook and it'll be 45 and back to freezing in a couple days, and don't even start on windchill, we are in the second windiest city in Canada so there is almost always wind. Thinking of getting a heater of some sort for the extremes but for sure want to stay clear of fire hazards.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL. If you want to stop guessing about the temperature in the coop check out some temperature recorders like SwitchBot, 4 for approximately $40. These little devices continuously record the temperature and the data can be retrieved via a Bluetooth app on your phone so you can keep track from whereever the bluetooth limit gets you. I place one unit outside (shaded and wind protected) as my control and a second unit adjacent to the roost. Once you have a baseline adjust your windscreens, wraps, vents, insulation, liter, etc and review the results. You will learn what you need to do to control the temperature of the coop about as fast as the chickens learn about the automatic door.
I use a5 gallon bucket with water nipples and put in a small trough heater.
I'm so happy to have found your channel . I love your easy style , always looking for a no fuss system.
Oh I wish I'd had this info about horizontal air flow. We usually never get better 20 at night not -10. I lost 7 chickens to the cold. 😥 sadly I am a new chicken raiser. And I have been trying to keep birds alive all year. I'm watching your feed from now on.
Thank you! I’m a brand new chicken mamma, got my babies in May, It’s September, they should start laying eggs in November I believe, and I’m wondering what I need to Change for the winter! Your in Wisconsin, the weather is just like us here in Michigan!
Thanks for this video! I am considering backyard chickens for Southern Canada, and your video is very helpful!
Warm regards, Chris.
Your all video really nice and full of practical knowledge and experience, you have lovely dog 🐕 😊😊😊
Thank you for this video. Very useful information!
Unfortunetly, all their body heat will also go out if you make the ventilation up high. I cover my high ventilation with plastic during the cold months, and have lower ventilation (below their perches) to use during the colder months, so they retain their body heat within the building. This just makes more sense to me, but do whatever works for you and your chickies :)
If you maintain the moisture to acceptable levels you're fine.
This is just the info I was looking for, thank you! Great video!
You say it's modular I'd love to see how!!!
-27 wind chill tonight in Illinois... They seem fine but I put heat in the coup just incase..So far they are in the run..I guess they like it cold.
Excellent information.
Is it just me or do cross beak chickens look super cute!?