# Winterizing your coop?



## K_chickens (Sep 8, 2014)

Hello, I'm new to chickens and and am approaching my first winter taking care of them. What in addition is involved in maintaining them? At what temperature so you start putting heat lamps out? Do you get a stronger wattage? I'm from Wisconsin and winters are bitter here. I'm thinking of getting a plug in waterer to keep it from freezing. I'm also trying to decide what I'm doing with my back window. It's pretty big, rests over the nesting boxes but I opted instead of shutting it with plexiglass, we just barred it with strips of wood to help keep the fresh air coming. I want to keep the ventilation going in the winter though but there will be a lot of heat lost through that window. Any tips for keeping my feathered friends comfortable this winter?


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

No draft or airflow on the birds themselves, but you want ventilation above them. Warm air is moist air, and dampness plus cold leads to frostbite. Good ventilation over the birds enables that damp air to disperse.
Heat lamps are a hot topic for discussion. I personally don't use them, as if the birds are used to them and you lose your power, the birds can't cope with the sudden change of temp and it can lead to death. Birds feathers are extremely insulating and as long as they have no drafts (which part the feathers causing heat loss) your birds will be fine.

I do increase feed in the winter using scratch grain, about 1/3 of their ration extra. The whole grains are harder to digest which makes the body warm up internally, thus helping the birds stay cozy. The extra calories and fat added with the extra feed (corn is wonderful for adding filler fat and calories) will help give the birds that boost in weight that they needs for insulation, and also help with calories lost by the bird as they burn a lot of energy keeping themselves warm.


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## nj2wv (Aug 27, 2013)

The coldest we get us about -5 f. I don't heat my coop either. I give extra food and lots of dry straw in the coop.


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## OldBrickHouseFarm (Sep 30, 2014)

It hit -19 here last year. Big open windows and no heat. 
The recommendation for grains is good, especially wheat, barley and corn, BOSS too. But I caution against 1/3 of the ration. That would cut protein/vitamins/minerals considerably. More like 10% and just before bedtime should do the trick.

Good point on power outages plus what happens when they go out into a brisk morning wind when they've been kept warm at night - stress. 
We stay warm at night and put on lots of clothes to go out in the morning, the chickens sleep in their coats.
Electric heat is prohibitively expensive as well.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

I said *increase* their ration by 1/3 using scratch grains, not replace. If they were eating 3 scoops of formulated feed a meal, they are now eating 4 scoops - 3 of formulated feed, 1 of scratch.

Birds eat more in the winter than summer and need extra feed. By using scratch grains to add those extra calories, you do not take away any of their daily nutritional values by cutting into their formulated feed ration and greatly increase their carb and calorie intake which add energy (heat) and fat. I would not limit their formulated ration at all in the winter as they need all the protein they can get. You want to supplement, NOT replace in any amount.


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## K_chickens (Sep 8, 2014)

Ok, so heat lamp is probably not necessary then. It has hit -40 a few nights last year and stayed at -20 for several weeks at a time last winter, although last winter was one of the colder winters I can remember. Should I seal the back window or leave it open? I'm worried about the air flow qualify.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Seal the window. It might help to give you more accurate information if you posted a couple of pics for your coop. Quite often the soffits are open and allow for needed air flow, some are not.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

I seal everything with vapour barrier plastic and leave the eaves and the hen door open (the latter provided the wind isn't blowing into the door). I agree, a better idea of your setup can help us give you tips that would be more adequate to your specific situation.


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## Cowchickfarmer (Sep 10, 2014)

One thing to help with frost bite on the feet of your birds is to make wooden or pvc pipe roosts for them in the winter here in Arkansas which we are getting more cold weather then usually I feed corn and some pellets not much. I also feed them steamed corn and steamed oat meal lot of heat in all use a heat lamp as well. Also if u have a hen w chicks get them in the coop or cage so they can get warm in the coop they can roost by mom in the cage get a lamp and feed corn and chick finisher


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