[Shazzer]

Now that it is getting cold is there anything I need to be doing to my hen house in preperation for the cold weather?  It' pretty draft proof, apart form the air holes, but will it need something more , especially when its freezing cold.

[muntjac]

its not cold as kills em shazzer its draughts ..... so shut up tight and go inside n see where the gaps are , fix em n ur sorted  

[Shazzer]

I cant fit in there

[muntjac]

well send a kid in or the hubby lol shut the door and see if tey can sort it fer ya lol

[Shazzer]

Thanks Munty, I don't think its drafty, maybe I could get some draft exluders for around the door lol. and maybe a hot water bottle!

[muntjac]

no hot water bottle .. thye will sweat n get colds  

[chicksforkicks]

put a light in to keep them laying. thats what ive heard of, and we're doing it this winter.

[muntjac]

that works by extending the daylight hours but it is not intended to be on all hours . the maximum laying time is during 14 hours of sunlight or there abouts . if you try to force the birds to over produce they suffer ... all things need a break    

[chicksforkicks]

my bad on not saying that. thank you muntjac :roll:

[muntjac]

no bad  chicks ,,, its something i wont do is all ...  

[Green man]

Hi this is the first time that I have had chickens and also the first time on this forum so bear with me?? Would I be right in saying that we should put in a really thick layer of straw on the floor of the hen house?? We have already put a good deal in the nest boxes. I am just thinking of keeping them all warm. Thanks for your help
Green man

[GrannieAnnie]

I don't give the chooks extra light either.  my ex batt hens had to lay all the time and had lots of artifical light.  so we let them behave like 'normal' chooks.  In the winter, they go to bed early when it gets dark.  In the summer, they don't go to bed until 10pm!!!

And like Munty says, as long as they are not draughty.  After all, their ancestors were wild animals!!!

[muntjac]

welcome to the gang greenman   pop up to welcomes and tell us a bit about urself .all the women on here are nosey .so give summat to do     a good idea the thick straw layer greenman if the house is a concrete /mud floor one . if its wood the moisture will soon get the wood sodden n rot the floor . and you dont need loads straw in the nest boxes as they roost on perches not in the nests matey   just make sure the place is draugt proof  but make sure its got ventilation and iot will be fine .... when sever weather used to hit we used to put straw bales around the houses to stop the wind sucking the warmth out of the coops  and cover with a tarp but also kept the vents open and clear, mind it was minus 30'c lol   and the chickens still went outside when the sun shone  :shock:

[Trillium]

Shazzer, if you can't fit into your henhouse, then in evening, set a bright light (eg flashlight) in the coop and from outside note and mark where the light comes through. You can repair those externally next day. I used good caulk on my previous coop and that worked fine against drafts.

[agapanthus]

How about this Shazzer?

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1417224.html