Winter Tips for Chooks....

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Step.hens

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #45 on: January 17, 2010, 12:37 »
For keeping the water from freezing up. Try using a 'Brewing Heating Belt' around the drinker circumference. may need to protect it from pecking or gnawing rodents.  Cable fed into a hosepipe would help keep things safe. RCD protection always.

I make housing and insulate my houses or hutches with paper shreddings compaced within the construction. 

Step~hens
Buck-ark!!

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gillian62

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #46 on: March 06, 2010, 08:46 »
My chickens (which I've only had 2 weeks) love their porridge every morning.  I always put some layer pellets in it, to ensure they eat them.  I make it with water.

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Trisha

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #47 on: June 10, 2010, 11:05 »
Great tips, I'll be well prepared when the winter comes.  I'm a newbie to the forum and only had my chooks 2weeks and learning from them every day.   :)
« Last Edit: June 11, 2010, 21:17 by Trisha »

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jhub

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #48 on: June 10, 2010, 21:54 »
thanks for your pearls of wisdom and I have a Q about  insulation/ wind barriers.
I have an Eglu cube but only 3 chx so they huddle in a corner. Should I place a couple of carboard boxes in the house to keep them cosy or am I being over protective?

Also some of you have suggested wind barriers for the run- I use polystyrene insulation sheets on the lower walls of the greenhouse, could i use these along one side of the run anchored with bungees? My hens have not pecked at the ones in the greenhouse so no probs with attempting to eat it.
Thanks
Jane

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joyfull

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #49 on: June 11, 2010, 08:27 »
I wouldn't use polystyrene, there is always that risk of them eating it - they may not have yet but they could in the future.
Your hens will be alright in their cube over winter they have their own duvets wrapped all around them and will still stay huddled together. If you want a wind break around your run why not use scaffold material (the green fabric stuff that people use to cover cabbages etc - loads on ebay) and fix this to the outside of your run.
Staffies are softer than you think.

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jhub

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #50 on: June 11, 2010, 09:04 »
thanks Joy

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Lola

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #51 on: August 05, 2010, 21:45 »
Thanks for the tips Foxy, i'm new to chicken keeping, so this will be my first winter with them so really helpful :D

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kopperdrake

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #52 on: August 26, 2010, 13:12 »
After last winter being crazy-cold I added a post to our blog to show how we combatted the big freeze here in the flat windswept valleys of South Derbyshire


Some of it might prove useful - it worked for us (and more importantly, them) :)

EDIT: Please post your helpful information here kd.  We don't generally allow links to personal blogs.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2010, 13:17 by Aunt Sally »

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feelingbroody

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #53 on: August 26, 2010, 18:28 »
Winter!!!! winter ???? please no dont say summer is already over  :ohmy: :ohmy:
I read all the threads with great interest thank you to all who have posted on this thread, it will be my first chickenkeepingwinter  :D so all the tips have really got me prepared and thinking about the welfare of the girls in the winter time. I had heard about the light extending options to keep them in lay but I think I will let them decide what to do and if I have to go and buy a few eggs from a organic source over the winter , hey we all need a holiday  :D :D :D

Thanks peoples

Broody
if wishes were changes.......

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Knight Family

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #54 on: August 26, 2010, 22:20 »
Thats the problem of winter the reduced laying, but hey thats nature......

My problem is going to be keeping my water drinker from being frozen, since its a drip barrel type on three legs.
Graham = 2x Border collie Dogs, 2x Cats, 1x Wife, 2x Kids, 2x Hamsters and now 10x chickens.

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TeaPots

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #55 on: November 05, 2010, 22:10 »
My tip for winter chooky keepers....
BUY SOME WARM PJ'S, for that early morning/late night nip outside to the chooks in PJ's and wellies  :)   :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

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TeaPots

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #56 on: November 17, 2010, 22:54 »
I have just fixed a weldmesh panel as a ramp to the chook coop. Now the girls 'wipe their feet' as they go to bed. Much less mud and wet in the bedding, and it HAS TO BE good for their feet. Who wants to sleep with muddy feet in the cold.

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hillfooter

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #57 on: November 18, 2010, 00:57 »
My tip for winter chooky keepers....
BUY SOME WARM PJ'S, for that early morning/late night nip outside to the chooks in PJ's and wellies  :)   :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

And my tip is get an auto door control and stay in bed in your warm jimjams.
HF
Truth through science.

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TeaPots

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #58 on: November 18, 2010, 15:14 »
I would need 16 though!

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hillfooter

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Re: Winter Tips for Chooks....
« Reply #59 on: November 18, 2010, 15:44 »
I would need 16 though!


But not if you are clever and build your own with just 1 controller and 16 actuators.  I need to update my how to build an auto door controller thread"  I've been too busy recently to add the last installment. 
HF



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