7 Important steps to prepare chickens for fall and winter

Prepare your chickens to cooler temperatures

At this time of year it is important to start preparing chickens and coop for cooler weather. In the Middle West, the popularity of winter breeds is quite high. However, if you do not keep them warm and well -fed enough, there is a good chance that their egg production will fall or stop completely. By taking steps to winter Coop before entering winter, you can easily keep your happily, healthy and putting chicken.

Coop wintering

In every situation of survival, finding a good shelter is the most important thing for both people and animals, including chickens. The disease or death resulting from exposure is perhaps the greatest winter threat to the herd’s well -being. Preparing chicken for cold months is one of the most important steps to keep the birds of happy, warm and healthy birds. It is important to provide your chickens clean, warm and devoid of the environment for the winter.

Clean, clean, clean

Some autumn cleaning will significantly contribute to preparing Coop for the winter. Take out all the perch, dishes, removable sockets and other accessories and spend some time on a good scrub. Use rins and scalders to get off all stuck droppings and wash everything thoroughly with a commercial cleaning agent or a simple oct-water solution. Now is also a great time to check everything: are there any cracks in dishes or are they too worn out? List everything that is in poor condition and leave the rest in the sun to dry.

Fortify

Before restoring perch and everything else to your place in Coop, use an additional space to carry out a thorough inspection. Coop’s integrity will change in cold months.

While maintaining air flow is as important in winter as in summer, too much can allow sketches in Coop. However, to a slight air flow or poor control of water leaks, however, it can cause an increase in humidity, which can make breeding breeding for parasites and diseases. You want your Coop to keep comfortable humidity from 40 to 60 percent. In winter, not only the weather threatens your chickens; It is also cold, hungry predators that can be bolder in search of an easy meal when the resources become rare.

A few things that should be noted during CoOP control:

• Make sure that the door, gaps and other holes are properly suspended and can close tightly.
• Look for signs of water leakage and make sure the roof is waterproof. Make the roofs if necessary.
• Watch out for holes, cracks, holes and everything that could allow a sketch. Some gaps and ventilation holes may require winter closure.
• Watch out for the signs of predators and strengthen any weak places you notice.
• If you have electricity for Coop, check all wires, equipment and sockets for FRAYS or other damage.
• Check Coopa bedding. Are there any signs of mice or other rodents? Is the bedding clean enough to be dressed or will it require replacement?

Linen

Most herd owners believe that it is not necessary to completely clean and replace Coop bedding in autumn. In fact, the presence of manure and decaying bedding creates heat and can help maintain a warmer level. If you decide to replace the bedding, don’t worry – there will be a lot of time to build manure all winter.

You don’t have to switch to a new type of bedding for the winter. The following are perfect bedding throughout the year:

• Straw: straw is easy to get and works great or mixed with other types of bedding.
• Wooden vertices: aspen, pine and other chips are widely available, can keep the stench and worms and create excellent insulation. Just make sure that the chips are chicken friendly.
• Damaged paper: it breaks down too quickly and spreads so that it can be used only as bedding. The destroyed paper is an excellent lining for socket boxes, adds additional insulation, spreads well and is often free (the newspaper is the best – avoid bleached, colorful or shiny paper).

Heaters

In the Middle West, in the north -east and other regions, in which the winter temperature regularly falls to individual numbers or below zero, it is a good idea to provide a heat source in Coop. Additional heating is also important if you are sensitive to cold chicken breeds or large uniform roosters that are susceptible to frostbite. There are several ways to provide chicken with electric heat, including radiating heaters and heat lamps. If Coop is well insulated, it won’t take much to provide additional heat. One bulb by 100 W usually does the case. Regardless of what heat source you decide to use, make sure that the cables are beyond the bird reach and watch out for signs of wear or damage. Heating panels or lamps should be stored in a corner so that chickens can escape from heat if necessary.

Nutrition

Keeping heat requires high energy, so it is important that the chickens are well fed both before and during winter. You can expect their caloric needs to increase by 10 percent or more on cold days. As with the rest of the year, make sure your chickens have constant access to high quality chicken food. To help them lie down and help them cope with stress related to dropping temperatures, you can also add add -ons to their diet. It is often recommended to feed some additional corn, as well as high -quality pecking foods, such as feed cakes. To help the birds develop a bit, you can from time to time feed warm oatmeal. Many chicken owners also provide greenery, such as alfalfa, wheat grass and lettuce. This can help keep the chicken happy and nourished until spring comes, and the birds can feed again.

Water

Chickens need constant access to clean water in winter, just like in summer. If the winter temperatures drop well below zero and you are afraid to trekking to Coop to break the ice first in the morning, consider investing in a simple water heater. Birds seem to enjoy warm water and you may have peace, knowing that ice will not be a problem. Like any electric heat source, keep the wires away from birds and periodically check the signs of damage.

Preparing for winter, especially if it is your first winter with chicken, remember to relax! Chickens are surprisingly adapted birds and it’s nice to watch how well they cope with the winter cold.

Reference

https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/category/chicken-breeds?593%5B0%5D=COLD

https://www.thegardencoop.com/blog/2010/11/18/winter-chicken-coop-care-p4/#more-1204

https://www.examiner.com/article/winterizing-your-chickens-for-the-kold-zinter-zinter-zinter-zinter-zinter-zinter-zinter-zinter-zinter-zinter-zinter-zinter