Winter quarters

The chickens are faring pretty well in this cold weather.  They don't like the snow at all, and won't venture outside unless I scrape away enough snow that they can see ground under it.  "Oh, and brush off the ramp too please."

After the first really cold spell we had this winter, the chickens with the longest combs got spots of frost bite on one or two tips.  To rectify this, I installed a false ceiling above their roost to keep a small pocket of warmer air above them, and prevent cold drafts from coming down.

I closed off most of the eave vents and one of the two gable vents.  So now there is one gable vent open above the roost, which is covered with a false ceiling (piece of 1/4" plywood) and about 18" of eave vent near the front of the North facing eave.

Vents are necessary even in Winter to allow humid air to escape.  Moist air causes condensation, and frost bite. 

I have an LED light running on a timer to give them extra daylight hours, hoping to keep them laying eggs.  They did continue laying through December, but started to slow down in January.  In the fall I was getting about 22 a week, and now only about 7-10.  My Golden buff continues to lay an egg a day almost without fail!

The only artificial heat I give them, on the really cold nights, is a 5 gallon bucket of hot water.  It never freezes solid even after a night in the single digits.  I also made a heated waterer by taping heat cable under the reservoir and water trough of my plastic waterer.  It's just enough to keep the water from freezing.