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Cheap Chicken Coops For Sale in Unadilla, NE

Chicken Coops for Sale in Unadilla, Nebraska

chicken coop for sale in 
  Unadilla NE

Do I need to heat the chicken coop to get eggs this winter? If you have production type hens, those bred for egg laying, such as Isa Browns, Shaver Blacks, Leghorns, Cherry Eggers and others, they do not need heat in the average Michigan winter in order to keep laying. Some other breeds of hens, the dual purpose and fancy breeds have varying degrees of winter egg laying success and it rarely has to do with how cold it is. What the hens do need is a dry place out of the wind that has enough room, minimum 2 square feet per bird, to move around inside. Hens don't like being outside in winter weather and outside runs and pens won't be used a lot. And that inside space has to be well lighted for 14 hours a day. Light is much more crucial to winter egg laying success than heat. Using an inexpensive timer to turn the lights on at 5 am and off around 7 pm on a regular schedule is a wise investment. A nightlight left on all night is fine but there should be a distinct difference in the lighting of the coop from day period to night. If your schedule puts you in the chicken coop later than 7 pm or earlier than 5 am you can adjust the light to suit you as long as 14 hours of continuous bright light is used. Don't count on natural daylight to light the coop in Michigan winters, which are notoriously dark and gloomy, for even part of the day. Use either incandescent bulbs, which do give off some heat, or the screw in fluorescents and leave them on for 14 hours. Another important factor in keeping hens laying through the winter is to make sure they have enough water. Warm water brought to the coop twice or more times a day will work as will a heated water dish that keeps water from freezing. Older hens are more inclined to slow down laying in winter regardless of the breed. This is normal and not related to the cold. When the weather gets below zero for a few days all hens may slow down egg laying but should resume when the weather warms up. Corn and other carb rich grains do not make the chickens warmer as some people believe. Keep them on their laying feed except for occasional treats. If you start feeding a lot of supplemental stuff you will get their diet off balance and that will affect laying. You may need to feed a little more than you do in the summer as the hens need more food for maintaining body heat. If you do decide to warm the coop don't warm it above 40 degrees and watch for moisture and ammonia build up. Those things harm the chickens more than the cold. Good ventilation is a must, although the chickens should not be exposed to strong drafts at floor or roost level. One heat lamp over a part of the roost area may be enough to keep the hens comfortable. Keep the floor of the coop dry and make sure the hens can perch up off the ground. If you can, provide a box of sand for winter dust baths. A pumpkin, head of cabbage or lettuce, or large squash will provide a treat and help with boredom. Your hens should continue to provide you with eggs throughout the winter with good care and no added heat. For more information on keeping chickens laying please see this book Raising Chickens for Dummies, which has all the latest chicken information. For more about eggs see this article Which eggs taste better and this one Avoiding salmonella in home eggs Other articles you may enjoy are Best breeds for backyard eggs and where do I get chickens for eggs


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