Massachusetts

[The Truth Is Out There]

My response is late, but I am on the MA/RI border

 

[fox623]

I am north of Boston, in the Merrimack Valley. We got our two Crested Cream Legbar (eight- and ten-year-old) girls from Muddy Mutt Farms in Farmington, NH, and our two 14-week-old Salmon Faverolles girls from Littleman Poultry in Burrillville, RI. The latter two are still in quarantine (only because we got the CCLs first), but all four seem very healthy and acclimated. We've got a few more weeks before we can introduce them. I hope that it doesn't get super cold before then.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I am north of Boston, in the Merrimack Valley. We got our two Crested Cream Legbar (eight- and ten-year-old) girls from Muddy Mutt Farms in Farmington, NH, and our two 14-week-old Salmon Faverolles girls from Littleman Poultry in Burrillville, RI. The latter two are still in quarantine (only because we got the CCLs first), but all four seem very healthy and acclimated. We've got a few more weeks before we can introduce them. I hope that it doesn't get super cold before then.

I wouldn’t be too concerned about the cold weather moving in. Chickens come with a ready made down feather coat. But I’m confused? Did you mean 10 year old girls or 10 months? And actually, the really cold weather doesn’t usually come until January.

 

[fox623]

I wouldn’t be too concerned about the cold weather moving in. Chickens come with a ready made down feather coat. But I’m confused? Did you mean 10 year old girls or 10 months? And actually, the really cold weather doesn’t usually come until January.

Months! Good catch. It seems they don't really molt until after a year, yeah?

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

There are different types of molting, but you are correct. Regular molting doesn’t start until they are about a year old. Winterizing your coop and run will keep your flock comfortable and safe for the winter. Make sure they have enough room inside the coop for those nasty nor’easter’s. Chickens don’t like wind whether warm or cold. There is a wealth of information on coop and run designs and winterizing your coop just search the forums. Best of luck with your wee flock.

 

[fox623]

There are different types of molting, but you are correct. Regular molting doesn’t start until they are about a year old. Winterizing your coop and run will keep your flock comfortable and safe for the winter. Make sure they have enough room inside the coop for those nasty nor’easter’s. Chickens don’t like wind whether warm or cold. There is a wealth of information on coop and run designs and winterizing your coop just search the forums. Best of luck with your wee flock.

My boyfriend and I are not super handy (yet), so we purchased a chicken coop from Champion Coops by Wooden Wonders of Maine. Our town (like many in MA) has some pretty high barriers to entry for chicken keepers, so we can only have up to six chickens. We are keeping four in a 20-square-foot coop and a 48-square-foot run. Do you think that we need to do anything else with this one: https://www.championcoops.com/chicken-coop-with-run-for-3-to-7-chickens.html#/

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

That’s a nice looking coop. It looks like it’s sturdy. The only thing you need to winterize it to block the wind. Wrapping the run with heavy duty plastic sheeting will work. Just make sure to leave enough room for ventilation. Did you opt for the hardware cloth dig barrier?

 

[fox623]

That’s a nice looking coop. It looks like it’s sturdy. The only thing you need to winterize it to block the wind. Wrapping the run with heavy duty plastic sheeting will work. Just make sure to leave enough room for ventilation. Did you opt for the hardware cloth dig barrier?

We most certainly did. Covered with about three inches of rocks! Do you think that all four sides of the run need sheeting, or just the two sides? Would you do the entire sides? Sorry for all of the questions.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

My coop and run is much bigger. I’m in a right to farm community and there are no restrictions on poultry. I have 10 hens and a rooster in an 8 by 10 foot coop with 185 square feet of covered run. I wrap the coop in plastic up to 8 to 10 inches below the roof line. I get wind, rain and snow from all sides, so yes I cover all sides. I’ve been using heavy duty shower curtains strung on rope. Easy to put up and open up some on warm sunny winter days. Their chicken yard is approximately 50 x 50 feet and fenced. I let them out for awhile in the morning and afternoon so they can scratch for goodies and eat grass. Too many predators here to let them out unsupervised. But they will come out when there’s snow.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Also, I don’t wrap the coop until November or December. Too early will be too hot for them.