I live in Minnesota - yah, U betchya!  We eat lots of hot dishes in the winter.  But what about the poultry you ask? You did wonder didn't you?This is how I keep poultry ~ it works for me in my slice of heaven where the temps can quickly go from +50  to -30 in a matter of hours.

Flooring covering: Wood chips/sawdust works the best here, for me.  I try to keep it 2" or 3" deep.  Birds don't have blood in their feet so they are able to walk on frozen ground, but it is no more pleasant for them than it is for us.

Birds tend to leave the largest amount of droppings just below their sleeping roosts.  With wood chip/saw dust it is a simple matter of removing a whole frozen pile with pitch fork.  This is much quicker and easier for the human than cleaning the whole area.  Just add more bedding to replace that which is forked up or scratched to and fro.

Egg Laying Nests: My nests have a rabbit wire bottom.  When cleaned, they are sprinkled with bug-preventative dust.  Clean straw is thickly arranged for nesting comfort and egg safety.

Water: I use a rubber hog pan.  An oil changing pan works well too.  Rubber, not metal because, wattles can become stuck and freeze to pan side if metal.  In my 2 gallon pan I have a submersible stock tank heater. It only comes on at +40.  It sits on the bottom of the pan.  The water never freezes.  My pan is square.  Across the top I have a board that covers all but 1 corner leaving about 6" of uncovered pan.  This is enough room for all of my poultry to drink comefortably.  Also, the board is a kitty sitting spot for barn mousers to drink at.  Some of the smaller poultry also use this board & dip their heads down to drink. 

The water pan needs regular cleaning.  A discarded bottle brush hangs above the pan on a hook.  Lid removed and standing against wall, stock tank heater hung on hook. Pan sides are brushed clean and dirty weater tossed out the door.  We have an interesting nature-made sculpture by the end of winter.  Clean fresh water is then poured in pan, heater and board replaced on top.

Feed:   Not all poultry can/will eat the same feed.  The larger turkeys and peafowl want bigger chunks.  Cochins & Silkies require teeny bits.In a pair of clean, discarded top opening freezers is a nutricious and interesting feed mixture.  With protein #1 concern for my flocks, I hand mix with care.  In my freezers is: shell corn, cracked corn, rolled oats, whole oats, wheat, barley, game bird concentrates, and chicken concentrates. 

One big hanging round feeder hangs in the center of the barn.  It is kept full with about 5 gallons of this grain mix.  Each species takes what they want.  It is always available and hangs under the lights.

Rodents? Nope!  My barn mousers watch the feeder area with glee.  Mice do not like my barn.  Tom turkey tattles to barn kitty too.

Predators? Nope!  My dogs watch the barn exterior and happily tattle to us about any critter dumb enough to attempt chicken dinner!

Feathers and eggs are gathered several times a day.  This gives the birds a sense of security - their keeper is close by.

This is my poultry winter quarters.  Doors are kept tightly closed. Energy saving lights hang down to light all areas, especially focusing on food and water.  These lights are plugged into timers so the correct amount of "day light" is provided to stimulate egg production.

This is pampered poultry life in my barn in Minnesota with some pretty drastic tempature changes. 

I hope my guides are entertaining as well as informative.  Please peruse all of my guides and vote on them.  Thank you.