BDN interviews Coffin about caring for backyard farm animals during winter
Donna Coffin, a University of Maine Cooperative Extension educator and professor, spoke with the Bangor Daily News for an article about caring for backyard farm animals during the Maine winter. “In winter, water is the biggest thing,” Coffin said. “You need to figure out a way to get fresh water to the animals. There are a hundred different ways to lug water.” If the water container is not heated, then it means going out once or twice a day to remove the frozen water and replace it with liquid, according to the article. “If you do use some sort of water heater, make sure it is installed according to the instructions,” Coffin said. “You don’t want any sparks that could ignite hay or straw and cause a fire.” It’s also important, Coffin said, that animals have adequate shelter during the winter. “With poultry, you need to make sure the coop is well ventilated,” she said. “A lot of times people want to make sure their birds are warm so they close it right up like they are sealing a house.” Over-insulating a coop prevents ventilation, allowing the ammonia created by chicken waste to build up, creating an unhealthy environment for birds, the article states. “The rule of thumb is, if you walk into your coop and your eyes start to water, get some fresh air in there,” Coffin said.