chickenbrit
In the Brooder
- Jul 8, 2015
- 11
- 0
- 22
This is our first winter with chickens. We're in Michigan and getting a lot of snow and wind and colder temperatures, although not below zero yet. We have three fully grown hens. Everything I read said they would be fine in cold weather, so we haven't done any supplemental heat. I went to check on them today, and our brahma doesn't seem to be doing well. She has all her feathers puffed out and her eyes closed unless I touch her then she opens them slowly but closes them again. She's still standing, but she's very still. I brought her into the garage and she's just standing in a box with food and water in front of her, but she's not touching it. Will she eventually warm up or should I do something more? Should I point a heat lamp at her or will that be too much heat all at once? She is also missing a lot of her tail feathers. A rooster from her previous home pulled her feathers out. They haven't completely grown back yet.
One of our other chickens is bleeding a little on her comb. I'm guessing it's a little bit of frost bite. These chickens are clearly not warm enough in this weather. Should we put a heat lamp in their coop? Can we just use the same one that we used with chicks? Should we leave it on at all times or just at night? Their food and water is outside in the snow. Should we bring it all inside their coop and just let them stay in there 24/7 while it's so cold outside? They are scared to walk on the snow, so they won't come out to eat and drink if there's snow on the ground.
Help, what do I do?
One of our other chickens is bleeding a little on her comb. I'm guessing it's a little bit of frost bite. These chickens are clearly not warm enough in this weather. Should we put a heat lamp in their coop? Can we just use the same one that we used with chicks? Should we leave it on at all times or just at night? Their food and water is outside in the snow. Should we bring it all inside their coop and just let them stay in there 24/7 while it's so cold outside? They are scared to walk on the snow, so they won't come out to eat and drink if there's snow on the ground.
Help, what do I do?