Minnesota! - Page 93

Im trying to decide what to do and think I will add a brooder heat lamp over one of the roosts (zip tied to prevent it coming down at all) good luck all!

It's now -13 no wind and my chickens are out in the run, all but one side covered with plastic.

Inside the insulated coop the temp is 18.

I did break down and put a brooder light in my uninsulated coop last night.  The cool still breezes in through the vents.  So at -22 this AM outside I had -4 in the coop at roost level. I think -4 will still keep them "Winter Tough" relatively speaking.  What do you think?  First year with Chickens too, here. 

 I'll keep that up for the next 3 days or so for this really deadly cold stuff and then back down to a smaller 25 red light for 0-30 F and 75 black light for -10 to 0. 

Tinkering and watching my birds.

I have a good friend that grew up on a farm and she said her Dad's focus was on his cattle etc.  Not really on the chickens. per se.  You know busy tough farmer types.  She said that she, as a kid was always trying to help the chickens with the frostbit missing legs, etc.  EGADS!  I mean I'm sure these birds had a barn, etc, probably free ranged.  Hard to say if they were left out one or two nights.  But do you think it was just a shelter thing with deadly cold conditions.  I guess in the back of my head I don't want to push those kinds of limits for my birds, when I have the means to prevent it.  I guess I should question her more about what they had for access or lack there of for their birds. 

I broke down and added a heat lamp over part of the roost for last night-will turn it on again tonight as its suppossed to get really low -20 to -30. And yes-it is probably more for me than the chickens needing it. I didnt use one last year at all, but we didnt see temps like this then either. Hope everyones chicks stay nice and warm tonight!

Oh No!  my worst fears from this morning about the frozen feet....!  My roo had a pale swollen toe this afternoon.  I think this may have started yesterday though as they wanted to be in the Run all day.  I kept them in their coop all day today and  I brought him in and soaked his feet in the laundry tub with warm water about 5 minutes.  Then started massaging that whole foot and toes for about 10 minutes.  The color deepened thank goodness and he curled it strongly around my finger when the massage was done.  I debated the dog kennel in the house tonight deal.  but he looked out the sliding glass door longingly at the coop.  To minimize his stress I did put him back down at the coop and set him near the brooder light on his 2x4 roost.    I can't believe that this has happened.  I mentioned it this morning never thinking that it would happen to me the same day.  Good Gravy!  More massage and deepening of litter happening tomorrow.

I've had chickens on and off for over 25 years. I don't heat the coops, and I've never ever seen frostbit legs or toes. Nipped combs, yes. Right now my chickens are in 2 separate coops. They have heated water bowls, I feed them fermented and dry feed - free choice. Bogtown - I have no idea how your rooster's foot may have gotten frostbite unless it was from being outside. Mine are wimps. They won't go out in the snow. I do keep the pop doors shut, when it's this cold, though, so they don't get outside but they have plenty of room in their coops, along with fresh, deep straw. I hope your rooster's foot heals quickly.