temps droping A LOTTTTT tonight ... question

ok the temps are going to drop 25 -30 degrees below normal tonight and stay that way all week. I am worried about all my critters, my chickens the most cause I have already had frost bite issues. I have lamps ( 2 ) for 21 hens in a 10 x 12 building with plenty of room for them to get away from it if wanted. good vents, but house is not insulated. I have heard that snow is a good insulator???? if I piled the snow up around the walls ( I have plenty ) would it do any good? any suggestions would be greatful....

Snow is a good insulator. I've only cleared enough to open run door to feed and water. And seeing as we are getting over 12 inches today should have nice banks built up. Will go out again in little bit and throw some more up around pens. Please be very careful.with your heat lamps and triple secure them. Best of luck.

I would pile up a LOT of straw bedding in there if it's available to you. The hollow stalks make for good insulation. Yes, kind of like an igloo, I'd think thick, piled up snow would help some...kind of like an above ground cave...

jorey said:

Snow is a good insulator. I've only cleared enough to open run door to feed and water. And seeing as we are getting over 12 inches today should have nice banks built up. Will go out again in little bit and throw some more up around pens. Please be very careful.with your heat lamps and triple secure them. Best of luck.

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Good I have it about 1/2 way up 3 sides and the front is open to a tarp covered area so they can come out for fresh air and feed and water. my heat lamps are in sm wire dog kennels and then screwed into the rafters. the cords are attached to the studs up and across the rafters, nothing hanging.

teach1rusl said:

I would pile up a LOT of straw bedding in there if it's available to you. The hollow stalks make for good insulation. Yes, kind of like an igloo, I'd think thick, piled up snow would help some...kind of like an above ground cave...

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I already used all our straw in the horse stalls and for the goats. The chickens got fresh straw the 2nd. I wish I could do more but I think I have done what I can. The temp is dropping fast now. It's 17f with a windchill of 10f and dropping. going to get down to -5f tonight and by noon I think they said noon, -15f without windchill and the wind is kicking right now. This sucks....

I'm worried about my geese. Will be moving them into garage in morning along with outside cats. Not heated but will put down couple bales of hay and they shouldbe good till it warms up.

They are calling for -23 around here. Schools are already calling in closed for tomorrow. I gave my chickens lots of extra hay, plugged in a heat lamp and wraped north and east side with a tarp. Hope it works.

They just said they are expecting it to get down to -40 windchill

Chick I bet you ll go in there and they'll be all nice and cozy. The drs office where I work closed for the day today so I'm going to go out and do some more piling of snow since it seems to have finally stopped. Let the cats out if they want to go out and just enjoy. My home is well insulated except the windows. I tacked heavy blankets up over them and the difference was amazing. I don't like not being able to see out but id rather be warm without the furnace running every 10 minutes. Stay safe and warm everyone.

chick rookie said:

I have lamps ( 2 ) for 21 hens in a 10 x 12 building with plenty of room for them to get away from it if wanted. good vents,

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Chickens are not polar bears we have to keep in mind. Laying, vocal, and active birds in my opinion is a sign everything is right in their world. That being said when a chicken has 3 trips around the sun it is there as a pet not for egg production. If your birds or animals are showing signs of stress you have to do what is right in your situation. The one size fits all is a recipe for disaster. It is my experience that frost bite is usually associated with too much humidity and maybe poor ventilation. On the up side it is not fatal if limited to combs and wattles.

Take inventory on your animals daily and make daily decisions is what I do summer and winter. A heat lamp and TLC can happen not only in winter and not always due to cold.

In Canada I am subject to -40º cold snaps. I do NOT heat or give extra light in my coop. Murphy's law says my birds will find out what -40 is all about when my hydro goes out. Regardless what you decide feed Extra Corn over the winter you will not be sorry.

Or something like this may help also; You could even knit a hoodie for those extra cold days..

hmm - I don't feed corn to my chickens - should I add corn? They already get Dumor Laying Mix, and Oyster shells. And I've been cooking a bowl of oatmeal for them on a daily basis for them ever since it got cold, (which they absolutely devour on site,) so they could have something warm in their bellies....(I think I am probably spoiling them.....LOL) I continue to get 3-4 eggs a day still, but expect that will start to drop off soon. For treats, I give them meal worms, or apples. Any thoughts on that?