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- #41
ccoscina
Chirping
- Nov 10, 2021
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Also I think the quick shock is not nearly as bad as prolonged cold. I know it might seem like quickly going up and down is bad, and to some extent it is. Really negative temperatures are never good for chickens whether short or prolonged. But prolonged negative temperatures are much more deadly than a quick cold snap. My friend in Minnesota says 5 of her chickens died this week (even before the Arctic Blast begun) because two of her heat lamps went out and now she only has one heat lamp. In Minnesota it has been below zero for several days over the past month, and five of her chickens are dead even with a heat lamp on. So prolonged cold is definitely not better than a quick shock, even though neither is good.I'm not going to ask where in MA you are, but our State is idiotic about chickens (at least many of the towns are closer to Boston). I don't have a permit for mine, and they can kiss my clucker if they think I am getting one. I bribe my neighbors with eggs and none of them care that I have the girls back there. I got this breed because they are cold-hearty and quiet, and (knock on wood) have held the authorities at bay so far. It's none of their business what I do on my property. One of the reasons I push back is because they CAN do those inspections and tell you that your setup isn't adequate, etc...and take the birds. That would be a fight, let me tell you!
That said, it has gotten this cold up here before, but what's surprising is how fast the temps are dropping over such a short period of time, and how fast they'll return to above-normal temps in a day or so. It's that sudden shock that makes me worry about the girls...and all the animals out there.