Empordanesa & Penedesenca - Who has them?

Where I live, it rarely gets below 32 all year long. From what I have read about it, combs do not get frostbite unless it gets much colder or there is too much moisture in the coop.

Do not leave water in the coop and make sure there is good ventilation.

Yes, good ventilation and with no drafts. If it gets really cold our hens will huddle in one of our spacious nestboxes (16x16 inches by 2 feet tall). We once found 4 hens in one box!
 
We have had a fair share of cold. The first was before the windstorms that the west got just before Christmas. It got down to about 15* at night here. We have lots of moisture too, and, we had wind and not much protection from that wind. All fared well except for the wind storm after it warmed up a bit. It took out our power for 5 days (thanks to a local NEW PUD that doesn't have enough knowledge or equipment to get their work done). Our main loss during this storm was the chicken house. That big tree came down diagonally across it leaving the whole thing mostly standing but, with a diagonal hole from one end to the other. I need to work on plans for a new one... and a better location, away from all the trees.

I have changed to horizontal nipple waterers and they seem to be working very well. Even with the temperatures in the high 20's, they were still supplying water to the chickens. Below that, and they do freeze. I need to find some bird bath water heaters to put in the buckets. Every farm store around us is sold out of them. Our freezing spells have been warmer as of late, but, winter has just started. I'll be glad when another couple of months have passed and it is definitely starting to be a bit warmer.

My Partridge Penedesenca's were the birds in the destroyed chicken house. They are now living in a horse stall, and I need to hang lights and set a timer so they get more light as they have slowed way down on their laying. I am hoping to get some eggs in the incubator so I can increase my numbers early in the year. I'd like to have a PP rooster for the four Black Copper Maran pullets. It would be interesting to see what that cross would throw. I love these four hens. They are nice sized and so far, with two of them laying, the eggs are quite dark brown and a very nice size. As big as my older PP hens, and they have only been laying more consistently for about 30 days.
 
We have had a fair share of cold. The first was before the windstorms that the west got just before Christmas. It got down to about 15* at night here. We have lots of moisture too, and, we had wind and not much protection from that wind. All fared well except for the wind storm after it warmed up a bit. It took out our power for 5 days (thanks to a local NEW PUD that doesn't have enough knowledge or equipment to get their work done). Our main loss during this storm was the chicken house. That big tree came down diagonally across it leaving the whole thing mostly standing but, with a diagonal hole from one end to the other. I need to work on plans for a new one... and a better location, away from all the trees.

I have changed to horizontal nipple waterers and they seem to be working very well. Even with the temperatures in the high 20's, they were still supplying water to the chickens. Below that, and they do freeze. I need to find some bird bath water heaters to put in the buckets. Every farm store around us is sold out of them. Our freezing spells have been warmer as of late, but, winter has just started. I'll be glad when another couple of months have passed and it is definitely starting to be a bit warmer.

My Partridge Penedesenca's were the birds in the destroyed chicken house. They are now living in a horse stall, and I need to hang lights and set a timer so they get more light as they have slowed way down on their laying. I am hoping to get some eggs in the incubator so I can increase my numbers early in the year. I'd like to have a PP rooster for the four Black Copper Maran pullets. It would be interesting to see what that cross would throw. I love these four hens. They are nice sized and so far, with two of them laying, the eggs are quite dark brown and a very nice size. As big as my older PP hens, and they have only been laying more consistently for about 30 days.

Gosh these disasters happen at the worst time of year! We're looking into a generator for those 5-day blackouts. When I worked at our electric company and power went out for 5 days they made sure all the company's CEOs and District Managers had working lights while the rest of us peon employees watched our freezers/food melt and spoil!

On www.ChickenCondos.com they have a heater that goes inside a tube waterer with a 6 foot cord. It obviously needs to be plugged to an extension cord but maybe ordering online will get you a heater sooner. They also carry magnetic coop lights, timers, and predator lights if you need.

Anyhow here's wishing you all the best for you and your flock!
 
I took a couple of pictures of my Partridge Penedenca pullets today. They are starting to lay eggs!



 

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