How cold is TOO cold for a chicken?

[KrisCVT]

Everyone did fine. Water was frozen- even my heated bowl- but everyone came out and wanted snacks at 7am. A few even ventured out to scratch around in the cleared areas of the yard... It was -5!! I guess I can stop being so paranoid.

 

[featherz]

Everyone did fine. Water was frozen- even my heated bowl- but everyone came out and wanted snacks at 7am. A few even ventured out to scratch around in the cleared areas of the yard... It was -5!! I guess I can stop being so paranoid.

My chickens were fine @ -20 (low at around 5AM), no heat.. my water bowls had a bit of ice, but I kicked them and they are fine now. They are also out scratching around in the -5 with sun.. I've even got leghorns and banties in the party.. that's how upstate NY chickens roll.

 

[cparkerpants]

I must not have enough ventilation in my coop - 2 of my reds have a little frost bite on their combs. I'm totally bummed. I don't really know what my next step is at the moment. Every one seems ok, and everyone stayed out in the run all day - not in the coop. Appetites are good, I gave them some warm oatmeal with fruit in it this morning. I left the pop door open last night - I'm going to close it tonight. I just really want to take care of these little birds. I'm glad no one else had any real casualties.

 

[featherz]

I must not have enough ventilation in my coop - 2 of my reds have a little frost bite on their combs. I'm totally bummed. I don't really know what my next step is at the moment. Every one seems ok, and everyone stayed out in the run all day - not in the coop. Appetites are good, I gave them some warm oatmeal with fruit in it this morning. I left the pop door open last night - I'm going to close it tonight. I just really want to take care of these little birds. I'm glad no one else had any real casualties.

I usually get a little frostbite each year out of 40+ chickens- a point or two might drop off,but they are still fine. Don't stress!!!

 

[cparkerpants]

Thanks! It's pretty obvious that I'm a little stressed, huh? I know that even though this site has a great deal of excellent insight, experience only comes with time I cannot possibly express how much the support means to me! The reassurance is invaluable!!!!

 

[featherz]

Thanks! It's pretty obvious that I'm a little stressed, huh? I know that even though this site has a great deal of excellent insight, experience only comes with time

I cannot possibly express how much the support means to me! The reassurance is invaluable!!!!

I have two leghorns who roost in the high rafters of my coop (where there is a direct crossdraft) and get frostbite every year. Silly girls. They lose a little strip of comb each year but that's about it. I used to stress and run out with bag balm but now I don't worry unless it's an epidemic - then I have to look at what I'm doing and make sure too much moisture isn't building up.. And I try to get small combed birds if I can (but I love my leghorns!!)..

I have about 10 naked necks including my rooster and even they did fine. They've been pecking around since this AM- let them out when it was -5 and it got up to a whole +10!!

 

[shortlid]

Yea, I brought my 4 New Hampshire Reds and my two Dominique's in to my non heated basement tonight. It was -13 ambient last night with 25 MPH winds, making windchill -35 last night. They were locked into totally enclosed, non insulated wood, top vented, 8ft.+4ft. coop with perches, no supplemental heat, choped straw on floor, and they had scratch before bed. I evene Vasolined there combs. Here is a pick of two of the NH Reds combs today.


Brought them in beacuse tonight is suppose to be more of the same.

 

[cparkerpants]

Yup - that looks familiar... I left them in the coop tonight, the temps won't be as severe outside, allegedly. It's 0 outside, but my coop thermometer is reading 19. I have two lights that stay on until 9, just to supplement the light. I'm leaving a window cracked tonight to help with the ventilation. I know they'll be just fine, and I hope that we'll be out of the woods in the next few days

 

[shortlid]

I have two leghorns who roost in the high rafters of my coop (where there is a direct crossdraft) and get frostbite every year. Silly girls. They lose a little strip of comb each year but that's about it. I used to stress and run out with bag balm but now I don't worry unless it's an epidemic - then I have to look at what I'm doing and make sure too much moisture isn't building up.

Featherz, how much of there combs can get frost bite and fall off before, I have to start being concerned about gang green? Of the four NH Red hens all have at least one black tip to there comb, two have every tip white or black! I have a Decon at my church that lives on the East side of Derry (Southern New Hampshire). His Roos every winter would get frost bite on there comb or waddle. He said eveery time Spring rolled around the frost bite would get to them they would start acting crazy, running in circles, attaching walls etc.

 

[Beekissed]

Yea, I brought my 4 New Hampshire Reds and my two Dominique's in to my non heated basement tonight. It was -13 ambient last night with 25 MPH winds, making windchill -35 last night. They were locked into totally enclosed, non insulated wood, top vented, 8ft.+4ft. coop with perches, no supplemental heat, choped straw on floor, and they had scratch before bed. I evene Vasolined there combs. Here is a pick of two of the NH Reds combs today.


Brought them in beacuse tonight is suppose to be more of the same.

Try opening up some ventilation underneath the roosts at the floor level...doesn't even have to be a big opening, as long as it lets in fresh air at the bottom. You'll start to see a better outcome. Until then, you can bring more blood to those dark areas by applying a nice coat of castor oil...you can find it at any pharmacy in the laxative aisle. It will bring blood to the area and also will give a nice moisture barrier to the skin so the humidity can't affect it.