Tomorrow is supposed to be the coldest day in 15 years! Will my chicks survive?

[ownerof7chicks]

Tomorrow is supposed to be 40 degrees under 0! Can I let my chicks come out their coop? I heard on the radio that if you go outside without a hat or gloves you could freeze to death! My chicks are about 3 monthes old, but I'm afraid that the chicks might freeze! I need answers fast! Please reply ASAP if you know if I should let the chicks come out!

 

[PineShavings]

Brrr.. 40 below zero and not counting wind chill. A good chance that they will freeze. I have adult birds that are fully feathered that have a hard time when it's in the teens so they just huddle underneath the shed where it's a little warmer. I would keep them in.

 

[ownerof7chicks]

Thxs so much for your help! I use pine needles for the bottem of my chicken's coop, so should I add another layer? I really don't want them to freeze!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

During the winter of 1965-66 the temps in the Heart of Dixie went down to -19 degrees F. Although some commercial producers lost whole houses of baby chicks when the power failed and they lost the use of their floor brooders, all of my totally free range chickens pulled through, although some of them did lost bits of their combs or the tips of their toes. Your mileage may vary.

That said, do as the Army once did, "If you have them smoke them." And if you have a chicken shelter by all means use it.

 

[earlybird10842]

Tomorrow is supposed to be 40 degrees under 0! Can I let my chicks come out their coop? I heard on the radio that if you go outside without a hat or gloves you could freeze to death! My chicks are about 3 monthes old, but I'm afraid that the chicks might freeze! I need answers fast! Please reply ASAP if you know if I should let the chicks come out!

I really wouldn't let out any chickens, especially young ones.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

.... I heard on the radio that if you go outside without a hat or gloves you could freeze to death!...

The truth of the matter is that you could freeze to death while wearing a hat and gloves but that information doesn't inflate any Neilson Ratings.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/insidelocalnews/ratings.html

With the temperatures we now have if you were to act foolishly you will freeze to death. So don't be foolish.

 

[ownerof7chicks]

Thxs so much everyone! I kept my chicks in their coop, but I let them out for a little bit and they went back in by themselves so I shut the door of their coop!

 

[Dina k]

I asked the same question for my girls and got a lot of very useful reply's. I was very concerned that my girls would freeze to death. Their coop is 10x14 And I had a heat lamp to help with their water. We had temps about 25 below with very strong winds and wind chills and low as -45 and had received about 2 ft of snow. Snow is a good insulater , it never got colder than 10 degrees in the coop! They fared better than we did with the extreme cold! lol

 

[ownerof7chicks]

Yeah! My chicks survived too! We don't have a heating lamp in their coop but they still survived!

 

[Nana D]

It has been pretty cold here in Ga. Something we are not use to. My hens have survived well with 3 walls to keep the wind off them, nests with hay, and a roof. Last night it was in the single digits. I make sure their water is replaced every two hours, and lots of grain during the day. I will even take some of their feed, add water and olive oil to it for extra fat. Seems to be working so far. Stay warm everyone...