-40 wind chill forecasted for Friday

[centrarchid]

This is where my free-range chickens are concentrating their loafing efforts when challenged by combination of cold and wind. Once we about the snow starts to accumulate they will be more concerned about avoiding wind until the sunlight is direct again.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Update - the hand warmers in towel pockets did not even get remotely warm in -30c. This morning it hit -31, only the second time it’s been this cold here in at least the decade we’ve been here. It’s supposed to stay almost at -20 for several days :/

I added more bedding to the coop and run, the girls were okay this morning, tiny bit of ice on their backs from their breath when they were tucked in I think. They were definitely complaining but had a snack and quickly puffed up their feathers and roosted together in the run once they ate/drank. It’s supposed to be sunny today so at least they will be able to sit in the sunshine in their run in an hour or so when it starts to shine on them.

 

[Doris29]

Oh man yeah the cold is brutal. Would the heat packs have produced more condensation maybe causing the ice? Thank goodness for the sun!!
Honestly our coop felt pretty warm (at least compared to outside) iwhen I’d reach my hand in to offer water or treats, and I just did extra bedding and hung a blanket outside the wall that had a lot of cracks. It got down to -39 and was -28 most of the day yesterday.
This morning it’s like a heat wave at -13 and hardly any wind so I let them out in the run for now.

Update - the hand warmers in towel pockets did not even get remotely warm in -30c. This morning it hit -31, only the second time it’s been this cold here in at least the decade we’ve been here. It’s supposed to stay almost at -20 for several days :/

I added more bedding to the coop and run, the girls were okay this morning, tiny bit of ice on their backs from their breath when they were tucked in I think. They were definitely complaining but had a snack and quickly puffed up their feathers and roosted together in the run once they ate/drank. It’s supposed to be sunny today so at least they will be able to sit in the sunshine in their run in an hour or so when it starts to shine on them.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Oh man yeah the cold is brutal. Would the heat packs have produced more condensation maybe causing the ice? Thank goodness for the sun!!
Honestly our coop felt pretty warm (at least compared to outside) iwhen I’d reach my hand in to offer water or treats, and I just did extra bedding and hung a blanket outside the wall that had a lot of cracks. It got down to -39 and was -28 most of the day yesterday.
This morning it’s like a heat wave at -13 and hardly any wind so I let them out in the run for now.

I don’t think so, they were basically lukewarm at best under their feet, maybe helped for the first hour of bedtime? The frost is from their breath, it happened last year too. They tuck into their feathers. They’ve not moved from their cuddled roost in the run since this morning and now the sun is shining on them so hopefully they’ll have another snack and move around.