-5 expected with 12 to 20 inches of snow/sleet in the next 36 hours

[Chiriohs]

I have a 6'X4'x2' chicken tractor house with attached PVC pipe run. I didn't prepare the chickens at all ahead of time since it wasn't that cold yesterday and I guess I didn't realize it was going to be a blizzard! Last year's blizzard I only had 4 chickens, so I put them in the shed in a cardboard box with a light during the day since the chicken tractor was only half enclosed for a coop and the other half for a run.

This year, I enclosed the entire tractor with 1/2" plywood and built a 10'x10' pvc pipe run and upped my chicken count to 20. So I got up early this morning and they were not happy, but everyone was healthy besides a little cold from the drafts. Snow had lightly dusted the bottom of the coop, so I put a layer of hay down, and that made everyone MUCH happier. I provided warm water in the coop (a gravity feeder is in the coop already) and hung a light so they could see.

I then got a shovel, and proceeded to bury the bottom half of the coop with snow! It's the only insulation and wind-plugger I could think of. That took care of all the places that the wind was getting in. I checked on them again about an hour later and they seemed very happy...

I'm just not looking forward to digging the coop OUT of the snow when the weather turns so it doesn't soak the coop! For now, I am pleased with the results. There is a little ventilation around the top door in the coop for air exchange...

This was much simpler to solve with only 4 chickens!

Should I put a heat lamp in there tonight and tomorrow (edit: I have a 250W, 100W, 75W, and 60W)? Supposed to get down to 5' tonight and 1' tomorrow night...

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Quote:
=========
Had a situation here myself (just posted about it at https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=446783 ). Not even getting out of the negatives today! Just check and our temp on the little frog thermometer at our front window reads -8 degrees F.! ARGH!

I have a LOT of cardboard boxes that I'm getting ready to use to really fix up the problems. I too am hoping that the cardboard will absorb the moisture but insulate at the same time.

 

[WonderChicken]

telehillco wrote:
--adding gallon+ jugs of hot water. These should release heat relatively slowly and add a bit of warmth, though they certainly won't last all night.


Awesome idea! Thanks! I will keep that in mind tonight for inside the roost if they seem to have trouble with the temps getting too low. I only have 5 chickens, but the roost is only 4'wide x 4'long x 3' tall in front graduates to 2' in back so adding a jug or two might just be perfect to raise the temp a few degrees if needed.

 

[sharol]

I just did the same thing around the west and north sides of my metal shed/coop. The bottom leaks air between the metal siding and the wood framing timbers between the vanes of the siding, which isn't necessarily a bad thing unless it is 11 degrees with a 30 mph wind. I'm hoping the snow will tighten it up. There is snow in the coop around the walls from the top of the metal panels, but there isn't much I can do about that. I will go do the south end of the coop when I thaw out from the last project.

Quote:

 

[Chiriohs]

Well, I just read the "Think it's too cold for your chickens? Think again..." thread, so I will not be adding heat, but probably will shovel some more snow on the coop once the sun goes down a bit.

Edit: I just checked the temp, and it was 40F in there!! Definitely no heat lamp tonight, they'd be hot! I might need to dig some of that snow away, lol.

 

[greenSearcher]

Glad to hear folks are doing ok, and our chickens too. We just 15 miles or so South of OK, and it is 15 degrees. Was able to go out w/DH to put the girls to bed, the wind blew most of the drifts down so I could walk. using a cane kept me stable. I thought I would lose some chickens, my older coop isn't as tight as the one I just finished but so far so good. Will see who got frostbite once it warms up enough for them to come out. Not one peeked out today. Because it is so hard to walk, when I go out, I take them hot soupy treat to eat, big bowl of hot milky oatmeal to get some warmth in them tonight. Will do that until the temps get up enough so the water doesn't freeze in less than an hour. This weather is like OH, and I left there 10 years ago. At least it seems that the locals are hiding out, not much traffic on the road. At least I have a dozen in the garage that are warm.

 

[WonderChicken]

Everyone is snuggled in for the night. Warm mash of layer feed, sweet potato, broccoli, cheese and hb eggs w/ shells to fill their tums (and a prayer). Petroleum jelly covering everything that doesnt have feathers. Stapled cardboard to cover outside walls except one wall is only bottom half covered to allow ventilation, but I will monitor them when the temps drop and winds pick up and then if need be I will cover that part as well. It's 24.3 degrees in the coop right now and 22 degrees outside, so, so far so good. Wishing everyone has a safe night with their peeps

 

[sharol]

I spent the day stuffing paper towels in air leaks that were also letting in snow in my coop. The worst offender was the ridge line of the roof, so those papers will have to be removed as soon as the weather gets a little better for ventilation. There was a little pile of snow square in the middle of the favored roost (as well as around all the edges of the coop), so I had to get the snow shut off that was coming in from above. It is supposed to get down to 0 tonight and -5 tomorrow night and then it will start getting better. I got 6 eggs from my 7 girls today and spent some time with them in the coop. They didn't want to go out, so I left the pop-door closed all day (first time for that) and they were restless.

It was 10 degrees outside and 19 degrees in the coop near the roost that is near the heatlamp, so I think they will be OK. They don't seem cold, just bored. I kept taking them scratch (and a new flock block) and veggies and fruit during the day today, and it is supposed to blow over tomorrow so I can shovel part of the run for them.

I HATE Severe WINTER weather!!!