Any Need to Modify? Snow Coming Tonight in California

[micstrachan]

Hi everyone,
I live in California and we rarely reach freezing temperatures. However, snow is expected overnight tonight in the wee morning hours, over a span of a few hours into the morning commute.
Since ventilation is so important, I usually have things pretty wide open. My coop is not insulated in any way, shape or form. There are approximately 250 cubic feet for 9 birds. Will they be warm enough? I keep towels on the roosts, but just remembered a couple might be slightly damp since the last storm blew just a little bit of rain in.
I’m inclined to leave things as they are. The snow will come immediately after and mixed with rain. It’s unlikely to be cold enough for the snow to stick very long.
Thanks!

 

[N F C]

I would guess they'd be fine tonight. My flock has been living in an uninsulated coop for the past 2 years (and we've had snow since October).

I think I would take the damp towels off the roosts though.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

They'll be fine. They have down coats. Chickens can be comfortable at really cold temperatures. Just at freezing is quite comfortable for a chicken.

 

[micstrachan]

Thanks to both of you. I figure they will be fine, but it’s nice to hear so from others. I should get home from work in time to swap out the towels.

 

[N F C]

Thanks to both of you. I figure they will be fine, but it’s nice to hear so from others. I should get home from work in time to swap out the towels.

Hope you don't get much of the predicted bad weather!

 

[rosemarythyme]

They should be fine and yes I'd remove the towels from the roost (wondering what they're there for?) I have 8" of snow sitting on top of my coop right now, blocking the ridge vent on the roof, but still have the windows completely open.

 

[micstrachan]

Thanks. Towels were swapped out with fresh ones (I have them to keep the roosts from being slippery... I should probably find some sort of rubber mat instead.) The main/lower coop seems cozy. The upper coop (addition) seems drafty at the highest roost (not really a roost... a left over steering wheel from the play structure, but the girls like it, so I left it), which is right beside window/vent. Thankfully, they had the sense not to roost there tonight. (I was envisioning frostbite, as my Brown Leghorn is top hen and usually has that spot with her large comb literally right beside the hardware cloth window that seems drafty).

 

[flyin-lowe]

I can't see your temps getting cold enough to cause any problems. Even though they are not accustomed to that much cold weather, unless they are some exotic breed your temps won't get cold enough to hurt them. Last week we had temps around -15f with wind child temps approaching -35 to -40 below for 2 days. Mine did fine in an un-insulated coop that has plenty of ventilation. I noticed today that one of them had a small black speck on it's comb that I am assuming was minor frost bite but out of 16 that's not bad. It has been unusually warm this winter and all the hens I have were born this summer so it's not like they are accustomed to sub zero temps either.

 

[micstrachan]

Ok, I’m not at all worried about my birds, but had to share. Many of you might be rolling your eyes, but for a California girl, this is exciting! Check out my hourly forecast...

 

[aart]

(I have them to keep the roosts from being slippery..

What are roosts made of that they are slippery?