Any prep necessary for -18f degree night with wind chill -45?

[Pa Chicks]

Well friends, power is out. Chickens had a radiant heater near them and a heated roost. I think they’ll be fine, but going to check on them in a bit. Temp outside is -24. Will continue checking on them periodically until the power is on. Hope everyone is staying warm and their chickens are okay.

Hopefully that weather won’t last! I think you’re doing just about everything you can for your chickens. It won’t hit my area (western Pa) until Friday morning. I’m glad we won’t get as cold as the north central states are getting. Best of luck to all!

 

[alinas2010]

Hopefully that weather won’t last! I think you’re doing just about everything you can for your chickens. It won’t hit my area (western Pa) until Friday morning. I’m glad we won’t get as cold as the north central states are getting. Best of luck to all!

Thank you, good luck to you and yours, too. What temps do you expect to see there?

 

[Pa Chicks]

Thank you, good luck to you and yours, too. What temps do you expect to see there?

Only 1-2” of snow but winds gusting as high as 70 mph. wind chills as low as 40 below zero. Very unusual for us. I’m halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh we usually get lake effect snow

 

[alinas2010]

Only 1-2” of snow but winds gusting as high as 70 mph. wind chills as low as 40 below zero. Very unusual for us. I’m halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh we usually get lake effect snow

Sounds like we experienced something similar yesterday and today. Wind not quite as bad as there, though. I hope you and your flock stay warm. Our girls will be in again tonight since I couldn’t seem to build a coop right!

 

[SouthDakotaLiving]

During that previous polar vortex, it got down to -20 here. I brought some of my hens in. Those left outside did fine.

It is helpful to know that the hens left outside did Ok. I moved all five of mine inside last night, even though I was only concerned about two of them. I think I probably could have kept all of them outside.

 

[SouthDakotaLiving]

Well they were going outside at first, but I kept seeing them sit on their feet and not move for a bit, so I figured it was a better idea to have them staying inside yesterday. The wind picked up and the low with the windchill was like -55, so I wasn’t going to take any chances.

Our power went out last night though and when I checked on them at 11pm, they had ice on their feathers, so I knew we had too much humidity in the coop for temps this low and brought them into our utility room in an XL dog kennel. So here they stay for a couple hours this morning until it’s just a bit warmer.

I had a hunch we didn’t have enough ventilation and I was unfortunately correct. So we’ll just make it through these next few below zero days and add more when the weather is in the 40s again next week.

I keep reading stories of people saying the chickens wanted to go out, but then got frostbitten feet. I have one hen who is determined to go out and at first I let her do that, but now I'm thinking she may not know what is best for her.

 

[alinas2010]

I keep reading stories of people saying the chickens wanted to go out, but then got frostbitten feet. I have one hen who is determined to go out and at first I let her do that, but now I'm thinking she may not know what is best for her.

Oh I worry about that, too. I like to think they know what is good for them, but they sometimes are bird brains.

 

[Duckduckchicken32]

So far I have put down a few inches of bedding in my ducks coops. One of my ducks has wet feather, and seems to be at the end of her molt. She has 12 other ducks in with her, so do you think that they will help keep her warm? I have one of their windows cracked and they are some vents to stop frostbite from forming.

 

[alinas2010]

So far I have put down a few inches of bedding in my ducks coops. One of my ducks has wet feather, and seems to be at the end of her molt. She has 12 other ducks in with her, so do you think that they will help keep her warm? I have one of their windows cracked and they are some vents to stop frostbite from forming.

I don’t know much about ducks, (except that they’re cute ). But I will say that leaving one vent uncovered and a window cracked was not enough ventilation for my 4 chickens in their 8x8 shed-coop. Your setup could be better than mine, though. I’d imagine if you check them often, you won’t have a problem, or you’ll catch one before or starts. @AngelinaThePekin8 has ducks, she might have better advice for you about keeping them warm and frostbite free.

 

[Duckduckchicken32]

I don’t know much about ducks, (except that they’re cute ). But I will say that leaving one vent uncovered and a window cracked was not enough ventilation for my 4 chickens in their 8x8 shed-coop. Your setup could be better than mine, though. I’d imagine if you check them often, you won’t have a problem, or you’ll catch one before or starts. @AngelinaThePekin8 has ducks, she might have better advice for you about keeping them warm and frostbite free.

Thank you! I might crack the other window a few inches too. They are out right now because it is in the 50s, but will put them in later once the temps start to drop.