Arctic Blast Coming - Any Suggestions?

[ccoscina]

This weekend an arctic blast is coming which will bring the temperature to 15 degrees below zero for one night. My chickens have never experienced this before, the coldest they have been through so far is about 2 degrees.

I recently purchased a heating pad which should help. It only raises the coop temperature by 5 to 10 degrees but they can get very warm if they stand next to it.

Do you believe a tarp would help? I want to make sure they get enough ventilation but I really want to reduce drafts as much as possible. I will also duct tape the ventilation window- it's shut but there are thin gaps around the edges.

I will also feed them hot oatmeal and give them warm water. But I'll only let them out for an hour or so on Saturday, I'll be keeping them inside most of the day. Will probably let them outside twice to make sure they get enough water, but if it's below zero they probably won't need much water anyway.

Any suggestions on what I should do is appreciated.

 

[DobieLover]

Do you believe a tarp would help?

No. It should not be necessary and you don't want to block ventilation. Can you post pictures of your coop?

I will also duct tape the ventilation window- it's shut but there are thin gaps around the edges.

This is not a good idea. Thin gaps around windows just add more ventilation. Are the windows at roost level? If they are then you might want to block any drafts.

warm water.

Warm water evaporates and makes a steam plume in very cold weather. A steam plume that the chickens have to put their faces in to get a drink. Then the moisture freezes on their skin and causes frost bite. Just have thawed water available.

But I'll only let them out for an hour or so on Saturday, I'll be keeping them inside most of the day.

I would let them decide if they want to go out. Water should be available during all waking hours.

They generate quite a bit of body heat via thermogenesis (digesting food). Making sure they have full crops at roost time the night before the big chill is very important.

I understand your concerns about the temperature drops and any large combed birds will likely suffer some frostbite no matter what you do in those temperatures. But as long as you provide them with a very dry, wind blocked, well ventilated coop with lots of dry fluffy bedding on the floor, they'll be okay.

My first year flock went through a night at -23F and the rooster lost the tips of his comb and that's it. It didn't seem to bother him much at all.

 

[theoldchick]

My Flock recently experienced 5 degree weather. All I did was provide a wind break area on one side of the coop. I used a transparent tarp that allowed sunlight in during the day. I also provided small home-made tee-pee tent for them to get into if they wanted to. I've seen people use large dog crates to provide shelter for the chickens to get into.

 

[Acre4Me]

If they can roost in a draft free area, that is great. Some people will add a tarp on the outside if a coop to better create a draft free area at the roost - but only people who have really drafty coops need to consider this.

The main thing we change with really cold weather is to add feed in the coop for 24/7 access. When they eat, it helps them generate heat. So, there is always thawed water in the coop, but we put in a feeder too.

Oatmeal not needed. Actually not that nutritious. If you are set on giving them a hot meal, then add boiling water to their feed, get it to an oatmeal consistency, sprinkle seeds on top for visual interest and enticement, and they will readily eat their proper feed, but warm!

Since it is short lived event, your chickens should be fine.

 

[ccoscina]

My Flock recently experienced 5 degree weather. All I did was provide a wind break area on one side of the coop. I used a transparent tarp that allowed sunlight in during the day. I also provided small home-made tee-pee tent for them to get into if they wanted to. I've seen people use large dog crates to provide shelter for the chickens to get into.

We have experienced 5 degree weather many times and survived just fine even without heat. 5 degrees doesn't really concern me but negative 15 degrees does. Fortunately the forecast has already been adjusted to negative ten degrees, hopefully it isn't even that bad.

Now that I also have the heating pad I think we will do okay. I mean, they have survived single digits okay without even the heating pad, and I suspect the heating pad will get them through even worse temperatures.

 

[ccoscina]

No. It should not be necessary and you don't want to block ventilation. Can you post pictures of your coop?

This is not a good idea. Thin gaps around windows just add more ventilation. Are the windows at roost level? If they are then you might want to block any drafts.

Warm water evaporates and makes a steam plume in very cold weather. A steam plume that the chickens have to put their faces in to get a drink. Then the moisture freezes on their skin and causes frost bite. Just have thawed water available.

I would let them decide if they want to go out. Water should be available during all waking hours.

They generate quite a bit of body heat via thermogenesis (digesting food). Making sure they have full crops at roost time the night before the big chill is very important.

I understand your concerns about the temperature drops and any large combed birds will likely suffer some frostbite no matter what you do in those temperatures. But as long as you provide them with a very dry, wind blocked, well ventilated coop with lots of dry fluffy bedding on the floor, they'll be okay.

My first year flock went through a night at -23F and the rooster lost the tips of his comb and that's it. It didn't seem to bother him much at all.

Here's a couple pics of my coop, one from the ad and one from my yard.

I'll avoid the tarp and warm water based on your points. I can't let the water be too cold though or it will freeze almost immediately. So I think lukewarm water will be okay - it will probably freeze within an hour or two anyway so it won't stay warm for long. I have already avoided giving them hot water because I notice they don't drink it. But if the water is too cold it can freeze in less than an hour in single digit temperatures, which goes against your principle of providing them water constantly.

The ventilation window IS at roost level, literally right at their butts which is why I want to temporarily seal it with duct tape. Also the window flap is metal, I might cover it with a blanket. There are other gaps that provide ventilation in the roof and around the door. I think i should still do this - the chances of freezing to death are way too high to worry about a little less ventilation. That is not the only ventilation that they have and they are predicting big wind gusts which will cause severe wind chill. If it's very windy then even with a little less ventilation gaps it will still recycle the air enough due to high wind.

I don't put water inside of the coop, only out in the run. If I put water in the coop, then water will inevitably spill in the coop, which is why I don't put it in there. Last year in a brutal blizzard when they wouldn't go out I put food and water in their coop. I already plan to toss in some warm oatmeal, chicken scratch, and pork chops when they aren't going out, I'll put these into the actual inside of the coop. Also the oatmeal will be mixed with water to help keep them more hydrated. I notice on cold days they stay inside the coop most of the day anyways. I'll mostly have them in the coop with the door shut but let them out in late morning and in the afternoon to eat and drink.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Be careful with blocking ventilation, especially in cold weather. Birds naturally produce moisture, if not allowed to vent in cold weather, it can freeze and cause frostbite and other issues. I like the idea of a "non-ventilation blocking" wind break for a drafty coop.

Honestly, though...chickens seem to do far better with extreme cold than with extreme heat.

 

[triciayoung]

Hello: Looking at your coop, I can see what you mean about ventilation being at the roosting level, however, I do see an opportunity to create a hole (ventilation) at the top in between the ^. You could then secure it with hardware cloth. This may help for any future weather needs also. Additionally, not necessarily for this blast- too cold, but for warmer weather when wind is an issue, I have 6-mil plastic wrapped around my run - only 3- feet up from the bottom to cut the wind in cold weather so they can be outside. At first, they kind of freak out about the plastic moving in the wind, but they quickly got over it. I make sure it is as tight as possible to cut down on the plastic movement. @ccoscina

 

[DobieLover]

Here's a couple pics of my coop, one from the ad and one from my yard.

I'll avoid the tarp and warm water based on your points. I can't let the water be too cold though or it will freeze almost immediately. So I think lukewarm water will be okay - it will probably freeze within an hour or two anyway so it won't stay warm for long. I have already avoided giving them hot water because I notice they don't drink it. But if the water is too cold it can freeze in less than an hour in single digit temperatures, which goes against your principle of providing them water constantly.

The ventilation window IS at roost level, literally right at their butts which is why I want to temporarily seal it with duct tape. Also the window flap is metal, I might cover it with a blanket. There are other gaps that provide ventilation in the roof and around the door. I think i should still do this - the chances of freezing to death are way too high to worry about a little less ventilation. That is not the only ventilation that they have and they are predicting big wind gusts which will cause severe wind chill. If it's very windy then even with a little less ventilation gaps it will still recycle the air enough due to high wind.

I don't put water inside of the coop, only out in the run. If I put water in the coop, then water will inevitably spill in the coop, which is why I don't put it in there. Last year in a brutal blizzard when they wouldn't go out I put food and water in their coop. I already plan to toss in some warm oatmeal, chicken scratch, and pork chops when they aren't going out, I'll put these into the actual inside of the coop. Also the oatmeal will be mixed with water to help keep them more hydrated. I notice on cold days they stay inside the coop most of the day anyways. I'll mostly have them in the coop with the door shut but let them out in late morning and in the afternoon to eat and drink.

Have you wrapped the run in clear vinyl or shower curtains to block the wind leaving about 6" open at the top?

Reducing ventilation at all is far more likely to cause them to freeze to death then having adequate ventilation in these cold temperatures.

 

[saysfaa]

...

I'll avoid the tarp and warm water based on your points. I can't let the water be too cold though or it will freeze almost immediately. So I think lukewarm water will be okay - it will probably freeze within an hour or two anyway so it won't stay warm for long. I have already avoided giving them hot water because I notice they don't drink it. But if the water is too cold it can freeze in less than an hour in single digit temperatures, which goes against your principle of providing them water constantly.

There are few options to help with this.

Most people will say use a heated waterer. A popular choice for small flocks is the heated dog bowl because of its size and being designed for outdoor use.

Another option is to insulate the water container. It can be a little tricky for some styles of waterer, partly because chickens will eat insulation. I like the bucket-in-a-bucket method (I just made up that name for it). The inside bucket has the water in it, surrounded by insulation held in place by the outer bucket. Sawdust, wool, expanding foam (if you can cover the top of it), are options for the insulation, even their feed stuffed in the gap would buy a little time.

Vacuum has the highest insulation value (thermos, ice bucket, etc)... a 3-quart open topped vacuum sealed bucket has a few ice crystals in 7 hours at 15 F, the top freezes over at in about 10 hours at similar temps during the day when they agitate it a little by drinking from it. starting warm, not hot. Next is water, by a lot (its changing volume can be a problem. Expanding foam and wool are better than sawdust and feed.

Another option is to take them water often enough that it hasn't frozen over solidly for more than an hour or so. That isn't quite all the time but it often enough that they can stay well hydrated.