Arctic Blast Coming - Any Suggestions?

[ccoscina]

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.

I just switch the water out every few hours when it gets very cold. They also typically prefer to eat snow rather than drink water if snow is available, so if the waterer does freeze they will still get hydration. Eating snow is really not great but it's their natural instinct to do so - it's how wild birds survive in the winter when there is no water.

I disagree that a waterer should go inside the coop. I don't have a way to hang my waterer effectively inside my coop. I occasionally put a waterer in there on bricks if I have to separate a chicken but some water does always leak out. It isn't much, but i really like to keep my coop as dry as possible. I always get up at sunrise to let the chickens out. Chickens generally don't drink water while roosting. It really isn't necessarily to give 24/7 access to water. During their waking hours they should generally always have access to water, but it doesn't need to be inside the coop.

During the hot summer, going without water for even a single hour can be a matter of life or death for chickens. But when it's below zero, they aren't going to die if they go without water for an hour or two. They just won't. Letting them out all day long when it's below zero is more dangerous than having them go without water a couple more hours than usual in the morning (normally I let them out before 8am but now i will wait til 10am). And putting water in the coop also creates problems.

 

[ccoscina]

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.

That's a great idea! Never even thought about wind proofing the run but it could help big time.

 

[ccoscina]

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.

I don't normally give them oatmeal, it's just a hot treat for a cold day. I will also be giving them baked pork chops and maybe some meatloaf. I like to give them meat if it's very cold. And some mealworms and cracked corn. I've read that oats and corn help them produce more heat - this isn't their regular feed, this is just part of a severe cold temperature regimen.

When they are in the run they can still access their regular feed. I rarely ever put food inside of the coop, I generally only put it in the run to prevent it from spoiling inside the coop. But in this case I'll load them up with plenty of meat, oatmeal, and corn inside the coop. Will also probably toss some of their regular feed in there, I'll try mashing some up with hot water like you said.

 

[ccoscina]

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.

The problem is that ventilation window is very drafty. And the fact that the flap is made of metal doesn't help. Metal doesn't insulate very well. Just duct taping some fabric around that window should help.

Trust me, there are many other cracks and holes in the coop. I just want to seal off what I consider to be the most drafty area right near the roost. I won't seal off anything else. There is a centimeter of space all around the edge of the whole entire door! Although at least most of the door isn't right at roost level where they will be during the negative temps.

 

[Dakar2009]

We are getting the same sudden but short-lived drop below freezing for about 36 hours. It's really only going to be bad overnight, so I'm hoping the radiant heat plate next to their roosting bar and their toasty body heat will get them through the evenings. This isn't wind-chill, this is "direct cold" or whatever term they use. I have a water heater in the run, but I'll be sure to check that...it probably can't keep up with temps THAT low. Probably just bring the water in when they go to sleep and put it back out first thing. I'll also put their old trough feeder inside the coop for them to nibble on without having to go outside if they choose not to.

I'll probably put clear 6mil plastic sheeting up as a wind-break around the entire run, halfway up the walls IF the wind is going to be gusty.

But knowing these freaks, they'll be ansty to get into their ancillary run and peck around despite the ridiculous temperatures.

 

[ccoscina]

We are getting the same sudden but short-lived drop below freezing for about 36 hours. It's really only going to be bad overnight, so I'm hoping the radiant heat plate next to their roosting bar and their toasty body heat will get them through the evenings. This isn't wind-chill, this is "direct cold" or whatever term they use. I have a water heater in the run, but I'll be sure to check that...it probably can't keep up with temps THAT low. Probably just bring the water in when they go to sleep and put it back out first thing. I'll also put their old trough feeder inside the coop for them to nibble on without having to go outside if they choose not to.

I'll probably put clear 6mil plastic sheeting up as a wind-break around the entire run, halfway up the walls IF the wind is going to be gusty.

But knowing these freaks, they'll be ansty to get into their ancillary run and peck around despite the ridiculous temperatures.

The wind will be gusty. I'm going to try to find a decent option at tractor supply or Walmart for covering the sides.

I bring in the water EVERY SINGLE NIGHT before they go to sleep during winter. Only exception is if the weather won't go below freezing. But I live on the border between Massachusetts and Vermont, so it's typically freezing at night. If it won't be too cold I keep the water in the basement overnight. If it's very cold i keep it in my bedroom. Then I bring the water back out in the morning at sunrise when i wake them up.

I also have that same type of heating pad. It isn't very powerful but I think it will give them just enough heat to keep them alive.

And yes, the ten below zero is not wind chill, that's the actual temp. With the wind chill it will be around forty below zero.

I'll be throwing some pork chops and hot oatmeal into the coop via the cubby door then shut it again til noon when I let them out to eat from the main feeder and water. The oatmeal bowl will be mostly water, like 1/3 oats and 2/3 water, so that can provide some hydration til noon. By noon it will be above 0 and then I can let them out in the run.

 

[fox623]

We are getting the same sudden but short-lived drop below freezing for about 36 hours. It's really only going to be bad overnight, so I'm hoping the radiant heat plate next to their roosting bar and their toasty body heat will get them through the evenings. This isn't wind-chill, this is "direct cold" or whatever term they use. I have a water heater in the run, but I'll be sure to check that...it probably can't keep up with temps THAT low. Probably just bring the water in when they go to sleep and put it back out first thing. I'll also put their old trough feeder inside the coop for them to nibble on without having to go outside if they choose not to.

Ah, yes. I'm in the Boston area as well. I'm jealous of your electricity. We have none. My boyfriend wants to bring them into the garage for the weekend, but I'm worried that the trip and new environment (for two of them, two quarantined in there) will be too much for them. We've been lucky so far in that the weather's been pretty mild around Boston.

I'll be throwing some pork chops and hot oatmeal into the coop via the cubby door then shut it again til noon when I let them out to eat from the main feeder and water. The oatmeal bowl will be mostly water, like 1/3 oats and 2/3 water, so that can provide some hydration til noon. By noon it will be above 0 and then I can let them out in the run.

That is a brilliant idea! I am always concerned about their wattles in the cold, and oatmeal is an interesting approach to keep them hydrated. Do you divide it into multiple bowls to prevent conflict?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I don't have an electric pad but what if I filled up a hot water bottle at bedtime, would that help a bit for the few hours it's warm or do you think it would cool down too fast

 

[ccoscina]

Ah, yes. I'm in the Boston area as well. I'm jealous of your electricity. We have none. My boyfriend wants to bring them into the garage for the weekend, but I'm worried that the trip and new environment (for two of them, two quarantined in there) will be too much for them. We've been lucky so far in that the weather's been pretty mild around Boston.



That is a brilliant idea! I am always concerned about their wattles in the cold, and oatmeal is an interesting approach to keep them hydrated. Do you divide it into multiple bowls to prevent conflict?

So I don't really have electricity in the coop. We have electricity in the house and I run a 100 foot extension cord out to the coop.

Why are you so worried about putting them in the garage? If it's a warm environment they might be better off there rather than freeze to death. I have separated chickens during emergencies before - does the new environment stress them out? Yes. Will a little stress kill them? Probably not. It's like going off to college - a new environment can be stressful but it probably won't kill you and sometimes the stress of a new environment is worth it. If the garage is just as cold as the coop then there won't be much to gain though. Put a space heater in there or something, and try to chicken proof it.

So with the pork chops I plan to throw in 2 at a time so they all will be able to eat. With the oatmeal I only use one bowl but they all huddle around it. Some chickens are typically not even interested in the oatmeal. I only have ten chickens so at least half of them can access the bowl at the same time. Usually only a few chickens eat it the whole time and the rest go back and forth. It isn't in as high demand as mealworms. The pecking order has been pretty smooth lately so not worried about conflict.

With all of your worrying it sounds like you are new to raising chickens. They are quite hardy and a change of environment won't kill them as long as the new environment is comfortable and fulfills all of their needs.

 

[ccoscina]

I don't have an electric pad but what if I filled up a hot water bottle at bedtime, would that help a bit for the few hours it's warm or do you think it would cool down too fast

That will definitely help, as the a warm object will emit radiant heat. A heating pad literally uses the same type of heat - radiant heat. It doesn't blow hot air, it just warms up the pad. It's an odd material, idk how to describe it, not quite metal but not quite plastic.

But anyways, a hot water bottle will definitely emit heat. Although one single water bottle will make little difference. Even ten hot water bottles won't make a huge difference but would be much better than one. You would also have to keep refilling them with hot water every 30 minutes or more. Probably every 15 minutes.

You might be better off using something that can hold more heat, such as bricks. Obviously be careful with how you heat the brick and transport it to the coop. You might want to find a way to prevent them from touching the bricks directly so you can get them very hot. The whole reason they put bricks or stone around fireplaces is because they absorb heat and then emit radiant heat for a day or more after the fire goes out. You can buy specific types of bricks for emitting more heat but you don't have time to order online and must buy what you can find locally. The cold starts on Friday so you must prepare TODAY.