arctic cold front--special precautions for texas hens?

[mcurren527]

I logged in especially to get ideas about taking care of my chickens. I live in SW MO and we're supposed to get below zero the next two nights. I have a nice house that my husband built me. There is a small door into the run and I keep the waterer out there because it's impossible for me to fill it without getting water on the coop floor and also because my chickens roost in the rafter so poop gets into it. I have a heat lamp hanging in one of the corners. Do you think it will be okay to leave that little door open when it gets below zero? If they're in the rafters will they be protected from draft well enough? If I had to move the waterer inside then I'd also have to move the heater base which would be an ordeal. Any ideas how I could prevent poop getting in the water if you think that's necessary?

Michelle

 

[FortWorthChicks]

It is still in the high 20's here but the winds are-a-blowin!

So my henhouse is inside a 10' x 10' x 7' run. It has no real walls just wire and posts covered too. Point is they were out there at war with the wind because they wanted to be out.

So I just manhandled the biggest plywood I have ever seen! 5'x10 lol rediculas and put it up against the north wall and then put a bail of straw in the coop to kindof make a cozy spot under the henhouse. my husband says it was 4x8 but im gonna measure it!

GEEZ Seriously folks my back is killing me now and thankfully those spoiled beasts were so excited I felt rewarded for my hard work! I didn;t know they made plywood so big till I searched the yard and found it behind the garage!

 

[Wildsky]

My chickens have their own little down blankets. I thought all chickens came with those

We were down to -12 last night and it will be colder tonight. No heat lamps here!

 

[RocketDad]

So I just manhandled the biggest plywood I have ever seen! 5'x10 lol ... my husband says it was 4x8 but im gonna measure it!

Most plywood is 4x8, bur there are some other products out there. I've used 5x5 Russian plywood and I've heard of 5x10 for Marine-grade plywood. I'd be interested to know what you're using as a wind break.​

 

[gkeesling]

It's supposed to get down to around zero here in East Central Indiana this next weekend. I won't do anything to add heat and my birds will be ok. the coop is draft free and i will have ready access to food and water. I figure they are birds and all kinds of birds live outside during the winter and don't all die off, and they don't have a nice little chicken house to live in.

 

[FortWorthChicks]

Quote:
a huge 5x10 russian piece of plywood apparently!!
Since the run is 10 feet wide it covers pretty much the whole north side of the run.

 

[FortWorthChicks]

ok... so the hubby was right it was just 4x8 but it sure felt like alot more lol...oooops

 

[sunket77]

I live in Central Texas also and was looking to post this same question! I am worried about my bantam's I have 4 (2 polish hens and one jap. pair) I have them set up in a small coop with a heat lamp. Thinking of covering the open side (chicken wire) with plastic. Also, I guess I should put vasoline on the cockerels comb.... so glad I found this, glad to see I am not the only Central Texan wondering this!

 

[Soccer Mom]

Quote:
The problem is our critters aren't used to the cold. For many of us, our coops are open aired, not insulated, etc and our animals aren't "hardened" to the cold. When you say "get acclimated", you're talking about birds who were enjoying weather in the 50's last week suddenly being dropped down into the teens. That is a horrible shock to the system.

You'll just have to tolerate us fretting about the unusual weather (I don't have enough very clothes for these temps!!) and we promise not to laugh about people freaking out when they hit 98 degrees in the summer.

 

[easttxchick]

Quote:
This is what I've been doing too-deepening my floor material as a kind of insulation.

Darn right we Texans are tough! By the way, when does spring begin again?