Bad Weather in Colorado

[ryan820]

Hey guys.... so it's the May snowstorm we all expect tonight, here in Colorado... I live above 6500' and the snow is coming down-- several inches earlier today but more is expected tonight-- and its the water-logged, heavy snow, too. My two-month old chickens are in their coop outside-- but it is not entirely finished-- meaning the wind is likely making it drafty and they did not look happy when I left for work this afternoon. Should I bring them into the garage tonight? It's forecast to get down to 32F but the windchill down to 25. Your thoughts? The chicks are fully feathered-- meaning I don't SEE any fuzz, so I'm assuming their feathers will do the work they're designed to do but these poor peeps have never seen weather like this!

 

[True Grit]

You may not need to bring them in but it can't be drafty for them. Maybe you could wrap a tarp around it to windproof it tonight? If you can't keep the draft off them I'd bring them in on the premise better safe than sorry..

 

[ryan820]

Quote:
I'm just guessing its drafty-- I have sealed the roof but nothing else is sealed so I can only imagine in our high winds, there is likely a draft in there. I think i will take them in. They can hang out in the garage for the next day no problem... poor girls, they do have a lamp in there, though-- not likely a big help but it makes me feel better.

Dang it... I can't be upset over getting much-needed rain and snow but this stinks.

 

[ryan820]

Well we've made it through the storm. Biggest soaker of a storm I've ever experienced here in Colorado. By Eastern standards, it was just a rainy day, but for the High Desert, it was God-sent!

The chicks looked miserable but they tolerated the situation well. So proud of my girls

The coop did well, all things considered. I reeeeeally need to paint the thing and finish sealing up the gaps to limit drafts and dripping. Lots of ideas for improving the coop now that I've seen what Nature wants to do with it.

18 inches of very heavy and wet snow-- equates to about 2.5 inches of rain in 24hrs. We now have almost no snow. To give you an idea of how dry it was here... 18 inches of snow melted in less than a day and no puddles....anywhere. Ground soaked it all up. It's muddy, for sure, but no puddles.

Well done Mum Nature!