Bitter cold coming-leave chickens in coop or open pop door and let them choose?

[bmetz]

Central Indiana- Tonight through Thursday we are supposed to have bitter cold. The temp with wind chill is supposed to be -30 to -40 F!! I am worried about my chickens in the cold. First off- do you think they will be alright without heat and on their roost(2 x 4's)?
During the day Wednesday and Thursday should I keep them shut up in the coop since the windchill will be horrible? My run has a roof(tarp) but does not have the sides covered(one has partial tarp covering). Snow does blow in if very windy. I know they should...key word.. should... be smart enough that if I let them out.. to go back in coop to get warm..but I don't know that they will. They are usually out until I get home from work and they come in when I come in the coop.
I have added extra shavings to coop floor to try to help insulate more- added more shavings to run and left piled up so could stand in those instead of on cold ground. Coop is draft free and I have a droppings tray with sweet pdz that I will make sure to clean tonight to help get rid of excess moisture before they "go to bed" tonight. Any advice?

 

[azygous]

My chickens are wimps when it comes to choosing to be outside in the cold wind. Maybe some breeds are tougher (@centrarchid has American Game breeds and they appear to be undaunted by snow and cold) but mine would rather hang out inside their covered run and complain about the weather.

Chickens do need to be able to shelter from direct freezing wind and they need a good source of food calories and unfrozen water to drink, but other than those necessities, they are kitted out with warm down jackets that make them good and insulated against cold temps.

Don't worry about their feet and cold surfaces. Their blood circulation to their feet is the opposite of ours. Bird blood cools as blood flows to their feet, making them not suffer the same effects our feet suffer in the cold.

 

[centrarchid]

My chickens are wimps when it comes to choosing to be outside in the cold wind. Maybe some breeds are tougher (@centrarchid has American Game breeds and they appear to be undaunted by snow and cold) but mine would rather hang out inside their covered run and complain about the weather.

Chickens do need to be able to shelter from direct freezing wind and they need a good source of food calories and unfrozen water to drink, but other than those necessities, they are kitted out with warm down jackets that make them good and insulated against cold temps.

Don't worry about their feet and cold surfaces. Their blood circulation to their feet is the opposite of ours. Bird blood cools as blood flows to their feet, making them not suffer the same effects our feet suffer in the cold.

Mine do complain. We just need to be able to understand how they signal they are cold. Read their signals.

 

[bmetz]

My chickens are wimps when it comes to choosing to be outside in the cold wind. Maybe some breeds are tougher (@centrarchid has American Game breeds and they appear to be undaunted by snow and cold) but mine would rather hang out inside their covered run and complain about the weather.

Chickens do need to be able to shelter from direct freezing wind and they need a good source of food calories and unfrozen water to drink, but other than those necessities, they are kitted out with warm down jackets that make them good and insulated against cold temps.

Don't worry about their feet and cold surfaces. Their blood circulation to their feet is the opposite of ours. Bird blood cools as blood flows to their feet, making them not suffer the same effects our feet suffer in the cold.

Mine are ISA Browns. They have feed and water at all times during the day. I check their heated nipple waterer daily. They have a 5 gallon bucket feeder and they also have a "dog dish" bowl that I fill also-just so everyone can access and no one gets bullied. The shelter from the wind is the issue- the sides of the run are not covered. They could go in the coop to get out of the wind or I could keep them shut in-which I know they wouldn't be too happy about. I would have to put food and water inside though which wouldn't be the easiest. I worry more because I had one who ended up not being able to roost properly(She was fine and on roost when I left them after work) one really cold night and her feet were basically frozen when I got home from work so I had to bring her in to doctor her up. She has other issues than just the feet--starting to look like she is getting better though finally! I won't be able to do that for 9 others really..no more room at the inn inside haha.

 

[azygous]

Can you rig a wind shield with a tarp?

Animals can and do freeze during unexpected deep freezes. Out on the open prairie below the mountain where I live, ranchers have erected wind barriers for their cattle to stand behind during blizzards.

As with any warm blooded animal, including humans, calorie intake protects against freezing to death and shelter from wind chill helps the animal retain body heat more efficiently. It's a precaution we need to take for the well being of all our animals.

 

[Melky]

I winterized my coop. I put plastic over the windows taped. I left top vent open. I put curtains over window inside for draft protection. I left pop door open but planning second set of curtains for draft protection. I tarped entire coop/run to block wind, snow, and rain. I keep waterer on heated base and take fresh water out frequently during freezing temps couple times a day to make sure not frozen. I placed straw down inside and outside as warmer than pine mulch. I lay new to keep feet off frozen ground. I also placed a K and H heating pad that is fireproof from Amazon on wall of coop. It is on with anything below 30 degrees as freezing temps. My girls have access to both coop and run during the day but both are sheltered. I do see them go in and out during the day. They get a check each morning for signs of frostbite or other problems.

Keep clean and dry. The chickens breathing combined with droppings in freezing temperatures creates humidity. Humidity sits on surfaces of birds. Areas that lack feathering are at risk for frostbite such as combs, wattles, legs, feet, and toes. You can put petroleum Vaseline on large combs and wattles to help protect against freezing temps.

Additionally when temps go below freezing and body temp drops in birds, then blood is shunted to core organs for oxygenation leaving extremities along with combs/wattles at risk for frostbite due to decreased circulation. Keeping warm and dry is key.

Early signs of frostbite is redness with swelling of legs or feet, light or pale tips on combs or wattles. These turn black dry and hardened or gangrenous as frostbite injury worsens.

 

[centrarchid]

Can you rig a wind shield with a tarp?

Animals can and do freeze during unexpected deep freezes. Out on the open prairie below the mountain where I live, ranchers have erected wind barriers for their cattle to stand behind during blizzards.

As with any warm blooded animal, including humans, calorie intake protects against freezing to death and shelter from wind chill helps the animal retain body heat more efficiently. It's a precaution we need to take for the well being of all our animals.

That is exactly what I do with my birds out in the field. First concern is wind break. Second minimal contact with surfaces that conduct heat from body (bare ground replaced with woody vegetation / fibrous material). Third is increased caloric uptake. Fourth is make certain birds are hydrated (I do not say access to liquid water all the time so alternative methods employed). Being dehydrated can reduce capacity for processing food and thus generate heat energy. Also make so birds not stressed by other issues.

 

[bmetz]

Can you rig a wind shield with a tarp?

Animals can and do freeze during unexpected deep freezes. Out on the open prairie below the mountain where I live, ranchers have erected wind barriers for their cattle to stand behind during blizzards.

As with any warm blooded animal, including humans, calorie intake protects against freezing to death and shelter from wind chill helps the animal retain body heat more efficiently. It's a precaution we need to take for the well being of all our animals.

I thought about the tarp idea. Any ideas on how to quickly and tightly fasten it up? I won't have much daylight when I get out of work unfortunately. Short of wiring or zip tying each grommet onto the hardware cloth, I'm not sure what would work best. I thought about maybe some sort of clips but those would allow more movement of the tarp and would have to be fairly small to fit hardware cloth etc. Would a smaller tarp be sufficient(up to their size of course etc). My run panels(kennel panels) are 10x10 and the store doesn't carry 10 x10 etc.

 

[BullChick]

I rarely worry about the cold, but this weather is closed coop weather. Not here today, but tonight into Thursday or Friday.

 

[Melky]

I thought about the tarp idea. Any ideas on how to quickly and tightly fasten it up? I won't have much daylight when I get out of work unfortunately. Short of wiring or zip tying each grommet onto the hardware cloth, I'm not sure what would work best. I thought about maybe some sort of clips but those would allow more movement of the tarp and would have to be fairly small to fit hardware cloth etc. Would a smaller tarp be sufficient(up to their size of course etc). My run panels(kennel panels) are 10x10 and the store doesn't carry 10 x10 etc.

I picked my tarp up at harbor freight. They have in all sizes. I picked the silver one up that is sun, rain, and snow proof. I clip mine on sides of roof top and can clip bottom down on corners. You can also zip tie or put twine through grommets and tie down that way as well.