Ca Bay Area Freezing Temps - Unusual. How to protect my girls?

[Cashie]

Hi, my chickens are fairly well acclimated to the weather here, which is pretty temperate throughout the year. This weekend we are expecting snow at our elevation (for the first time in over 30 years). They are free range chickens with an open coop on 2 sides (cyclone fencing), protected walls on 2 sides. The coop has a roof to protect from rain.

Their favorite roost is in the corner where the walls meet, so I'm not worried about the elements where they're roosting. Would more hay on the ground be helpful for cold temps during the day? Should I put tarp up on the 2 open sides?

 

[sawmane1]

Hey on the ground tends to matted you should use alphalfia. But evan beter would be to put in a heatlamp as to not burn them but to warm them, and put vasolene on the birds combs to prevent frost bite. only put it on the large combs(single, buter cup, ect,

make shure they all roost too if one is by it's lonsome it could freeze to death!

 

[Cashie]

Quote:
Thanks. I'll get some alfalfa. Can not do the heat lamps. There is no electricity to the coop and I do not want to take a chance on running wires in damp weather.

 

[Pequena Bandada]

I would put tarps up on the two exposed sides to block drafts. Your chickens will have no problem with the cold temperature, it's the wind that could hurt them since they won't be able to warm up. Remember to check their water in the early AM in case it's frozen.

 

[imthedude]

toss out some scratch at bedtime so they have full crops before bed.

 

[7L Farm]

The best advice is don't wait till the storm comes in to put the tarps up. Do it while the weather is good. I live in Texas & it normally doesn't get real cold & I waited to long & froze my arse off trying to put tarps up Never again.

 

[Mrsfoote]

Quote:
I'm in the bay area too...They'll be fine I promise...they hold out way better than you think I had a broody on eggs in the nest box in december. The storm will be fast and wont stay long. Member most breeds can tolerate into single digit temps as long as they're fully feathered. I know we all worry but remember ....they are chickens and people have raised chickens for 100's of years without heat lamps and insulated coops.

 

[DenverBird]

Here in Denver we're fortunate that our chickens have down coats they wear when it gets cold. This is them recently; note the thermometer and the tarp over the run. Agree on giving them scratch if you've got it, another trick would be mixing in a couple of tablespoons of bacon grease or some other fatty, high calorie supplement with a day's feed. Be sure to check the waterer for ice, you may want to rotate two, with one in the coop and one in the house thawing if it gets really cold.

Good luck!

-DB

 

[Judy]

They should be fine if you can prevent wind blowing on them. If you have a wide roost, they'll sit on their feet to keep them warm, of they may sleep in the hay for the warmth. What they really need below freezing is enough ventilation to let the humid air out, and in that kind of coop I can't believe that's a problem!

I have an old area rug hung on one side of my coop over a section of wall made of hardware cloth. Makes the roost section cozier.

 

[Cashie]

Thanks, Everyone! Wow, how helpful you all are. I have 2 waterers, and am keeping one empty in case water freezes. Tarps are up and also put in an extra tarp in their favorite roosting corner so wind won't get in through the walls. I've got scratch to keep them warm.

My girls are spoiled. You can tell by how they bossily push their way right past me to terrorize the cats, when I open the coop to let them out in the afternoon. They're known as my Chickies Feminista.