Canadians check in here....

[Purple_grape84]

This is the 2nd winter that I've had a silkie. Even with our horrible temperatures she's done just fine with no heat.

@farmers daughter

What temp do you hey down to? I'm in Alberta Canada.

 

[chickens really]

Here this morning and I'm close to her its -35C and even heat in my insulated Coop is cold..

 

[Purple_grape84]

Here this morning and I'm close to her its -35C and even heat in my insulated Coop is cold..

Oh yeah the other chickens are cold. Brahmas, cochin roo, orpington roo,blue isbars, and Americanas. There is some frost bite on combs and wattles. They have no heat and lots of straw. All their feet look good so far.

I just worry about the silkies. I'm near Lamont, AB. Maybe I would be more willing to risk it and leave them out if I had more than 2.

 

[chickens really]

Oh yeah the other chickens are cold. Brahmas, cochin roo, orpington roo,blue isbars, and Americanas. There is some frost bite on combs and wattles. They have no heat and lots of straw. All their feet look good so far.

I just worry about the silkies. I'm near Lamont, AB. Maybe I would be more willing to risk it and leave them out if I had more than 2.

Even my Pal that is a bit harsh heats his Silkies and tiny Bantams...

 

[The Farmers' Daughter]

@farmers daughter

What temp do you hey down to? I'm in Alberta Canada.

I'm in Alberta too. -35 here this morning and she actually seems to be faring better than the cold hardy birds that I have.

 

[Purple_grape84]

Even my Pal that is a bit harsh heats his Silkies and tiny Bantams...

I just moved into my new farm in Dec and couldn't wait to get chickens lol. I'm on the fence about heat as I have had the power go out here and I read it can be hard on the animals if they aren't accustomed to the cold to lose heat all of a sudden.

I'll just stay at from bantams and maybe look at getting heat for silkies next year. The two in my bsmt will just have to stay there for a while lol.

The isbars and Americanas have actually played a couple eggs, they were frozen and went to the dogs, but it was very exciting.

 

[Kris5902]

We’re getting our second really nasty windstorm of the season in the Southern Gulf Islands of B.C.... last night I went out at midnight and slashed the tarps on my chicken Tractors... one still managed to move about 15 feet. Gusts are up to 90 kph. This morning we cut the center sections of tarp completely away. It’s -2 with windchill of about -12.

So I’ve got 12 18 week olds (finally counted from hatch day!) 6 pullets & 6 cockerels in one tractor, and 13 13ish week olds is the other 4 pullets and 9 cockerels. They are fairly warm in their roosting boxes 3x6, and seem to be getting on ok, but they aren’t eating as much and I’m having troubles keeping up with their water (it’s either freezing or they are dumping it which worries me because I want to keep their boxes dry!)

My current conundrum is I could move the chickens into a drafty big barn that is much colder than their night roosts so they could move about some, or just keep them locked in all day today. But they have always been separate and I’m worried about my younger and much smaller breed Sapphires in with my big bossy Mr Marans (dominant cockerel with the 18 week olds). Yesterday the 13 week olds didn’t venture out at all, and I was only able to coax the 18 week olds out with treats so I could put some cardboard under their roosts to help with wind blocking/heat retention. (They have a hardware cloth floor for droppings to fall through).

Any thoughts? Barn is raised so I can’t just park the tractors in it. Last storm I only had the one flock in a tractor, and it was much warmer so I just tossed them all in the barn to deal with the attempted flight of their housing! (Added 2 5gallon buckets of gravel for weight to the front as well after the first storm)

 

[Purple_grape84]

We’re getting our second really nasty windstorm of the season in the Southern Gulf Islands of B.C.... last night I went out at midnight and slashed the tarps on my chicken Tractors... one still managed to move about 15 feet. Gusts are up to 90 kph. This morning we cut the center sections of tarp completely away. It’s -2 with windchill of about -12.

So I’ve got 12 18 week olds (finally counted from hatch day!) 6 pullets & 6 cockerels in one tractor, and 13 13ish week olds is the other 4 pullets and 9 cockerels. They are fairly warm in their roosting boxes 3x6, and seem to be getting on ok, but they aren’t eating as much and I’m having troubles keeping up with their water (it’s either freezing or they are dumping it which worries me because I want to keep their boxes dry!)

My current conundrum is I could move the chickens into a drafty big barn that is much colder than their night roosts so they could move about some, or just keep them locked in all day today. But they have always been separate and I’m worried about my younger and much smaller breed Sapphires in with my big bossy Mr Marans (dominant cockerel with the 18 week olds). Yesterday the 13 week olds didn’t venture out at all, and I was only able to coax the 18 week olds out with treats so I could put some cardboard under their roosts to help with wind blocking/heat retention. (They have a hardware cloth floor for droppings to fall through).

Any thoughts? Barn is raised so I can’t just park the tractors in it. Last storm I only had the one flock in a tractor, and it was much warmer so I just tossed them all in the barn to deal with the attempted flight of their housing! (Added 2 5gallon buckets of gravel for weight to the front as well after the first storm)

View attachment 1668282 View attachment 1668284

I love your tractors. Can you move the tractors close to the barn so it can act as a wind break? Maybe even lash to the barn.

 

[Bound to Sea]

Oh my!! How long is the storm supposed to last? If they are doing okay in there now....they may be ok. Just close up the wood 3x6 boxes. If they have a wind block,....they can huddle for warmth. Good idea with the gravel buckets. Maybe pull the tractors closer to the buildings for shelter? You are doing a great job!! Maybe put the water inside with them??

 

[Kris5902]

Winds are supposed to let up tonight about 7... I just feel like a terrible chicken mama keeping them locked in! They are huddling together well. Unfortunately the leeward side of the barn has a lot of stuff piled near it, including my current 5th wheel accommodations, it would be an all day project to clear it and move them there in the tractors...

I’m thinking I’ll replace the tarps with 1” hardware cloth to keep the eagles out and the chickens in, then tie the tarps over that, so in these sorts of extreme windstorms I can just roll the tarps back. The Tractors keep evolving as issues arise. After these repairs/changes next step is going to be some nesting boxes for my older girls.

Usually we just get lots and lots of rain... this cold snap is sucking. I don’t know how you guys in Alberta survive. I would be like “ok, it’s October... time to go inside... se y’all next May!” Yesterday my chickens saw snow for the first time through their little pop doors... and they had these cute little “heck NO, not going out there” looks on their faces.