Canadians check in here....

[Bound to Sea]

Don't feel bad about keeping them locked up for few days. Mine have been locked up for 2 weeks now as anything colder than -20 ,I don't let them out. Good idea about hardware cloth to keep predators out. Stay safe!

 

[Kris5902]

Don't feel bad about keeping them locked up for few days. Mine have been locked up for 2 weeks now as anything colder than -20 ,I don't let them out. Good idea about hardware cloth to keep predators out. Stay safe!

-20!!! Brrrr! Sending you warm thoughts it’s -1 here now and that’s too cold for me.

I’m definitely thinking about upscaling the winter accommodations for next year. Once my house is up and the meddling bureaucratic BS of that is over, I’m thinking about a large enclosed fixed coop for winter, divided for my different flocks. I’ll probably build it off of my woodshed.

 

[Bound to Sea]

One thing about coops and tractors, you are never done adding to it! Lol! Makes it fun too! You take care and send along pics of those babies when the weather improves.

 

[Kris5902]

Anyone have any experience with chickens that have snow on them/their roosts when they roost up for the night? I went down to pick up my dishes and laundry from the farm house where there’s power and when I got back a freak snow incident has happened and it blew into their roost boxes and there’s even snow on my chickens where it blew in the ventilation hole while I was out? I don’t have anywhere to bring them in! Will they be on its -3 Celsius. I’m totally freaking out.

 

[Bound to Sea]

Anyone have any experience with chickens that have snow on them/their roosts when they roost up for the night? I went down to pick up my dishes and laundry from the farm house where there’s power and when I got back a freak snow incident has happened and it blew into their roost boxes and there’s even snow on my chickens where it blew in the ventilation hole while I was out? I don’t have anywhere to bring them in! Will they be on its -3 Celsius. I’m totally freaking out.

They will be fine. Minus 3 is fine for them. They might even eat some snow.

 

[Kris5902]

They will be fine. Minus 3 is fine for them. They might even eat some snow.

Even though it is ON them??? They aren’t going to get wet or frostbite overnight? I’ve put up some plastic to stop more from blowing in on them... the wind never comes in from that direction, but we also don’t get snow here!

And thank you so much for your answer! I’m completely terrified for my babies -8 with windchill predicted for tonight

 

[Bound to Sea]

Even though it is ON them??? They aren’t going to get wet or frostbite overnight? I’ve put up some plastic to stop more from blowing in on them... the wind never comes in from that direction, but we also don’t get snow here!

And thank you so much for your answer! I’m completely terrified for my babies -8 with windchill predicted for tonight

The plastic is good. They need to be out of the wind. Doors and windows shut? You could put more bedding in for the night. Possibly brush the snow out? They will shake off the snow. They create alot of body heat. Just keep the wind out.

 

[Kris5902]

Alright so I have learned a few lessons the last 24 hrs... they are fine with the snow, but without arial predator protection, they are staying safe and warm locked in their boxes!

I have been voted the most likely creature out of the 27 of us up here to get frostbite... out of my husband, myself, and 25 chickens.

Chickens are very, very messy drinkers.

Most valuable lesson so far: Water then mealworms! I hand fed them the mealworms first, then the next 1/2hr of holding the water container for them I was getting the occasional “just checking to make sure your finger isn’t a giant mealworm” peck from a couple of the girls, while I stand with my torso in the pop door holding the little ziplock of water for them to drink from.

Yes, I just spent the last hour with my butt sticking out of the roosting boxes, holding water for them as they dribbled it all over my hand, sleeve, and shook their heads spraying my face with it, and probably chicken spit too, for good measure! And, are you sure this finger isn’t a mealworm? Just checking! It’s not like I drew blood or anything... sheesh, humans are so silly.

So far no problems with all my boys and my face in there, which is probably the most worrisome part of the whole keeping the chickens watered fiasco I’ve got going right now. They are getting used to drinking from my semi-frozen hands while nose to nose with me. (I’m glad I have glasses, just in case!)

And Toronto? BC here... we’ve got your snow by mistake and would like to return it, thanks! I’m up to 2 1/2 feet in places... It doesn’t do this here!!!

 

[aflamothe]

I'm in southern Quebec.

 

[Bound to Sea]

I'm in southern Quebec.

Hello! Welcome! How is your weather today and what do you have for birds?