Chickens Arctic Conditions Prolonged Period

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, it's springtime all over. Tuesday morning it was 72 F (22C) and I was processing chickens outside quite comfortably. There was a strong south wind so I was in a shed for wind protection.

Tuesday afternoon/evening/night I got 3.5 inches of rain. (87 mm).

Wednesday morning there was slushy ice on the car windshield.

Tomorrow, Friday morning, the forecast is 16 F (-) 9C.

 

[aoxa]

Yeah, it's springtime all over. Tuesday morning it was 72 F (22C) and I was processing chickens outside quite comfortably. There was a strong south wind so I was in a shed for wind protection.

Tuesday afternoon/evening/night I got 3.5 inches of rain. (87 mm).

Wednesday morning there was slushy ice on the car windshield.

Tomorrow, Friday morning, the forecast is 16 F (-) 9C.

All this weather is very strange. Last week it was -41.8F and today it's +57F!

The wind is terrible right now. It's 90km/hr gusts. So of course on a warm day something is bound to be amiss. :/

 

[Hokum Coco]

Things are still harder than a brick right now. The temperature in the coop is colder than the ambient temperature outside. I get the majority of my manure on my poop boards that are cleaned almost everyday. Things have not even began to thaw and I can not open the double doors on the coop because of the wind warning and the pounding rain we are currently experiencing.

There is no ammonia smell and I have all the windows and vents open. It is still way colder on the floor level of the coop as compared to the upper levels. The mass of deep litter will still have ice in it well into April and May from my past experiences with wood chips (especially if there is not a large concentration of manure in the mix).

This year may be a little different where I am experimenting with a different combination of litter (trying wood pellets it is turning into sawdust I noticed once it gets saturated with water). With only 7 birds in the coop that too will give things a different dynamic I usually have 12.

 

[Vinniemac]

Crazy weather It was 68F yesterday 27F today with snow

 

[3forfree]

Same here in michigan, one week ago we had single digit temps, two days ago it was in the 50's with rain, and today it's 22, everything is freezing again and it's snowing.Don't forget there is no global warming.

 

[Hokum Coco]

February 1, 2013 it is 23F and 5F with the wind chill. I let my chickens out to free range yesterday it was extremely windy and very mild. They spent a few hours out and about.

I just got done checking on my birds and today I had 4 eggs out of 6 old Golden Comet birds that are well past their prime. Things are frozen solid for the most part in the coops however today the water was only frozen with a crust and yesterday it never froze at all.

 

[Ochmeuw2]

Hi Hokum,

I'm just starting out this spring (I am in Eastern Ontario), and I was wondering what type of chicken do you find handles the cold weather the best?

Tanya

 

[centrarchid]

Come on, show pictures of how birds behave under cold stress. Show how feathers held, where they gather or avoid, how legs held, color changes in exposed flesh.

 

[Hokum Coco]

That is a good idea centrarchid I have to admit however when I go out to tend my birds at -37F it is not one of my top priorites of shooting a documentary on life of a chicken at -37 below. I am retired not retarded LOL. My top priority is to get back into my home. I will go out and post pictures of the inside of my coop and the condition my birds are in. Not today but in the near future in a perfect world.

On another note Ochmeuw2 when it comes to chickens the only breeds I am familiar with is the White leghorn, Gold Comets, Meat kings (white cornish), and the Black Sex links. I would highly recommend the Gold Comets or Sex link birds.


They have all the qualities I personally like in a bird. Cold hearty being the foremost, great personalities, top brown egg layer, and dual purpose (meat & eggs). Birds must be acclimatized before subjecting them to Arctic conditions. I would not restrict yourself to this breed because their are probably some heritage birds out there that are just as good or maybe even better as a dual purpose bird. This is just the ones that have worked the best for me of the limited number of breeds I had access to locally.

 

[Ochmeuw2]

Thanks for the info - I will probably go with the sex-links as they are readily available in this area. This is a great thread, thanks for all the great tips.

Tanya