Chickens Arctic Conditions Prolonged Period

[chickisoup]

Heater works. Plus you save on feed. I just whack the corn to my birds and they do fine too. Plus there is 11 birds all total. They bunch together and share body heat to combat the cold. Either way you must fuel the birds to keep their body temperature constant. Whether it be through nutrition or supplemental heat. My birds have went through -40º C&F. You birds may not be as cold hearty as mine. Anytime it snows in my area the temperatures are not as cold never double digit frigid. What ever gives you peace of mind.

Thanks. My big problem is due to culling because of illness in my rescued battery hens after I had already brought in what I thought put my coop to max with spring chicks and two Aussie "hens" I bought turning out to be two roos, I've wound up with fewer birds than I should have for the size of my coop and all the adults are still molting so bad that when I open the coop in the morning it looks like they've been in a pillow fight! All were doing well (except my one Leghorn "mutt" because of her molt) with no heat till this cold hit today.

 

[Beyond Yonder]

At that temp do you still have your ventilation holes open?

 

[Hokum Coco]

At that temp do you still have your ventilation holes open?

Depends on the wind I shut them during blizzard conditions. I have them open more than closed as a rule.

 

[JenAndHens]

This has been a very helpful thread. I really don't want to heat my coop or run electric out there. It will be sheltered beside house and I'm able to check on them throughout the day. Fingers crossed!
Love your story about grand-daughter and her love of you and birds. Very sweet.

 

[Cluckies]

Great thread, I'm in MN. My coop is insulated and I was planning not to heat it. So I really enjoyed this thread. We've already had bitterly cold tempts Already, in November! My girl seem to be ok. I'm not retired though so have to water them prior to leaving for work at 4:45 am I worry that their water will be frozen by the time they get up on the coldest days (their water is in the run) I do have electricity and can add a small water in the house if I need to.
So far I open the pop door and they come out every day into their run. Their run is enclosed on 3 sides west, north, and east sides with greenhouse panels. the south side is hardware cloth only, it is nice when the sun is out. It is surprisingly not bad in there even on very cold windy days (I sit out there with them alot). I was wondering at what temp do I shut them into the coop? or do I just open the pop door and let them decide? Here is a picture of my run with enclosed sides. They were out in the run already on single digit and below 0F days, I have not closed them in. Will they go in on their own if it is to cold? or will they stay out there and get frost bit feet? like the OP, it can get -40 here as well, it can be below zero for weeks sometimes... I'm worried. I've changed out the straw you see in the photo to wood chips. That was the first straw they had ever had one of my girls ended up with a sour crop within a week, I removed it. The back of the run under the hen house is dirt only for dirt bathing and such. it is not frozen there as we hadn't had rain here since august so when I put up the panels it stayed dry in there and snow never got back there to melt and freeze.

.

 

[Hokum Coco]

The barred rock is a picture of my newest arrival (not exactly as shown) given to me by a neighbour they got 2 chicks for the kids only one survived she will start to lay in January my flock is a mix of ages some with their birthdays back in August 2010. About 8 of my hens are going through a molt 4 of the eight are extremely heavy (inopportune timing). I am expecting to loose my older girls at an time I have 2 seniors in my flock of Golden Comets they may fool me again who knows.

Temperatures went on a real rollercoaster ride late in the month with a record-breaking maximum of 18.0 C on the 25th to a bone-chilling minimum of -14.6 C on the 29th.
NOVEMBER 2014 ALMANAC
Average HIGH. 5.8 C
Average LOW. -3.4 C
Extreme HIGH. 18.0 C (25 Nov)
Extreme LOW. -14.6 C (29 Nov)

My birds have been vocal and happy out side of two birds that went missing (one for about 2 weeks another for about 2 months) things in my coop have been great. Both birds came back home on their own. No clue as to the adventures they had been on. My egg production has fallen off to maybe one egg every 2 days. They all laid regular for the most part all summer long and had eggs for sale and plenty for the table. The manure for my vegetable garden is the real reason i have chickens anything else is a bonus. Chicken manure is the best know to man.

 

[Hokum Coco]

No heat or light in my coop no eggs today one egg yesterday out of 12 senior citizens.
Temperature:
6.4°F
Dewpoint:
-9.0°F
Humidity:
49%
Wind:
WSW 15 gust 22 mph
Wind Chill:
-12
Hens are staying close to the coop and venturing out a bit and are doing fine.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Temperature:
-6.2°F
Dewpoint:
-18.8°F
Humidity:
54%
Wind:
WSW 22 gust 31 mph
Wind Chill:
-38

These are the kinds of temperatures we have been having as of late.
No eggs yesterday and only 2 the day before that.
No heat or light in my coop and the birds are active and happy for the most part.
The water will be frozen harder than a brick when I go out directly.
I am honestly not expecting any problems out side of a decrease in egg production from 12 hens,.
I have been keeping my ventilation ports closed due to the strong winds and frigid temperatures.
Poop seems to freeze instantly practically.

Things are great in the coop only one egg today.

These are the new Black Rubber contains I bought today for watering my flock. They freeze soilid but are indestructiable and easy to pop out the ice and replenish with fresh water.

 

[Bush84]

Ya it's been cold here as well. I am in west central minnesota. We have had wind chill warnings seemingly all week. Tonight it will get down to -17 f with a -46 windchill. I don't have chickens yet though but I do have bees. They are in a temperature controlled shed however.

 

[JacobMaxwell]

It's really cold here in Ontario right now. We have snow, so I can't free range the chickens as usual. I guess I should have a protected run, but I don't. I hate to keep the chickens shut in the coop. Any suggestions?