Chickens dying from cold

[junebuggena]

Thanks everyone! The culprit is the moisture in the air. It was below zero with a humidity index of 80%. It is a very wet cold here in Iowa right now. I broke down and put heat lamps in there and have been making sure it doesn’t get steamy in there. It is -19 here right now, Getting ready to check on the ladies and bring them a warm treat (sweet potatoes mixed with grains)

Heat lamps will just make things worse. Too much moisture in the coop will not only cause frostbite, but respiratory illness. You need ventilation, not heat.

 

[nightowl223]

looks like a soft or shell less egg .. those happen more w/new or old old layers.. but they can happen in normal hens too

X3 or 4 or wherever it's at by now - that's definitely what it is. Nothing too worrisome. Just up the available calcium for them & see what happens.

 

[OG Anomaly]

I've lost a few to cold, I solved it with an old fridge.

its been a few years and they love fridges, especially in bad weather, its the ultimate blanket for no outlay of money.

I love this idea, do you have any more pics? Thank you for sharing!

 

[nightowl223]

I love this idea, do you have any more pics? Thank you for sharing!

I must say, I do, too. Reusing things is something I love to do. I made an incubator out of a dorm fridge, complete with double paned viewing window in the door.

I would be concerned about ventilation, though, myself, from using one for a coop. Especially when you have to be so careful about where you drill holes so you don't puncture a refrigerant line! I'd be really worried about leftover contaminants from that and what it might do to the birds. They are so very sensitive to airborne contaminants, from ammonia to molds to silica particles and more. So, how did you avoid that?

So, yes, lots of pics, and we'd love a short DIY post about it, too!

 

[junebuggena]

I must say, I do, too. Reusing things is something I love to do. I made an incubator out of a dorm fridge, complete with double paned viewing window in the door.

I would be concerned about ventilation, though, myself, from using one for a coop. Especially when you have to be so careful about where you drill holes so you don't puncture a refrigerant line! I'd be really worried about leftover contaminants from that and what it might do to the birds. They are so very sensitive to airborne contaminants, from ammonia to molds to silica particles and more. So, how did you avoid that?

So, yes, lots of pics, and we'd love a short DIY post about it, too!

The person who came up with this idea never did address the ventilation issue. There was quite a thread about it.

 

[bobbi-j]

Heat lamps will just make things worse. Too much moisture in the coop will not only cause frostbite, but respiratory illness. You need ventilation, not heat.

I will share what I have learned over the years. My first years of chicken keeping, I thought I had to keep the coop buttoned up tight in the winter, and keep a heat lamp in the coop (both for keeping the water thawed, and the chickens warm). Every year, they would get frostbite, and the ammonia built up and I had a lot of respiratory problems. Warm, moist air was the culprit. Once I got another coop built with vented soffits around the top and windows on the south side that would tip in from the top, most of the frostbite stopped, as did the respiratory problems. While much frostbite is due to too much moisture in the coop, sometimes it does get *that cold* and comb tips and the edges of wattles will freeze. I had a big-combed rooster last year that got "winter-dubbed". He seemed to suffer no ill effects from it. Adding heat doesn't fix the humidity in the coop - just makes it warmer.

 

[Blooie]

 

[KathryninQuebec]

I just started them on oyster shell...WAS using cracked corn &/or scratch. Now, they get layer feed, mixed with Cracked corn & D. Earth in a feeder. As ALREADY stated, they get hardboiled eggs, bread, melon, Just gave them bits of Apple flesh..I've made a couple more places that are dark, warmer (?) for them to lay. Found eggs in those spots but consistently this type of egg has been left atop the freezer...Does suddenly giving them Oyster Shell have a backwards affect on some Production Reds? I've had chickens survive in this kind of weather. Worried May need to put down a sickie..

It's also known as paper shell. Try to root out the hen that's laying these. The oyster shell may help but if not you may want to cull her. 1 for genetics (not that you would get a viable egg at this point) and 2 because she is more prone to becoming egg bound.I learned this the hard way and she suffered before the end.

 

[KathryninQuebec]

Does anyone else find it weird that the OP started this thread 5 days ago seeking help about chickens dying and has yet to respond to the plethora of efforts to assist?

They replied at 8:30 today on page 5. I almost missed it myself.

 

[nightowl223]

I will share what I have learned over the years. My first years of chicken keeping, I thought I had to keep the coop buttoned up tight in the winter, and keep a heat lamp in the coop (both for keeping the water thawed, and the chickens warm). Every year, they would get frostbite, and the ammonia built up and I had a lot of respiratory problems. Warm, moist air was the culprit. Once I got another coop built with vented soffits around the top and windows on the south side that would tip in from the top, most of the frostbite stopped, as did the respiratory problems. While much frostbite is due to too much moisture in the coop, sometimes it does get *that cold* and comb tips and the edges of wattles will freeze. I had a big-combed rooster last year that got "winter-dubbed". He seemed to suffer no ill effects from it. Adding heat doesn't fix the humidity in the coop - just makes it warmer.

Exactly