Cold Snap -11ºF

[Hokum Coco]

@ Randykr My egg production is way down 1 maybe 2 eggs a day from 10 hens. They are on their 4 trip around the sun. If I was in the egg production business these hens would have been soup a long time ago. They laid well through -40 degree cold snaps last year I still get a few eggs a day from the old gals yet and I am more concerned with the manure than the eggs (I garden) Thank you for your advice. I honestly feel my birds are in fine shape for their age and adding light would only add to their stress levels. I feed heavy with my own mix of grains and added corn. Frost bite is not a major issue. If I felt my birds could not handle the cold I would definitely add heat. My cold snaps usually only last a few days. I am 63 years old and have been raising chickens for a time. These birds handle the cold well and were out free ranging today. That is good indicator that your birds are doing well...

 

[mrchicks]

It's been subzero here at night, and the teens to 20's during the day. My gals are fine, no heat, no extra lights. I don't want them to rely on extras as our power will go out during heavy snow or ice storms. It always does. They're wandering around in their run right now, pecking at the scratch I put out this morning. They can go in if they wish, they just choose to go outside, regardless of the weather.

 

[theoldchick]

It's been subzero here at night, and the teens to 20's during the day. My gals are fine, no heat, no extra lights. I don't want them to rely on extras as our power will go out during heavy snow or ice storms. It always does. They're wandering around in their run right now, pecking at the scratch I put out this morning. They can go in if they wish, they just choose to go outside, regardless of the weather.

That's a good point about losing power. The sudden loss of heat would be traumatic to a flock used an artificial heat source.

 

[3forfree]

This is the first winter for my birds to be laying. I hatched them in october of 2012 had them outside in single digit cold and snow before january 1st of this year. Right now they have been molting and egg production had dropped to 1 or 2 per day from 6 birds.I put a light in the coop last week just to see if anything would change. Have a timer on the light to come on at 4am and go out at 8 when it's usually light enough to see. So far nothing has changed, but I'm going to leave the light on.

 

[Hokum Coco]

That's a good point about losing power. The sudden loss of heat would be traumatic to a flock used an artificial heat source.

It is not Mr.Chicks first Rodeo. I find a good laying bird is just that summer or winter; Extra light definitely does help but not noticeably enough to warrant on a small backyard flock. You are in my opinion anyway spending a dollar trying to save 10¢.

 

[theoldchick]

It is not Mr.Chicks first Rodeo.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

My egg production is way down as well.

 

[Hokum Coco]

It warmed up yesterday and started snowing.
Yesterday night the mercury dipped down to -10ºF.
The wind chill was -32ºF if you pay attention to those things.

I will be going out to the coop in about 2 hours time. I had shut the left hand door last night. Good new is it is supposed to warm up to -8ºF.

No heat No Light No Problems.

I have 2" of Styrofoam insulation in casing the coop.
I lost a hen yesterday (She was 4 years old) I think it was a laying issue.
Then hen passed before I could find my hatchet.
I got 2 eggs today only one made it into the house (slimy mess in my pocket).



.

 

[Going Quackers]

Sorry about your hen! as you say though after a few years they are prone to issues. I am cold too.. -18C/windchill -29C yesterday wasn't much better, my standards hens are in molt so are not coming out but all the silkies my daughter keeps were.

 

[mrchicks]

That is quite true, I'm not a young chick anymore.

We tried adding a light on a timer and it increased our egg production by one. From our 14 ladies in that coop we get an average of 4 eggs right now. My hubby says they are taking a well deserved break, and I do agree.

This morning it is 18F and I have two gals taking a dust bath out in their run. We keep a sled filled with peat moss in their covered section, they seem to like that for bathing.