Cold Weather! I knew I'd hate this

[bobbi-j]

Unless it gets to oh, say, -50* you won't need the heat light. My little bantam cochin survived temps in the -20's.

 

[schnebbles]

I'd be most worried about the silkies. my bantam cochin is inside sick but yes, they have so many feathers!

 

[chicken pickin]

Even though your chickens are small it shouldn't be a problem. I have Japanese Bantams and they are super tiny only about 1lb and 1/2. they managed just fine last winter. 2 roosters lost just the very tips of their combs to frost bite but honestly I think its because I was like you last year and was nervous for them. I used a heat lamp for about a week last winter when it was super cold and I think that is caused moisture to build up and that is what caused frost bite when I noticed the frostbite I took the lamp away. This year no heat lamps for me. They will be fine. Im in NH it gets pretty cold here too with blizzards and 3 feet of snow and ice storms and power outages(again another reason to NOT use heat lamps). I plan this year to use thick plastic and cover the sides of the runs to allow more space during winter and also create a windbreak.

I would also figure out what is causing you chicken to be sick. If it is respiratory she may have a hard time over winter as well as she may infect the rest of your flock. Depending on what she has she could get better but still be a carrier for life which will cause your flock to always have the potentioal of getting sick and new comers to get sick or chicks to get sick, even if you were to sell hatching eggs those eggs could possibly hatch chicks that will be carriers and infect someone elses flock... You get the point. Sorry I get paranoid when I hear "my chickens sick" or "my chicken has a cold"

From what I have read on all the other threads you have started it seems as though you don't have a healthy flock lots of sneezing and such for months. It may have been the silkies as chicks that you got that could have brought in a disease. I know all this is not topic related so I apologize.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Poor quality, moisture laden air is the biggest concern as people close up their coops in winter.

A lot of the respiratory problems can be traced to a lack of ventilation.

I put 2 day old chicks out with a broody pullet 3 nights ago. The top half of both the East and West walls are open covered with hardware cloth. It was 27 here last night. The chicks are just fine.

 

[ShinShien]

Poor quality, moisture laden air is the biggest concern as people close up their coops in winter.

A lot of the respiratory problems can be traced to a lack of ventilation.

I put 2 day old chicks out with a broody pullet 3 nights ago. The top half of both the East and West walls are open covered with hardware cloth. It was 27 here last night. The chicks are just fine.

Lucky you. I don't have a broody, so my ameraucana chicks are in a brooder with 2 heat lamps blazing. Closed one of my coops 3 windows last night. It's breezy and cold here, but not like up north, I'm betting.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Lucky you. I don't have a broody, so my ameraucana chicks are in a brooder with 2 heat lamps blazing. Closed one of my coops 3 windows last night. It's breezy and cold here, but not like up north, I'm betting.

I use 2 heat lamps too, when brooding in cold weather just in case one goes out during the night.

 

[schnebbles]

Well, yes, I have had issues with sneezing chickens. The mareks silkie who died last weekend (put down) was always sneezy, she was ok during the summer but I think she just had a poor immune system. She was ok til it got cool/damp right after I got her.

This cochin was very healthy and I had her over the respiratory with Tylan. I didn't realize how bad off she was outside then picked her up and she was all boney so in she came. I then treated with Tylan but should have tube fed her sooner. She died last night

No one else is sneezing now. I have 3 d'uccles and 2 silkies left.

The mareks is the worst. All I wanted was a few pet chickens and I have had horrible luck.

 

[sepaditty1]

Well, yes, I have had issues with sneezing chickens.  The mareks silkie who died last weekend (put down) was always sneezy, she was ok during the summer but I think she just had a poor immune system.  She was ok til it got cool/damp right after I got her.  

This cochin was very healthy and I had her over the respiratory with Tylan.  I didn't realize how bad off she was outside then picked her up and she was all boney so in she came.  I then treated with Tylan but should have tube fed her sooner.  She died last night  

No one else is sneezing now.  I have 3 d'uccles and 2 silkies left.

The mareks is the worst.  All I wanted was a few pet chickens and I have had horrible luck.

I am so sorry for your losses. I lost 3 of mine last week to Coccidiosis. It's heart breaking.

I hope all the rest are healthy & happy.

 

[schnebbles]

sorry for you too, it's very hard. One of my first cochins died a few days after I got her, not sure if it was shipping stress but I think it may have been. I thought she was beautiful as well. so all 3 cochins I had are gone.

 

[sepaditty1]

This was my first illness in mmy flock. Made me realize how much mmore I have to learn! But I did learn and in the Spring when we get more chicks, I will build a strong, healthy flock.