cold weather

[chickeydee]

Well How cold was it last night and did you keep a lite and heater on your birds ? It was 18 degrees here and my birds did not have heat They were in there open coop and loved it . I had more eggs this morning than I had the day before .I have a security light on a pole that lights up from dust to dawn and they free range and was out this morning at 5:30 and there was snow on the ground . I love it .

ee

 

[debtrag]

I too am wondering about my flock(s).

I have 19 golden comet hens that can go into an insulated shed with a kennel enclosure outside.

I also have 6 others (different breeds) , barred rock rooster, silkie hen, aracona hen, aracona mix banty hen, rhode island hen and a mixed aracona hen that live separately with my two pekin ducks in a large kennel (18' x 24'), with igloo (square) dog houses filled with straw. The 6 chickens go into one dog house each night to sleep but are out all day. I have put tarps up around the kennel to protect them from the wind and tarps overhead for protection from rain but have left a large area overhead for them to enjoy the sunshine.

I live in Indiana about 35 miles North of Indianapolis and it can get pretty cold here. Will my 6 chickens be O.K. this winter? If not, should I try to integrate them with the Comets so they can go inside the shed? The Comets were hatched in February, my other 6 were a trade for 6 Comet roosters and they were hatched sometime in June. If I should integrate them with the Comets, any suggestions on how to do this successfully? There has never been any fighting or bloodshed here and I don't want to start now.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Deb

 

[chickeydee]

I have an open coop and it was pretty cold here last night and snow on the ground .My birds were fine and it depend on the vents. No drafts because it faces the south . I was told years ago that you should never face your coop on the north side .It has worked for me . 18 degrees and maybe the same tonight .They were out in the field doing fine . They have a coat and as long as they are not wet and no drafts on then I would not worry ,but that is me .my opinoin.Go to this site and my coop ic the open one .5x8 not deep . www.ATTRA.org ..

 

[All about the EGG]

My coop is a 4x4 My little playhouse from Lowes. No heat at all, no insulation either. Coldest it got last winter (in the coop) was -10 I believe. Heated water bowl is all.

 

[digitS']

Well, it was 20°F at sunrise this morning but it's 14° right now, a few hours after sunset. We've got 18mph wind with gusts to 29mph. By tomorrow morning it is supposed to be down in the single digitS' with wind chill well below zero. It's darn cold!

My coop is 2 rooms. One room is open on two sides, a "sunporch." The other room is fully insulated - roof, floor and walls. The door is insulated. The floor is deep with shavings. There's shavings dumped under, on and around the nestbox.

I have never had heat in there and it drops below zero, not counting wind chill, every winter. However, the birds are pretty darn well protected.

I've changed their water twice today. The pop door into the outside room was open most of the day and their water froze. I know they went out on the porch today but they couldn't have stayed out there very long - it was too windy!

I do have to take a blow drier and melt the ice that builds up around the door during the real cold days. Maybe we can call that heat . . . ? They have a 13watt light bulb on except for their 9 hours of night but that thing doesn't give off any heat.

Feed!! Gracious, they can go thru the feed at this time of the year! And, they never have a chance to go hungry. I'm heating with Chicken BTU's!

Steve

 

[Junkmanme]

chickeydee,

Quote:

was out this morning at 5:30 and there was snow on the ground . I love it .

e Unquote

I'm generally up before 5:30 AM.

You love snow and COLD ????

YOU must be NUTS !!!!!!!!

-Junkmanme-

 

[Tala]

I have an open air coop and it was 26*F last night. Heated dog water bowl, no other heat.
4 eggs this morning from 4 pullets. High was only 43*F today. No complaints.

 

[Junkmanme]

Our HIGH temp yesterday was only a FEW degrees higher than 26 F !!!

I think it was about -3 F for a low..........

Rooster ( "Oro Blanco de Gallo") got frostbite on comb.

I just LOVE Winter.......!!!!!!!!

HHhhrummpphh !!!!

-Junkmanme-

 

[highcountrychickens]

-18 here a couple of nights ago... -30 wind chill yesterday and today -
I have a well insulated henhouse with a small fan that moves warmer air into it, and a lamp on a timer (would do the full heat lamp thing, but it would get TOO warm) and a wind/sun screen around the outdoor coop. Heated waterer and lots of feed... haven't had a problem.

I have Jersey Giants that JUST came through a molt... poor little frozen eggs - time to move the nest boxes inside!

 

[Junkmanme]

highcountrychickens,

Yep. Jackson Hole can get mighty cool !!!!

Maybe better get them there chickens some "skis" or "snowshoes" !!!

(or move 'em a little north to "Old Faithful")

Ha-Ha,
-Junkmanme-