Counting Dead Birds

[Hokum Coco]

It is really cold here this morning -13F the temperature is not the worst it is the wind that is cutting. It is that cold that if you start your car and turn it off the temperature difference from the inside of your engine and the outside temperature in some cases is causing the engine block to crack. That is cold my friend. I have pigeons sitting on eggs and these two squabs outside in an unheated uninsulated baby barn with 1/4 inch plywood between them and the elements. I wonder how many dead birds I have out there this morning.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Had a hard time opening coop and loft doors today. I could hear birds inside so I knew I had NOT lost all my birds. The fluid in my eyes seemed to be freezing. There were no ill effects in my buildings all the birds are active and vocal.
It is -36F with the wind chill and there does not seem to be that much of a breeze. Thank God if it would have dropped 4 more degrees they would have cancelled schools. That being said it is business as usual in balmy Canada. All of my chickens were doing well only one egg at 0800hrs this morning. I will go out again at 1100hrs and change their water and top up the feed dishes (extra corn for the guys and the ladies today).

 

[Hokum Coco]

I thought it would be a good idea to shut up my ventilation ports and the litter in my buildings is like walking on concrete.

 

[laughingdog]

wow, good luck to you and your birds! id forgotten how cold it had to get up north for schools to close, as here they close school if it gets below 40F. maybe ill not be missing the north as much as was earlier now. thank you for reminding me why i moved down here by fam.. lol its hard to think back and now wonder how i didnt kill off my pigeons that were kept out on open porch in cage with just piece of cardboard on top with rock to weight down small all wire cages (big plastic coated and bottomed cages cracked when closed door too tight/hard), to keep off rain and sun. i dont even remember what i fed mine aside from stuff mixed with corn meal and sunflower seeds ect. probly just some wild bird food composed of white millet, corn pieces, and sunflower seeds, or dog food, and scraps. down here laying pellets seemed to work great, for the teens and only slightly below zero weather, that has been worst i think i saw only two or three winters, otherwise just forties to twenties. Im pretty certain some of my current birds would be very miserable for while, or drop dead frozen, if took up north!

when you get your breeding and flying business working for you well, we will all have to start calling you "die hard lofts".. ?