Do your chickens stay on the roost when cold?

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

We've had a spate of cold and windy weather and I'm having quite the time of it getting some of my girls to emerge from the coop. Our coop isn't big enough to house food and water--it's mainly for sleeping and laying. And with the deep litter method I worry about spillage that may cause issues.

I can get most of my girls out with treats, and when lured out they will remember to eat and drink. The braver ones will stay out and scratch around a bit. But one girl, my GLD (who is supposed to be cold hardy), stays up on a roost mostly the entire time. When I can get her to venture out she seems normal but uneasy, like she's always ready to run back in if the wind kicks up. I worry about her eating and drinking enough. Anyone have this experience, or have any tips?

I should mention, the GLD is currently wearing vetwrap boots due to double bumblefoot (which she's prone to each winter). It is very low grade at this time (no bumble/swelling). Would that cause her discomfort in the cold?

 

[NatJ]

If food is the only worry, you can add water to some chicken food, and they may consider it a treat. Wet food is also easier for them to eat quickly.

Maybe try putting a dish of wet feed inside the coop just long enough for them to gobble it up, morning and evening. A good cropful twice a day can help keep them well nourished if they are hesitant about going out to eat. And taking the dish out after they finish can avoid most problems that food in the coop might otherwise cause.

the GLD is currently wearing vetwrap boots due to double bumblefoot (which she's prone to each winter). It is very low grade at this time (no bumble/swelling). Would that cause her discomfort in the cold?

I have no idea about her feet and the cold, but what breed is a GLD? I'm thinking Golden Laced D___?

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

If food is the only worry, you can add water to some chicken food, and they may consider it a treat. Wet food is also easier for them to eat quickly.

Maybe try putting a dish of wet feed inside the coop just long enough for them to gobble it up, morning and evening. A good cropful twice a day can help keep them well nourished if they are hesitant about going out to eat. And taking the dish out after they finish can avoid most problems that food in the coop might otherwise cause.



I have no idea about her feet and the cold, but what breed is a GLD? I'm thinking Golden Laced D___?

I do give them mash that they'll all come out for, except, today, the *GLW (sorry! I always do that because I have a GSD and seem to mix up their acronyms!). I put one bowl in coop and she ate but got overwhelmed when everyone piled in there and overtook the bowl. While not at the bottom of the pecking order, she's always been quiet and doesn't like getting involved in any fuss.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

If food is the only worry, you can add water to some chicken food, and they may consider it a treat. Wet food is also easier for them to eat quickly.

Maybe try putting a dish of wet feed inside the coop just long enough for them to gobble it up, morning and evening. A good cropful twice a day can help keep them well nourished if they are hesitant about going out to eat. And taking the dish out after they finish can avoid most problems that food in the coop might otherwise cause.



I have no idea about her feet and the cold, but what breed is a GLD? I'm thinking Golden Laced D___?

I think I will try putting a mash in there with her and closing her in to eat while the others eat outside. The others are messy and like to kick all of the mash out of the bowl and eat it off the floor. Silly chickens.

Thank you!

 

[Mtnboomer]

Mine do not mind the cold but hate the snow. A dusting is ok but anything more than an inch and they avoid like the plague. That is until the table scraps are thrown out. Then the come runnin'!

 

[3KillerBs]

I think that it's extremely unlikely that the chickens would starve and dehydrate themselves if the food and water are in the usual place. Run out, snatch a bit, and go back into their home, maybe.

With the exception of some breeds with non-standard feathering, livestock animals are tough and hardy.

 

[Alaskan]

I worry from your description that she perhaps is being bullied a bit?

I would put up a wind block by the feed and water to make them more enticing for the flock. It isn't always the temps that are the issue, but wind gusts can definitely make things hard for the flock.

Also, a second feeder and waterer might be needed.

But to know for sure how things are going:

Check her crop at the end of the day after the chickens are roosting for the night.

Everyone should have a nice full crop.

At the same time, you can compare the flesh along the keel bone (breast bone area) and see if that one hen feels much thinner than the rest.

 

[3KillerBs]

I would put up a wind block by the feed and water to make them more enticing for the flock. It isn't always the temps that are the issue, but wind gusts can definitely make things hard for the flock.

As an example, here are my straw bale wind baffles:

They're arranged in a T because I can get storms from any direction.

Today was quite windy and, for central NC, rather chilly -- barely breaking 40F. When I was out getting eggs a heavy gust kicked up and they all protested and left the victinity of my ankles for the downwind side of the bales.

 

[Fintechie]

I have a raised chicken coop. For the first time yesterday when we had a snow storm with gust, the flock didn’t come down to eat drink. My husband took food and water into the raised coop. Today the snow stopped, they came down into the fenced coop and fed. And some of them continue to lay eggs.

 

[Fintechie]

This is what I am talking about