frozen chicken

[PirateGirl]

I'm surprised they did not go back inside mine go in and out and in and out all day when it's cold and windy, sometimes it's even half and half and the birds inside will be pecking at the window looking at the birds outside. You could put the food and water inside on the really nasty days (just remove it overnight) and then they would find the inside more tempting and likely spend more time there.

 

[aart]

I think they were fine in the coop, the problem was when we let them out in the morning to eat, they never went back in the coop to warm up. Our run is protected on 3 sides by buildings and a fence, and also has plastic over the wire for the winter. In the future should we just keep them in the coop? Let them out to eat, then put th back in maybe?

Sounds like a pretty good run with all wind blocked.

My run has little protection from wind or precipitation.
They won't always come into coop when it's the better place for them to be.
I use rattle the treat jar to get them back inside if necessary...
....but I also keep feed and water inside.

 

[EasterEggDrew]

Headed back down to 0 one night this week, and a night in the single digits on either side of that. All the girls were fine last time, so I'm sure they'll be fine again, but I did see a little black at the very tips of the barred rock's comb. Should I put vaseline on it, or leave it alone?

Also, the pair of two year olds are sleeping on the roost, while the five month olds are sleeping in the poop tray. Not sure if it's because the older ones are forcing them there, or for other reasons, but it's not great for staying dry. Providing a second roost at the same height doesn't seem practical in this 4' x 4' coop, as I really only have room for a ramp up to this one roost. Bar is 4' long, and I used to have four chickens sleeping on it every night, when they were all the same age.

 

[PirateGirl]

Once it's black, the frostbite is there, and you should not touch it until it heals, in the case of chickens, healing is often the loss of the black bits of comb.

Try putting the young ones up on the roost after dark, but as far from the other chickens as possible.

 

[EasterEggDrew]

Thanks, PirateGirl! The roosting problem seems to have resolved itself over the last two days, they're all using the bar.

When I say the tips of the comb are black, I really mean the smallest amount, like a single grain of table sugar size black spot at the very tip of each comb. Does that change your advice?