Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Guys, this is our first winter of not adding any supplemental heat in the coop on really cold days, and I'm trying to stay strong, but I'm so worried about the sustained freezing weather we've been having. Do you guys change your chickens diets in super cold temps? I've been giving them a bit more scratch and things like corn, oats, etc. I usually give them a little along with their reg. feed in the morning, then bring them some more a short time before they go up to roost at night, to help keep them warmer overnight. Does that sound like a good method? Are there any particular foods/treats that will help them the most in this weather? Any other suggestions (not diet related)? I'm really fretting about this, though they appear to be handling it pretty well.

Sounds great to me, I feed a bit more scratch to keep them moving. I sometimes give them a warm mix of oatmeal and their ration moistened.

 

[lazy gardener]

My birds are not eating as much as I expect them to eat. It's been bitterly cold, single digits for highs, and minus single to double digits for lows last few days and for the next 2 weeks. I may have to break down and give them some heat. I use their behavior as my deciding factor. If their appetite goes down, and they are not moving as well, I may provide some heat. I'll see how they are in the morning.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My birds are not eating as much as I expect them to eat. It's been bitterly cold, single digits for highs, and minus single to double digits for lows last few days and for the next 2 weeks. I may have to break down and give them some heat. I use their behavior as my deciding factor. If their appetite goes down, and they are not moving as well, I may provide some heat. I'll see how they are in the morning.

More cold is coming your way, you can have it. Mine aren't eating as much ration and want more scratch so I'm indulging them during this cold snap. Mine are starting to adapt after a few days of this -teens with -25 wind chills.

 

[lazy gardener]

@oldhenlikesdogs So are you advising me to just wait it out? On the plus side, I got 3 eggs today, and they didn't freeze. I have no idea how those eggs didn't freeze before I got home to get them at 4 PM, but they didn't!!!!

 

[chickmom3941]

My birds are not eating as much as I expect them to eat. It's been bitterly cold, single digits for highs, and minus single to double digits for lows last few days and for the next 2 weeks. I may have to break down and give them some heat. I use their behavior as my deciding factor. If their appetite goes down, and they are not moving as well, I may provide some heat. I'll see how they are in the morning.

Yes, I've noticed that our flock eats for awhile when I let them out into the pen in the morning, but they hunker down in the hay sooner than normal, sometimes even before they eat all the scratch, which is unusual. Also, I noticed that yesterday they didn't seem to have eaten as much of their feed as they normally do. They act fine other than that, and no one appears to be in any distress. Is it a bad sign if they don't eat quite as much as normal? I realize that they need to get enough calories in the cold and all. Now I'm worried, and wondering if we should heat as well, though very afraid of a coop fire.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

@oldhenlikesdogs So are you advising me to just wait it out? On the plus side, I got 3 eggs today, and they didn't freeze. I have no idea how those eggs didn't freeze before I got home to get them at 4 PM, but they didn't!!!!

I get worried too, but they always do okay. There is no way I can provide heat, my shed and flock is too large. I'm still getting eggs every day mostly from my pullets. I still have a couple of hens that haven't finished molting too. No one is dead, or looks like they are in trouble.

There's hunched birds, some stay on the roosts longer. I throw out my scratch and get them moving. I see my big rooster are going to have frostbite again, but they will be okay. I have a few roosters penned separately and they are fine too. I put down deep bedding to stand on.

I have never provided heat. I definitely don't want my birds becoming dependent on it either. I think they are better off acclimating. I get it why so many choose to heat, but it isn't practical for us and isn't necessary for healthy birds.

Our lowest temperatures are generally into the -20's and occasionally -30's. That not factoring in wind chills. If temperatures are lower or stay lower for more than a few weeks without a warm up it may be different.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm going to wait it out. I am giving my birds some barley and BOSS in the litter to keep them churning up the litter. Waiting for the sprouts to size up, then I'll give them some of those. I put out a bowl of grit yesterday. And refilled all of the nest boxes. Crammed them full of hay. Amazingly, no frozen eggs at 4 PM.

Here's a post from Hokum who lives in New Brunswick, Canada. I asked him for details about his winter management:

View attachment 1219997

Size of coop, 4'x8' amount of ventilation? two 9"x12"hinged windows left open year round to some degree for the most part (plus left hand door has ¼ hardware cloth second screen door left open on milder days in winter.) Left open year round? ¼ hardware cloth screen door spring summer and fall for the most part How many birds? Now 15 Breed? Golden Comet.

I also supply an extra feeder of whole corn through out the winter. My coop has 3 levels this picture gives you some idea. I have kept as many as 24 birds over winter with no problems. Where it is a converted metal shed it needed to be insulated. Each bird generates heat equivalent to a 40 watt bulb.

 

[CapricornFarm]

@oldhenlikesdogs So are you advising me to just wait it out? On the plus side, I got 3 eggs today, and they didn't freeze. I have no idea how those eggs didn't freeze before I got home to get them at 4 PM, but they didn't!!!!

Maybe body heat from hens sitting in there.

 

[lazy gardener]

Yep. Obviously.

 

[chickmom3941]

I'm going to wait it out. I am giving my birds some barley and BOSS in the litter to keep them churning up the litter. Waiting for the sprouts to size up, then I'll give them some of those. I put out a bowl of grit yesterday. And refilled all of the nest boxes. Crammed them full of hay. Amazingly, no frozen eggs at 4 PM.

Here's a post from Hokum who lives in New Brunswick, Canada. I asked him for details about his winter management:

Thanks for posting that. We haven't given in yet, still not using any heat in the coop. All the girls seem okay thus far (fingers crossed). Wish it would warm up soon, even just a little.