Have you ever had a chicken freeze to death?

[lilshadow]

So far I have lost 1 slw yesterday, and 1 African goose.

 

[omelette'smom]

This is aweful to read! so sorry!

 

[chica-z]

For the benefit of those who are concerned, what are some of the "signs of distress" that your birds are too cold? Obviously, lethargy, shaking, huddled up would be on the list. Any others?

 

[henlady]

I like the idea of 'signs' but have noticed that sometimes they won't show us. they are 'prey' animals and hate to show weakness until they're really bad off. I do agree that huddling is one. Lack of interest in food and wt loss too. I know the first sign of frostbite is a swollen red comb...then it turns white or black.
Good luck everyone!!

 

[chica-z]

See now, I didn't know that about their comb being swollen and red. I just knew it would turn white then black. So thanks henlady, I learned something!!

 

[skeeter]

I lost a hen while she was setten on a bunch of eggs ,was back in 85 or 86 Ellicott Colorado,middle of April got 2 feet of snow over night,eggs froze solid and so did she

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
Add to that standing on one foot, not moving when prodded or enticed with food, though the huddling and lethargy are the biggest ones. When it's warmer the birds will all pop up when you come in with treats, and run around... not so when they're too cold. They just seem listless, and I had one youngster that found himself pushed out the pop door, then just kind of stood there with a dazed and confused look on his face. I picked him up and brought him inside, and he's fine now.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:

 

[chica-z]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Quote:
Add to that standing on one foot, not moving when prodded or enticed with food, though the huddling and lethargy are the biggest ones. When it's warmer the birds will all pop up when you come in with treats, and run around... not so when they're too cold. They just seem listless, and I had one youngster that found himself pushed out the pop door, then just kind of stood there with a dazed and confused look on his face. I picked him up and brought him inside, and he's fine now.

So if they're eating like little piggies, and burying their heads in the food dish, they should be juusst fiiine!

I think the key is that you just really have to keep an eye on them and be observant. Water and food, available all the time, makes a big difference.​

 

[Mrs. Mik]

We lost a total of five this winter -- four in one night. It was just before Christmas, when we had an arctic blast. Turns out our coop was too drafty. We wrapped the entire outside of the coop in plastic (we have a "vent" at the top on the east side that was left open -- but we took an old innertube, sliced it and stapled it up earlier in the year to try and keep the darned sparrows out! It does help to keep the draft (and sparrows) out and yet still allows ventilation. (Think of those old-fashioned grocery stores that have strips of plastic in front of the meat cooler to keep the cold in.)

When we put the plastic up (we initially just stapled it), I put bales of straw all around the bottom of the coop to help hold the plastic in place, and to provide some insulation. When the plastic started to tear through the staples, I wrapped duct tape all around it and stapled the duct tape to the plastic. That is holding well, but in some areas was still coming off. I then sent my husband and son out there to nail some wooden slats to the plastic to the coop. That is now holding it all up. Yea, it looks rather "Polish" (I'm Polish so I can say that! LOL), but it's making a HUGE difference.

Not only that, but my 17 year old son stapled cardboard to the studs inside the coop and stuffed them full of hay. He ended up using 6 bales of hay to do that job. We also have two warming lights in the coop.

We also had issues with the door on our coop, but now have three "locks" on it to keep it closed. It's not as tight as I'd like, so we keep a bale of straw in front of it with a thatching rake plunged into it and the tines of the rake plunged into the ground which keeps the door quite tight.

Normally, we use straw as bedding, but didn't have any more available yesterday, so last night, when Abby (my 11 year old) and I went outside to take care of them, we spread a fresh bale of hay inside the coop. I know straw is better, but hay is better than nothing and much better to have some nice dry bedding in there if they choose to roost on the floor with the geese and ducks. Believe it or not, but it was actually rather nice in the coop while we were out there!

Since making all those changes, we have not lost a single bird. Last night it was about -50 with the wind chills. When we woke up this morning, the regular temperature was -20. Tonight's low is forecast to be -26 without the wind chill and with the way the winds are blowing, it's going to be another -35 to -50 wind chill night! I'm always fearful that we'll find some dead in the morning, but I'm not AS afraid as I was prior to making those changes. We also give them more cracked corn to give them the energy they need to keep warm in these bitter cold temps.

Once spring arrives (seems like it never will), we will be fixing the door the way I'd like it done (finally) and insulating and paneling the entire inside to get rid of any drafts whatsoever. Then we won't have to put plastic on the outside again.

Hope this helps anyone else who may be having a problem! I only learned what I did about wrapping the coop in plastic and using the cardboard/hay because of this forum! I owe a HUGE thank you for the advice and help that everyone is so willing to give to help our feathered friends!

Julie Mik