Heartbreaking losses...

[Trefoil]

I'm also from Mi. This year it went from warm to very cold so fast that I gave my this years birds constant access to a heat light. I never had before. But with the cold we also get winds that penetrate all but the most windproof of shelters and I was extra cautious. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Romeacresfarm1]

Hi Kathy...thanks

Here are some pictures of a couple of our pens. The first one is showing when I had my Guineas in it (it was dark when I thought about getting a picture of it) but then they go free range and I used it for my young Peas. it is a bigger version of the one some of them were in when the storm blew in. There are 3 roost tiers in the tall part (it is 10' hight). The wired area is covered in a heavey canvas with one side toward the house and half of the southern face open. This helps to keep it dryer from snow blowing in.
The other is where my adult peas and a few of the younger ones that survived with the ones that died. It has bird netting over the fence and also over the top. There is a tree that grows on the other side of the aviary (corn crib) that they love to sit in and also gives great shade in summer. The lean to building is sheltered from any wind and is built on the end of our pole barn but only 2 of the birds will roost, the other 3 sit in the straw which is where the Mink found one. Now there is a light on (not heated) in case it tries to get in any other way but at least they can see it coming if it does.
.

 

[Frenchman Creek]

Sorry for the loss of your birds. It does get hard sometime. I live in an extremely cold area with minus twenty common and minus thirty five on occasion and have never had cold related bird deaths. With losing so many at the same time I would also think it might be something other than zero temps causing the deaths. I have never hatched southern eggs so not familiar with the genetics from that area but India blues with good wind, snow and rain protection should be able to make it through a zero night. I would be looking at other causes and why some lived and some died. Six month old birds are still in danger from coccidia so possibly their systems were weakened some what and the cold spell was just enough to push them over the edge. As you said it might be the genetics from the southern birds. Hope things go better for you in 2017. FC

 

[KsKingBee]

If you would like to replace your IB Silver Pied cock I have 2016 and 2015 hatch birds and a couple of coming four-year-old cocks for sale. Check out my FB page Spring Creek Peafowl. I also have an IB split to Opal Silver Pied cock, 2015 hatch, no Opal hens at this time but lots of other options. We are in Marion Kansas.

 

[Romeacresfarm1]

Hi Frenchman Creek, The losses happened when they were fully exposed to a full blown blizzard. They were snow covered and the ones that died a few days later were wet and weak but hoped that moving them to the heated area would help them through but they were just too far gone by then. I even put one in the basement but it didn't revive. The others that were mentioned were lost when the cold first began and they were the youngest birds but still well over 10 weeks but they smothered under the other birds when they huddled for warmth instead of flying up on the roosts. That is when I decided to put the heat lamp back in but the other pen where the Opals and others were, were about a month older and I just didn't think to check after work as my hubby said they were fine but even he didn't think the magnitude of wind and blowing snow would cause such havoc. I thought the tarps were up but he had taken them for his calves and I didn't realize it. Now, I don't think I will divorce him over a few birds but he knew I was pretty darn upset.

 

[casportpony]

Hi Frenchman Creek, The losses happened when they were fully exposed to a full blown blizzard. They were snow covered and the ones that died a few days later were wet and weak but hoped that moving them to the heated area would help them through but they were just too far gone by then. I even put one in the basement but it didn't revive. The others that were mentioned were lost when the cold first began and they were the youngest birds but still well over 10 weeks but they smothered under the other birds when they huddled for warmth instead of flying up on the roosts. That is when I decided to put the heat lamp back in but the other pen where the Opals and others were, were about a month older and I just didn't think to check after work as my hubby said they were fine but even he didn't think the magnitude of wind and blowing snow would cause such havoc. I thought the tarps were up but he had taken them for his calves and I didn't realize it. Now, I don't think I will divorce him over a few birds but he knew I was pretty darn upset.

If something like this happens again, place the bird in a room that's 80-90 degrees and watch for signs of over heating. Same goes for any bird that's sick... almost sick birds will be hypothermic.

Kathy

 

[Frenchman Creek]

Hi Frenchman Creek, The losses happened when they were fully exposed to a full blown blizzard. They were snow covered and the ones that died a few days later were wet and weak but hoped that moving them to the heated area would help them through but they were just too far gone by then. I even put one in the basement but it didn't revive. The others that were mentioned were lost when the cold first began and they were the youngest birds but still well over 10 weeks but they smothered under the other birds when they huddled for warmth instead of flying up on the roosts. That is when I decided to put the heat lamp back in but the other pen where the Opals and others were, were about a month older and I just didn't think to check after work as my hubby said they were fine but even he didn't think the magnitude of wind and blowing snow would cause such havoc. I thought the tarps were up but he had taken them for his calves and I didn't realize it. Now, I don't think I will divorce him over a few birds but he knew I was pretty darn upset.

Pretty brutal conditions. Sorry for your hubby's mistake and losing those birds. Our winter of 2014-2015 was particularly brutal with a three week period of nightly wind chill temps of minus 60 to minus 70. All my birds were protected from the winds and wet snow and all survived. After this cold spell folks started finding wild turkeys dead under their roost trees and some still frozen in the trees. I have found peas to be pretty hardy but there are obviously limits. Once again wishing you a better 2017. FC

 

[Romeacresfarm1]

After this cold spell folks started finding wild turkeys dead under their roost trees and some still frozen in the trees.

Oh that is so harsh....I know we are losing large stands of trees by the acre because farmers are clearing more and more land. The protection of acres of thick trees must help wildlife survive but when there are only small patches of forest left....nowhere to hide......