Help getting ready for cold front

[McChooky]

With these temps, I was wondering if I should bring my hens in the garage with gets really cold or put some cardboard on the sides of the coop to block the cold air which is best?

I put cardboard on the sides of mine.It makes it a lot warmer.

 

[McChooky]

I see you’re in TX, we live in Atlanta and our spoiled girls are also in for a shock, down to 11 with highs in the 20s! I know many of you do this all the time, but we seldom get below the 20s here. Trying not to freeze the only 3 chickens we have, especially since they’re molting!

I put out a lot of pine shavings down on the floor of my coop to make it warmer if they like. As long as you block the wind they should be fine.Cardboard or plastic on the sides but ventilation up top.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I'm in far north texas near the red river. I'm more concerned about the forecast 40mph wind gusts and wind chill -10F than the actual temperatures. My coops and runs are set up for hot summers, completely open air on 3 sides. When strong cold fronts are forecast to blow through each year, I tarp the entire northern side. If you block off the north wind they should be ok, even though they won't like the temperature change. If it would ease your mind to bring them inside until the front blows through, there is nothing wrong with doing so. Here we are forecast to be back up into the mid-60sF by next mid-week.

 

[David61]

Out of the wind and dry is all. Keeping their water from freezing is the problem .

 

[McChooky]

Add some rock salt in the bottom of a water bottle then fill 3/4 way to the top with water.Screw the lid on tight so the solution won't contaminate their drinking water. It doesn't produce a lot of heat but it can it keep everything from freezing.

 

[McChooky]

This is not a permanent solution.Only a temporary fix.

 

[aart]

Add some rock salt in the bottom of a water bottle then fill 3/4 way to the top with water.Screw the lid on tight so the solution won't contaminate their drinking water. It doesn't produce a lot of heat but it can it keep everything from freezing.

This is not a permanent solution.Only a temporary fix.

It's not a solution at all....it doesn't work as you propose.

 

[McChooky]

It's not a solution at all....it doesn't work as you propose.

Calcium chloride can help in an emergency.

 

[aart]

Calcium chloride can help in an emergency.

Interesting. OK, thanks.
Has to be 100% calcium chloride tho.
...and I wonder how quickly the heat dissipates when being transferred into the aquarium.
I can see it helping in a tropical aquarium scenario, very temporarily.
Would be pretty hard to apply to a chicken waterer in freezing temps.

 

[McChooky]

Interesting. OK, thanks.
Has to be 100% calcium chloride tho.
...and I wonder how quickly the heat dissipates when being transferred into the aquarium.
I can see it helping in a tropical aquarium scenario, very temporarily.
Would be pretty hard to apply to a chicken waterer in freezing temps.

Using a insulated water tank with nipple waterers would keep the water warmer longer.