Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[rodriguezpoultry]

I have a hammer I have to use. Bang the sides, then bang the bottom. That doesn't work, chip it out then bang again. So.much.fun.

As for frostbite, only a smidge on the tip of the points on some bantam Sussex. Everyone else seems to be doing well with the icyHot and the Vasline on the combs. If I hadn't put it on there though, I'm sure I would have lost some combs and wattles.

I put the water into the bowls, the birds drank and by the time I put the Vasline on, some of their feathers had ice on them from drinking the water.

 

[Vamvakas]

Anybody got frostbit combs yet. I have a welli roo that has some for sure. Will it affect fertility? Seems like I read that somewhere.

Nope, never had frostbit on any roosters yet in my history of having poultry, nor do I have heating lamps or put stuff on there combs to keep them warm. CT is a lot colder then Arkansas and still no damage.

 

[hellbender]

I'll do a cursory frostbite check tomorrow. Too late to worry about that right now.

It's 1:30 AM...temp. is minus 11 and windchill is minus 32. Not great and it could get

worse but frankly, I had expected worse by now. Wind is not as strong as

I thought it could be but the night is far from over.

 

[3riverschick]

Minus 7 in western PA 15658. Wind chill greater than minus 27.
Best
Karen

 

[NanaKat]

Sunday morning the temps were 4 degrees with windchill and a dusting of snow. By Monday there was 2 inch ice in the rubber water tubs. Took hot water in jugs out to add to the water when I broke the ice.....brrrrrr. The wind was like a knife on Sunday but the birds came out of their coops to sun on the south sides of the coops. Monday the wind was not as bad so I let them out of their pens to pick.
Keeping the feeders full and running jugs of warm water to the tubs several times thru the day.
All eggs collected are going to the kitchen unless they came from under a breeder hen...those warm eggs will go to the egg turner for incubation.
No visible frostbite on the Cochin or Wyandottes
Egg count was up on Monday and even had two Wyandotte pullets lay. The two Buckeye hens are laying now too.

Hopefully the temps Tuesday morning will rise a little. Projections are 11 by 7 am. with a high of 17 during the day.

A tip for those carting water and breaking ice...wear surgical gloves under your regular gloves to protect your fingers from the freezing water on your gloves.

 

[hellbender]

I give my birds warm water every 3 or 4 hours, beginning at 5 AM and the last water is provided at 6 PM.

As every chicken person knows, water is just as important as food, regardless of season. I ease my mind in the winter months by being sure they get plenty of moisture in their warm mash...just to cover the bases.

I know a person who breeds Jungle fowl and when it gets so cold that the water freezes quickly, he doesn't even water the birds at all...except through their food. That seems to work for him but I couldn't do it, even if the birds survived, it couldn't be good for production.

One thing more to show my AGE and reliance on what worked for my dad and grand dad...I mix crushed cayenne peppers in their food on these miserably cold days. They eat the mess I feed them and seem to enjoy it, even if they do bob-and-weave a bit while eating.

Addendum: I recognize that this is a chicken thread but considering the severity of the weather, I'd like to point out one other thing I do.

For my dairy goats, I slather extra KenAG Udder Cream on their teats and udders...even the dry yearlings and frankly, a bit on the buck's 'sack of jewels'. Heck, I even use this wonderful product on my hands, face, feet.....and just about every area in between!

 

[armorfirelady]

-8 here with wind chills of -30+. I got some snow in the hoop coop so as soon as its light I will be fixing that. Dry feed and a bowl of snow for my hens. Water will freeze as soon as I take it out & my girls eat snow all the time. Blizzard is still going strong here south of buffalo,ny

 

[gjensen]

We got down to 12. The birds are fine. They do not even act cold. They are acting as they always do.

I am wondering about some of my plants. Some of them are cold hardy up to and around this point. This weather will have some effect. 12 is unusual for us so it will be interesting to see where the limitations are.

 

[normanack]

18" snow (it killed our new snowblower)
-11 F
-28 F windchill

Kinda feels like a contest here. . . . except the prize is being the coldest. brrrr
Husband is out checking on the chickens, bless him.
House won't get above 63 F, but that's where I like it anyway.

 

[hellbender]

18" snow (it killed our new snowblower)
-11 F
-28 F windchill

Kinda feels like a contest here. . . . except the prize is being the coldest. brrrr
Husband is out checking on the chickens, bless him.
House won't get above 63 F, but that's where I like it anyway.

I love this place and I always will but...days like these make me wish I weren't so firmly ensconced here. If these temps were the norm...I'd be headed somewhere much farther south...but I hate real heat and humidity. West Virginia summer and fall weather is hard to beat so I'll just hang in here. All animals doing fine...today's production is yet to be assessed. The way I work for those miserable birds, they had better give it their best shot...