How Cold And How Did Your Chooks Do Last Night?

[CamillaRules]

9 degrees at our house too. The run has plastic sheeting to break the wind, so they peek out out through the pop out door, but not for long. We've been getting about 5 eggs a day from 8 pullets, so I guess they didn't read the books either.

 

[chookchick]

It is 19 F right now and the hens have been out in the run all morning. At 7:30 when I checked the coop it was at 17F, not sure how cold the outdoor temps were, but last night was 6 degrees. Every day of this cold spell they seem to spend more time outdoors in the run. No eggs but they are doing well!

 

[LittleFeat]

Middle Tn we had 15 and inside the coop is about the same. I'm new to this so left a window open about 3 inches with a roof opening on one side (not by the roost). I've read so much on here about moisture and no ventilation. Anyway my five girls were fine this morning. Once they got over the shock of a big bad scary feed bowl they gobbled up the warm oatmeal I made them.

They are soooo funny with any change in routine. They would eat globs off my finger held right over the bowl but no way were they gonna peck it up themselves....that big bad bowl might get em!

But before I left for work they'd decided that bowl just might be ok.

I also gave them some warm water to drink but they passed it up to go down the ramp to get the water in their usual waterer.

I worried about them last night and almost went back out at 10:30 to turn the light on in the coop. Decided they'd do worse if it fell and they burned up than if they got cold.

 

[chickengrandma]

It was cold enough to freeze my forehead this morning - about -5 with the windchill - brrrrrr. My little bantam girls are spoiled - their coop is being kept at a nice warm 32. I really don't think the little girls are built for my cold WI weather - opps, shoulda got big girls! We're keeping them prisoner in their coop for a couple of days until the temp goes back up again.

 

[ckseals]

What can anyone tell me about letting my girls out after the rain? It is no longer raining, but VERY very wet. I have been told not to let them get real wet... Any thoughts?

 

[CATRAY44]

I let mine decide if they want out or not, most days. Our temp yesterday was -18 (windchill). My coop is banked with strawbails, but no extra heat or light. I had 5 eggs and the fifth was from one who had not laid since molting this fall! Go australorps!

 

[staceyl]

This is making me feel better. We didn't insulate our coop since it rarely gets below about 30 around here. And i've been stressing about them all week since its gotten as cold as 13 at our house. but other than the fact that I keep having to run home at my lunch hour to thaw out their water, so far so good. I didn't getting any eggs yesterday though, so maybe they are a bit stressed.
Stacey

 

[CATRAY44]

I have several standard birds and I also have bantams, including Seramas. Keep the bedding dry and the coop vented, but no drafts blowing right on them. If you can, straw bales make great, cheap insulation and wind blocks. I also put tarps up on the north and west side of my 10x10 run. They seem to be doing just fine. My little Seramas included. I did put the food, water and calcium in a snow free area right next to the coop, so they are not having to go in the snow unless they choose. And they do choose, lol. Goofy things.