How cold is TOO cold for a chicken?

[bobbi-j]

Thus my point on the humidity combined with the cold.

This is from personal experience, not from what someone has told me also.

Point taken

.

 

[chicken8]

15F with 70% humidity is typical for Anchorage in Dec.-Feb. It's often colder and more humid.

 

[mithious]

15F with 70% humidity is typical for Anchorage in Dec.-Feb. It's often colder and more humid.

I loved Anchorage! The mountains were stunning! Spent a week there. I was actually over dressed, as everyone had told me how cold it was, and was taking layers off. The dampness here, it gets in the bones and is very hard to get out. I was there about 6? years ago from MN and it was colder in MN when I flew out than Anchorage LOL. It was the year after Lance last won the Iditarod...I think? I met him and Tonya, and many other mushers. I went to the banquet and hung out at the Millenium. Got Jeff King to sign a copy of his book too. I actually stayed at the same motel as Lance and Tonya. I had dreamed of moving up and running the Iditarod, but got in a car accident and so going to the race was better than nothing. That's why I was in MN, for the Bear Grease...got in the accident month before the race. Oh, I even got to go to Campbell Air strip to see the dogs come in too.

This year is out of the norm for here. I moved to NH from Maine not quite 3 years ago. Thus the production BR's. They are my experimental chickens, for the Heritage birds coming this spring. This year has been brutal and far from normal. I do live up nearer to Canada though. We have had two plus straight months of -20 to -35 nights with 0 to -15 days, with 100 to 104% humidity. I didn't keep track the past two winters here, as I had no need to. I just got back into chickens this spring, so needed some test subjects for weather, predators, ect...the past two winters were MUCH milder, more like you mentioned.

I didn't get to go to the Quest in Fairbanks though, but the cold is unbelievable and the snow you all have is so different it was amazing to have those experiences! You all had a lot of ice on the sidewalks though.

I was thinking of moving up near Dee Dee in Bethel or even up near Fairbanks. Oh well, things happen, dreams change. I'm now looking to get back into the Heritage Plymouth Barred Rocks and the Dominiques. Both Breeders are on BYC. I'm on their waiting lists. I am really excited about this new road, so this winter kinda threw me, with this polar vortex thing going on....I guess that's what they are calling it. It's been a challenge, for sure, but glad I did it with hatchery chickens, instead of straight off with the Heritage birds. I think I have the kinks worked out though. Even in the event we have more winters like this one.

I raced dogs too, in Maine but only sprint. Trained for distance though. I have had chickens since I was a kid, with my Dad, than when the kids were growing up and stuck with the old breeds, Love them. Can't wait to get back into it all. Couple more months now.

Hope your weather stays as temperate as it has been!

 

[chicken8]

I grew up near Fairbanks and one of best friend's father ran the Iditarod from the second race until 1988. The best he did was 7th (3x).

We had a couple of weeks of -10to-20F and ice fog in December, but this January has been mostly in the 30Fs. Nice but there's been quite a bit of freezing rain. Yesterday it was 45F and sunny, which is crazy. The willows in my backyard look like they are trying to bud. I guess we got the Pineapple Express this year while you guys got the Polar Vortex.

Have you had any losses due to the extreme weather? I was thinking about starting a thread so people could post where they are, how bad it got, and what worked and what didn't.

 

[mithious]

Point taken

.

I like your saying on your posts..still learning

Me too. I don't think we ever stop. This year has been quite a learning experience for me in many ways. Especially this winter. What a drastic change! Think I have it though. Can't have frozen combs on the Heritage birds that will be here in the spring, Lord willing! Will be heating for them, as needed. Much more money in them than the hatchery birds. Starting a new dream, a new plan and really enjoying the experiences. Even the tough stuff. Love learning! I spent a long time, reading this site, before joining, as there are many new things, since last I had chickens. Changed some of my views, some of the old ways of doing things, kept some too.

Love this site. It has so much combined knowledge. I usually read the Heritage threads and breeding threads. There is so much knowledge there. Was sorry to learn we had lost Bob though. He was helping me find the birds I wanted and tips on my area and such. I miss his wisdom, his willingness to teach all he knew to those of us that wanted to learn. I am still working on reading his thread about breeding and the Heritage breeds. Its a long thread! Tons of info!

 

[Beekissed]

I haven't had any change in my flock as they are all winter hardy breeds and well acclimated to the temps. They are in a very open air style coop and we've been seeing temps into -15~-20 at night and teens and single digits in the day. I gave them a heat lamp on the two coldest nights in the last spell and in the two coldest nights in this last one, though they didn't really need it...the heat lamp only heated the coop up to -10 anyway due to the very open air style. I just did it to make me feel better....

Both cold snaps saw an increase in egg laying!

 

[mithious]

I grew up near Fairbanks and one of best friend's father ran the Iditarod from the second race until 1988. The best he did was 7th (3x).

We had a couple of weeks of -10to-20F and ice fog in December, but this January has been mostly in the 30Fs. Nice but there's been quite a bit of freezing rain. Yesterday it was 45F and sunny, which is crazy. The willows in my backyard look like they are trying to bud. I guess we got the Pineapple Express this year while you guys got the Polar Vortex.

Have you had any losses due to the extreme weather? I was thinking about starting a thread so people could post where they are, how bad it got, and what worked and what didn't.

Wow nice! I have been following the Iditarod since near it's start. Back when we only got the news once in a great while, than through Susan Butcher, may she rest in peace. Than Doug Swingley...

I cried when Lance first won

The Norwegians were a neat addition to the race. Especially Sorlie. Wish they would come back.

7th x3 is GREAT! Any top ten is great!

I know, I follow ADN and was surprised at your weather. It is crazy this year. No losses here, but I might have, had I not put the lamp out. The birds were getting pretty vocal. I take their pellets out in a bucket with the top on, so the snow doesn't get in it, than after filling the feeder, I put top on and sit for a while, to watch the birds. I started noticing, they were not very happy, fluffed up, and my cockerel had frostbitten comb and wattles and red legs. I tried opening up more ventilation and flash froze the whole coop

not thinking about the humidity coming in being more than what was in the coop. I had added a DIY water heater. A cement block, wood on bottom, paving block on top, with 40 watt bulb inside and thought, I'm adding heat, so need more ventilation...wrong answer! Thank goodness we had a short thaw ( just a few degrees above freezing). Took many towels and changing out bout half the bedding to dry everything up than back into the deep freeze we went.

I think you should. I don't know how many BYCers have lost chickens, but the word of mouth news and the local papers are talking about it. I have never had issues with frostbite before, even back when the Maine winters were worse than this BUT we kept our chickens under the barn and it was deep, and they had many generations to acclimate to the weather. I think that makes a world of difference. I got these hatchery chickens from Penn. I think if I propagated them, a few gen's out, it wouldn't be a problem but I am going with the Heritage, from here and the others are cold hardy and from a cold region also, although the Plymouth Barred Rocks won't be as used to the humidity, so I will need to heat them for a generation, atleast.

I sure hope this is not a taste of winters to come????

 

[mithious]

I haven't had any change in my flock as they are all winter hardy breeds and well acclimated to the temps. They are in a very open air style coop and we've been seeing temps into -15~-20 at night and teens and single digits in the day. I gave them a heat lamp on the two coldest nights in the last spell and in the two coldest nights in this last one, though they didn't really need it...the heat lamp only heated the coop up to -10 anyway due to the very open air style. I just did it to make me feel better....

Both cold snaps saw an increase in egg laying!

The egg increase, during the coldest temps, happened here also. I had one day of 13 eggs out of 14 pullets. Only the one day, but was getting 10-12 eggs a day. I'm not sure the heat lamp is helping with the eggs, as I'm only getting 8-10 now, since I added the heat. I couldn't let that poor cockerel get any more frostbit than he already was though and a few of the pullets had some very small spots on their combs and their combs are now permanently flopped a tad.

The ones still laying well are the pullets that started first, the day before Thanksgiving and the day before Christmas. The more recent layers are the ones slacking off, since the heat lamp. I did notice that the January thaw we had that a couple of the pullets seemed a bit hot and it was only 40 degrees. They all went out for the two days we had the thaw though and enjoyed the sun. We got enough rain to get rid of most of the snow, so they would go out. Now that we are back in the arctic freeze/polar vortex, they just peek outside. I don't blame them one bit. My cheeks and nose go numb at -20, when I do the morning chores.

My cockerel stands on the cement block, water heater when I bring it in at night. I find them taking turns standing on it in the am also. I have to kick them off it, to put the water heater on it. I put the lamp right near the water heater, so they have a small area that they congregate in, of course the only spot was right in front of the door, so I have to push them out of the way to get in the coop. This spring, there will be a few more changes to the coop, Lord willing. It's my grow out coop for the Heritage chicks coming, so must be as right as I can get it, before next winter!

I have the breeding pens ready and most of the layer coop done also. Just a few tweaks to that and set up the "isolation/hospital" in one of the stables stalls left for the spring work and the fencing along the woods.

I have some thoughts on the laying better when no lamp....but not sure. I think it has to do with less ( good) sleep and the red coloring? As with ANY change, that will affect the egg laying...so???? Couple more months and I can call them rooster and hens. We have made it almost a whole year!

I hope, since this winter started so much earlier than it has been, we might get lucky and have an early spring? I hope? Will be nice to see the sun again! For the birds and for me

 

[RaeRae2]

My birds were suffering BAD. I TRIED to give them ONLY a heat lamp. But the hen house is way too big and none of them sat under it and temp in there would only raise a few degrees. Three birds in particular were going to die. I have some OLD hens, one of them is 8, and I have some 6 and 5 yr olds. I also have light breeds with big combs and I had severe frostbite on combs and minor frostbite on some toes. Some of my older, light breed hens quit eating and drinking COMPLETELY. They were all sitting all day huddled in a corner doing nothing. We have not had a severe winter like this since the 80s. Sustained below zero for weeks and getting significant snowfalls every other day. The snow is so deep you can't walk if you get off plowed paths. No my chickens do not go outside at all. Normally they do but not now. If we lose power they can come in the basement. In years past I had hens roost in trees, on fences, and barn rafters regardless of weather but many of those same birds are now very old and can't tolerate it anymore. Most people eat their old hens....I do not do that. Yes I have some young hardy birds that were totally fine but I have to cater to the old ones. I have 4 birds under 1 yr old, then everybody else ranges from 2 to 8.

 

[RaeRae2]

Also my chickens are more like house pets and are not livestock in my viewpoint. They go to the vet and are all extremely tame and some hens I've had for many years. I can't handle flock mortality because they froze or got sick. I have friends who have lost a lot of birds, including turkeys and peacocks because this winter has been brutal. So I choose to heat to 35 because my hens literally came alive when I gave them a heater. They were miserable before. All flocks and situations are different.