I hate this polar vortex!

[Chullicken]

My chickens are fine, with the exception of a frostbitten comb on a rooster, and a couple of nearly naked molters. They are in the garage. I throw scraps out to them, get them moving, put up some more stuff for them to perch on.....Anyways, I had been using Vaseline but after the frostbite I switched to Bag Balm. Maybe it will be better. It's working wonders on my skin, I've gotten such terrible dry skin from being outside so much with the birds and being really lazy about moisturizing....y'all I am just so tired. Keeping ducks and chickens takes a very special kind of crazy, doesn't it?

I'm on another post on this site and they're trying to 'learn' me how to figure out the sq. footage ventilation if I'm using 1" circular vents x 8....my brain is blown. I need someone to do this stupid math for me. lol And yes. I originally started raising chickens again a few years ago, as therapy animals for my PTSD. Now, all I do is worry. One hen just died from egg peritonitis and was going through a hard molt a few weeks ago. Opened the coop door like I always do to do a clean out and there was just blood everywhere. On the walls, all over the eggs, roost bar had a puddle of it. Was horrifying. Rooster as I mentioned I think is taking it hard in the comb area.

 

[Chullicken]

I have a single Muscovy inside. The rest I locked in their house, water in a heavy crock surrounded by brick, some.food, and....you guys? I put a heat lamp. I have never used one before, except with chicks and ducklings. This time is because they are shivering and coated with ice. While people tell me they will be fine, I kind of think these ducks have no idea how to stay warm. They want to be in the WIND. While they are coated with ice.

This winter has been the worst cold wise in several years. I let them out every morning before work and most have ice flakes on the tips of their feathers.

 

[Louise Waffles]

I'm on another post on this site and they're trying to 'learn' me how to figure out the sq. footage ventilation if I'm using 1" circular vents x 8....my brain is blown. I need someone to do this stupid math for me. lol And yes. I originally started raising chickens again a few years ago, as therapy animals for my PTSD. Now, all I do is worry. One hen just died from egg peritonitis and was going through a hard molt a few weeks ago. Opened the coop door like I always do to do a clean out and there was just blood everywhere. On the walls, all over the eggs, roost bar had a puddle of it. Was horrifying. Rooster as I mentioned I think is taking it hard in the comb area.

I am so sorry. It's really hard to lose them. I went through a bad patch, I lost a lot of chickens to various things. Because sometimes it is just like that. I spent more time than was reasonable worrying for a long time.
I brought my frostbitten rooster in to the garage, and I'm using lanolin on his comb. He won't go back outside to stay until he's mostly healed. I take him outside for a bit every day so it won't be like he's a new chicken. He has some ladies for company, and seems to be feeling better.
Math? Yea. I have to get my kids to do stuff like that, they are much quicker about it.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Same here in NY, well below the usual. Figures the year I put chicks outside we get so much colder than usual this early in the winter. Fingers crossed they all do ok. I'm fretting about ventilation like everyone else I'm sure.

Good luck everyone, keep warm!
(Edit to say oops duck thread. No ducks here till spring. I have no business in this forum yet lol)

 

[Chullicken]

I am so sorry. It's really hard to lose them. I went through a bad patch, I lost a lot of chickens to various things. Because sometimes it is just like that. I spent more time than was reasonable worrying for a long time.
I brought my frostbitten rooster in to the garage, and I'm using lanolin on his comb. He won't go back outside to stay until he's mostly healed. I take him outside for a bit every day so it won't be like he's a new chicken. He has some ladies for company, and seems to be feeling better.
Math? Yea. I have to get my kids to do stuff like that, they are much quicker about it.

Sadly some people keep telling me to avoid factory birds like the ones you get from TSC. They're breeding is horrible and with that you get a lot of horrible issues. Maybe some logic to that, all my TS birds which are about two years old now have constant issues. The two I got from a breeder I have almost no issues with. So who knows right.

 

[Louise Waffles]

Yea, I've bought my last birds from a store. I think I'll just make my own chickens. I have some really great roosters.

 

[onaharley]

My chickens are fine, with the exception of a frostbitten comb on a rooster, and a couple of nearly naked molters. They are in the garage. I throw scraps out to them, get them moving, put up some more stuff for them to perch on.....Anyways, I had been using Vaseline but after the frostbite I switched to Bag Balm. Maybe it will be better. It's working wonders on my skin, I've gotten such terrible dry skin from being outside so much with the birds and being really lazy about moisturizing....y'all I am just so tired. Keeping ducks and chickens takes a very special kind of crazy, doesn't it?

Darn tooten on the dry skin, being tired and a special kind of crazy!!! I'm right there with you

 

[onaharley]

Same here in NY, well below the usual. Figures the year I put chicks outside we get so much colder than usual this early in the winter. Fingers crossed they all do ok. I'm fretting about ventilation like everyone else I'm sure.

Good luck everyone, keep warm!
(Edit to say oops duck thread. No ducks here till spring. I have no business in this forum yet lol)

Doesn't matter if have ducks or not! Cold is cold and we are all worried about our feathered pets! Go home polar vortex!!!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop.47774/
for the poster looking for ventilation info

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Struggling mostly with having enough without creating drafts. My farm is one of those micro climates with wind from many directions daily so even with a fairly tall coop it's tricky. I think it's barely ok right now but babies are growing. Snowing in there when it's windy already a bit. Might have to just vent bigger into the enclosed run, that at least slows down the wind.