I'm worried about my hens in this weather! -20

[English Chick]

We have had weird weather lately in the Uk...down to -10...I have already lost two chickens who froze to death during the night...they where two of my resuced battery chickens.....I have really deep bed litter down...the sables doors and windows where closed...there are 50 other hens in there with them ..but they still froze due to the draught through the doors and the wind chill factor..now every night I put feed bags in the stable doors to stop the draughts .....so far it is working have not lost anymore....my little bantams in another shed won't come out at all......too cold for them.....hope everything goes OK for you all this winter...it is said theat February in the Uk is going to be even worse...dread to think of it....!

 

[lengel]

We have had significant snowfall recently which I believe provides an insulating layer around our tractors. If we hadn't had this, I would have tacked up construction grade plastic around them. As it is, I think that the snow layer has firmed up into a sort of igloo. I'm hoping this will protect them. We will find out very soon.

 

[SoccerMomof7]

Okay how do people have chickens in the house? Mine poop all the time and I couldn't handle that in my house. The brooder only lasted a few day in my house before it went out to the shop.

 

[AllChookUp]

AllChookUp wrote:
Funny, most of these posts came from MN & WI.

Or do you consider ours a "tropical" climate?

jvls1942 wrote:
I was not referring to just this thread.. I check in at a half dozen different sites and that was just an observation I made.. sorry for bringing it up..

Whoops, sorry - Thought you were referring to this post only. You are right - I have seen what you originally referred to.​

 

[joebryant]

I spent all day yesterday going from one store to the next looking for two heaters with a thermostat that would come on at 15 degrees to put in my two 4x8 coops. Never found one. Finally settle on trying lights. Right now the Orpington coop has a red heat lamp that I originally had for when they were newly-hatched chicks. It was very cold last night, and this morning it's now 15 * F, but in the coop it's 34*F. In the Silkies' coop, I put a 60 watt black bulb with the same metal deflector as the other. It's also 34*F in their coop too.
Later today, I'm going to change the red light heat lamp in the Orpington's coop with a black light because it's just too bright for them, and I don't thing they slept well last night on their roost.
When those metal deflectors get hot, they give off a lot of heat. CHEAP TOO!
I'm going out now to turn the red light out (closing up the brothel) so it'll cool; then I'll change to a 60 watt black light and see how it goes tonight.
Here's the weather forecast for today and this week.
High/low for each day:
Snow
27° F | -3° F

Partly Cloudy
2° F | -8° F

Partly Cloudy
7° F | 2° F

Snow Showers
27° F | 16° F

Partly Cloudy
29° F | 22° F

 

[Grant6411]

We're getting down into the low 30's for the next few nights here in Florida and we're worried....I guess we are much luckier than most of the people answering here!

 

[flakey chick]

Quote:
I agree w/ you, but it may be b/c our coops are built for warm weather and we don't know what to do if it's cold! Mine, for instance, is completely open on one side to give enough ventilation when it's 100 outside. Everyone talks about "they'll be fine as long as it's not drafty" but mine is one big draft! So it's freaking me out that it's going to be in the 20s this week and my coop is drafty!

I tried to design my tractor to be well ventilated in summer and draft free in the winter, but I just haven't gotten satisfactory window covers yet. I hang pillowslip "curtains" over the windows and then a sheet over the entire house portion of their tractor. I only have 2 bantam pullets so there is not that much Xtra body heat to share.

And the humidity issues are a concern. I know I need to keep the coop dry and well ventilated, but that's not easy when the humidity is 99.999% all day long.

And then there's the concerned neighbors. I know keeping them draft free that matters more than the themometer, but my neighbors just keep worrying and asking about them. I suppose I should tell them I monitor the coop temp with a remote thermometer from inside the house. I did get one of those clock/remote thermometer thingies and last night the coop stayed 2-3 degrees warmer than the porch.

Quote:
I am planning on bringing mine in when it gets around 20 deg. They will go in the sunroom where we kept the brooder. It can be closed off from the rest of the house. I think utility rooms, mud rooms, or spare bathrooms would do ok as well.

 

[Wildsky]

we went low down a while ago in early december. it was -40 with windchill. My chickens were just fine with no added heat or anything.
I do believe I have some frostbite issues going on right now - my Ideal 236 have huge floppy combs and they're now white on the ends.

We are going low the next few days, but not as low as december was, and by Friday our high will be 47

 

[PortageGirl]

Quote:
How about these? http://www.apelectric.com/Thermo-Cube-s/25.htm?gclid=CNfKsanUx5cCFQNHFQodbAJLSQ they're not perfect, but.....

 

[Msbear]

The only thing Floridians need to worry about is being a little prepared. Chickens can suffer through harsh climates but three sides tropical coops need to be covered when it gets down to the 30's at night.

Up here in WV, we're heading down to the 20's at night and all mine are good. ....til yesterday morning I woke up and a hen was sitting outside on the perch!!! I closed them up way past dark so I don't know what she was up to but now she's snifflin like crazy. I gave her a good dose of water and cider and stuck her in the coop. I have a light in there during the day to encourage laying and it will keep the temps pretty decent... then of course they snuggle at night. I'll keep my eye on her and if she gets worse, I'll bring her in.