It's going to be super cold.

[MinxFox]

It is getting pretty cold even here...We had a rain today and after that came some big winds and cold weather. Since all of my peas are adults I am not really worried. They have enough fluff, but I just hope their perches hold up. One of the perches is leaning and I hope it stays up.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I broke down and added another 250watt infared heat bulb tonight,and last night bought a 40lb bag of bird feed high in crushed black oil sunflower seeds,safflour seeds,cracked corn,ect that was over 22% protein. With tthe seed content it has it has to be super high in energy and probably more appealing to the young peas than 22% gamebird crumbles. The wind has started here tonight with gusts over 35mph so far.We had about 8" of fresh snow a few days ago,so that is now moving to new real estate,which means my driveway will soon be 2' deep again. Tomorrow will be the worst with 8" of expected new snow,temps at 18 below in the morning,not getting warmer than negative 11 all day. I made a trip home at lunchtime today to fill water bowls,tonight they were empty so I know if they drank that much water,and the food bowl was empty,,they should be okay tonight and tomorrow.I don't want to sound smug but to get birds to eat and digest food,it's imperative they have water to drink,,otherwise they won't eat.

 

[casportpony]

I hope this storm/cold-front blows through quickly!

-Kathy

 

[destinduck]

Me too Kathy. I really worried about it last night when its blew 20-40 and freezing on top of that. FBC I cant even imagine what you have to deal with.

Im building my shelters tommorrow so my trio can have a nice covered roost in my big pen. Ive put it off for way too long. I did get most all my hardware cloth finished around the pen today and will finish that project as well tomorrow. Good luck everyone!

 

[MinxFox]

I was working on the new pens yesterday. I wish we didn't have such a damp cold here. I have been up north when it was 30 or 24 deg and snowy and it didn't feel bad because it was a dry cold, but here when it gets around those temps you will freeze! I too have been putting off construction Destinduck.

 

[margaret8]

It has already been 4• here and my birds made it ok. They seemed to eat more. The heated waterer I have works very well! No chipping ice! This is like 4th round of extremely cold weather we have had in 6 weeks not to mention the snow and ice. I'm ready for spring!

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I read someplace where you can use small 30 watt lite bulbs under water bowls to keep them thawed out.The trick is to have a metal pie tin that the water bowl sits on top of,with the small lite bulb underneath it.Then you would need to get an old electric cord,and cut and splice in the small lites where they are needed. All my adults inside Pea Palace will be cozy,the building is pretty tight and no draft issues and all these birds stays on perches no lower than 4' off the ground. My coming 2 yr old peas got once again, put inside the coop that is alongside their outside pen. I closed the doors and tonight when I opened them to feed and water,they were dried off and it was actaully noticably warmer in there compared to the air outside.Two nites ago during a heavy snow,I hand caught each one and put them inside,some had a lot of snow on their backs already and all was in a big group in one corner of the outside pen out of the wind.My big concern is still with my new 2013 hatched young peas.I managed to finally get the frozen poo and snow away from the outside door that allows them to go outside in the enclosed -covered pen and have it secured and closed now. Sunday too is supposed to be cold,,and I fear if one gets cold,with it staying this cold for several days,,that may be their doom. My only other option is if I see one huddled up,to bring it back into our garage to a small coop we use for newly hatched peas and put a heat lite inside it.Cold,still air doesn't concern me as much as blowing cold air that lasts for days here.Wind chills will be around 40 below.

 

[margaret8]

I got a heater from amazon. It is made like the one you described. It works wonders. My birds are in a house with the doors shut and are dry. So far so good. The only problem I have is a coyote that got one of my guinas. It has been spotted around here for about a week enough so I am afraid to let my birds out! I have a loaded shotgun waiting.....

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Well,tonight at midnight we are going under a winter storm warning. Just came back from the vets office and it was 32 degrees outside,and the blowing snow is sticking to the salted wet highways. We had one drift at the end of the driveway about 3' deep so had to call a friend to plow us out so I could get to vets office. Tonight the onslaught begins with 3" of snow expected before midnight,and now they say 8" or more from Midnight on into tomorow. If it keep blowing like now,the wind chills are expected to be 40 below. This afternoon while it's above freezing I'm going to extra fill feed bowls,and water since it won't freeze for a few hours. And tomorrow it may become a very difficult task if drifts are 4' high here. Maybe some pics will make all you southerners jealous of what us midwesterners deal with??

 

[zazouse]

I will be praying for your family this has got to be just awful