It's going to be super cold.

[zazouse]

It is cold and wet here today, the birds and I are not happy all couped up in the house and barn

 

[margaret8]

It is cold and wet here today, the birds and I are not happy all couped up in the house and barn

It's been the way it's been here for a week!

 

[zazouse]

I figured it came from you Margaret

i needed my feathers washed away it was looking like there had been some pillow fights going on here with all the white feathers.

 

[margaret8]

This isn't suppose to happen!

 

[margaret8]

My peas and guineas are nice and warm in their geared coop!

 

[margaret8]

Here is my sweetheart "Peep"!

 

[margaret8]

My peas and guineas are nice and warm in their geared coop!

That is heated coop!

 

[Garden Peas]

Oh boy are my peas ticked off

They had a half inch of new snow to wade through with this morning when I let them out, and I'm struggling to keep the temperature in the coop above freezing. It's getting into the low teens at night, and the coop isn't insulated. They were downright irritated this morning when they found out how much COLDER it was outside than in the coop (low 20's).

I know folks with peas in COLD places deal with much worse than this, but these guys are just not accustomed to it. The wee peas are definitely not happy about the snow. They are picking their feet waaaay up when they walk, and standing on one foot to eat, and trying to figure out how to make it go away.

They are all hanging outside a bit more this afternoon (it's still not up to freezing), but they decided to spend most of the day inside. They are definitely ready for spring already.

 

[chicknmania]

I made our flock a hot mash the other day when it was cold. Flockraiser and a little scratch, some leftover cornmeal mush, applesauce, and a small amount of grated suet. I poured hot water over it just enough to make it moist, and covered it with a towel while I carried it to the barn in a bucket. By the time it got there, it was just the right temperature for them...not too hot, not too cold, just right. They thought they were in heaven.

 

[KsKingBee]

I guess my birds are in heaven twice a day every day. This morning it was 6*, the warm mash was just the thing to warm them up after a bitterly cold and windy night. Of course they spent it on the outside roost and the cover did them no good when the wind is 30 to 40 mph from the NW.

I changed up my recipe a bit for the deep freeze time of year. I start out with 1 1/2 scoop of 17% alfalfa pellets, one scoop of 18% rolled oats, one scoop of 34% cat food and 3/4 gallon of warm water. This sets until the next feeding in either morning or dusk. When ready to feed I add three scoops of 28% game bird starter/breeder and another half to 3/4 water from the hot tap and mix with a paint paddle on a drill motor. This makes about four gallons of feed in an oatmeal consistency. On alternate days I add different things to keep the mash interesting like over ripe fruit, canned mackerel, or chopped vegetables.

On evenings when I know it is going to be super cold, I will give them a bowl of cracked corn or scratch grain. I will pour it on any leftover mash to entice them to clean everything up. Any leftover frozen mash is collected and reconstituted for the next feeding.