Keeping chickens in the winter....

[chickencheeper]

Imagine having to refill a tiny chicken waterer with hot water every morning and all day since your water heater STILL hasn’t arrived even though you placed the order a month ago and tomorrow we’re getting a “bomb cyclone”(Washington post) snow storm in New England and the heater is supposed to arrive on the 12th!!!!!thats my situation

 

[aart]

Imagine having to refill a tiny chicken waterer with hot water every morning and all day

BTDT
After I had finally gotten a good water heater set up.....let a broody hen set in January, had to segregate her with wire wall from the main flock, 2 months of the multiple times a day water swap n thaw.
Small bowl of snow can work fine as a back up,
just so you know they stay hydrated.
Seems odd, but they love to eat snow.....
....will choose it over warm water in the heated waterer.

 

[aart]

I worry too, even tho it's not near as cold here as other places.
Some of the birds suffer more than others in the cold.

 

[Blooie]

The really sad news is that the the weather hasn't got much to do with reducing the population of lice and mites. In particular Northern Fowl Mites tend to be more active in winter. So don't let your guard down just because it's cold outside. It's mighty warm and comfy with a steady supply of food under a chicken's down and feathers.

 

[RonP]

Seems odd, but they love to eat snow.....
....will choose it over warm water in the heated waterer.

Never could figure why they will clean the snow off my boots but won't dare venture out and walk on it...

 

[aart]

Never could figure why they will clean the snow off my boots but won't dare venture out and walk on it...

It's uncanny how their water consumption goes down when they have access to the snow...like after it stops pouring down(we've had like 8 days almostnonstopsnow), I shovel and toss down some straw, there are beak marks all along the snow banks at chicken head height. SMH. OTOH.....nice that it can be back up hydration.

 

[Peeps61]

Never could figure why they will clean the snow off my boots but won't dare venture out and walk on it...

Hi RonP,
I've been meaning to ask you about your avatar picture! Is that fox one you caught? Just curious.

 

[chickencheeper]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...our-best-chicken-story.1209920/#post-19239851

 

[Peeps61]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...our-best-chicken-story.1209920/#post-19239851

Thanks for the link Chickencheeper! The story was a great read, especially the part about the kit coming back to visit.

 

[Ketty Ash]

.......is no fun

I feel SO BAD for my hens out there. They have a heated waterer, lots of food and tons of bedding....but man, everything is frozen, their poop is frozen, their roosts are cold, and it's just day after day of this cold snap. We are in Ontario Canada and I actually feel guilty sitting in my warm house while my girls are out in their coop. I know they're chickens and capable of adjusting to cold, but this just doesn't feel right! It is SO cold. It's normal for our area to experience cold snaps like this that last maybe 5 days or so, but we are going on weeks of negative double digits. NOT COOL.

I live in Kentucky, so our winters are generally cold but not brutal. However, this winter has been rough. I deal with guilt too. I feel bad for them when it's cold and when it's hot. Lol. We have had success with the deep litter method. I hope you get some relief from the cold snap.