Minus 20-30 Degrees? Help please!

[redhen]

Hubby just checked on the pigs..He said they were all dug down deep in their straw and seemed fine. I want to bring them in too... trust me....trust me.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
Oh, I miss having piggies.... at least they have lots of fat. I wish I could sneak out and check on Millie and see if she's at least cuddled under the others but I can't without them hearing me and jumping up like fools.

Guess all I can do is hope they'll be okay......

 

[dianaross77]

I read somewhere about someone stuffing christmas lights in pvc pipe and using it to heat a brooder. Christmas lights are very safe. Or what about the light bulb in the cookie tin idea people use to heat their waterers? It's really cold here too (not as cold as there) and I would worry too.

 

[featherz]

My chickens were fine today at -26. Can't speak to whether they have frostbite - it's too dark out, but they all were definitely alive and able to walk.

 

[PineappleMama]

I've read, somewhere, that giving them a nibble will keep their digestion chugging along and that that can help them keep warm... bad idea in Texas summer, but rather brilliant I'd think in NH winter. And it wouldn't have the 'reboot' problem that bringing inside could... maybe?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Most of the hardy breeds and strains were bred in very cold areas of North America, long before there was electricity. How did they survive?

Wyandotte - Up State New York
Plymouth Rock - New England
New Hamphire
Buckeye - Ohio

The cold hardy breeds were born and bred in places with weather that has always had harsh, cold weather. They had no one to coddle them and yet, we have their progeny, their off spring, today. Can't speak for exotic breeds. Draft free, good food, and dry. They will survive, as as the eagles, crows, sparrows and other wild cousins do.

 

[Organics North]

So many variables. The main thing is to keep the moisture out of the coop.
It has been in the -20's F most nights this past week. I have 26 birds (EE's, Ameraucana and Marans). My 8x16 coop is very well insulated, however I keep the pop door open even in the cold. Low humidity is key IMO. I scrape the poop board twice a day to keep moisture down. I do have two of those little 60W ceramic reptile heater bulbs over the roosts.

Stay warm!
ON

 

[joyous]

Lots of different opinions here, no body really wrong or right, just what you prefer. We built this heater ( http://cmfarm.us/pvc-heater.html) for our brooder, it works great and is inexpensive to make,( we did not leave the single bulb outside though as I thought it could be a fire hazard.) YOu might consider that, plugged into a thermo cube so it only comes on when it is below freezing. I agree that the exotic breeds might not fare as well, but I have no experience with them.

 

[Mrs. Turbo]

We brought in a rooster for sour crop and now he lives in a dog crate in the brooder room until it warms up. They stink worse than the chicks.

 

[woodmort]

We were down to -15 this am--chickens wanted to go out but I didn't feel like going out later to lock them back up so tossed them some BOSS and kept them in. They're fine, by the way.