Minus 20-30 Degrees? Help please!

[Frosty]

Most of my chickens are larger types, but I do have a Silkie rooster and a Bantam Cochin rooster. I hatched both from shipped eggs... I think in 2005? They take temps as cold as -34F every winter and are still here with no frostbite. We also have spells for over a week at at time where the highs are below 0. They have the smaller combs, so that helps. Mine are in an insulated, unheated house, the door to the covered run is left open 24/7 and 4 windows (on the downwind side) and open about 3" also.

As long as they are out of the wind, they should do fine. Just keep reminding yourself that it will be over soon...

 

[Mattemma]

I did the hot water jugs last year. I forgot to do it this time. I am going to put a few in there. I have been giving minr scratch with corn 2 times a day and warm water.

 

[Orchid]

I didn't read the whole thread, just the first post, so forgive me if I've missed anything important.

This is my first winter with chickens, too. The other night it got down to -35ºF at my house. I have three hens, a BO and two EEs, and one production red rooster (weird combo, I know. He was supposed to be a hen. But I digress.). The three hens sleep on the roost and the rooster sleeps in a nesting box. I was a little apprehensive about what I would find that morning when I went out, but I found what I always find - four chickens mooshed up against the pop door, waiting for me to let them out.

They are all fine, with the exception of a tiny bit of frostbite on the very tips of the rooster's comb. In fact I got three eggs that day.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

I lost a few of my weaker birds to the cold earlier this month. This cold snap we had last night though -28 is SO cold. I refreshed their bowls with hot/warm water every 2 hours until midnight, and then again starting at 5am. no more losses. i also crammed my 10 ducks, and 3 geese in with my 22 chickens, since the house is 8x12, and just needed more body heat... besides the springer-style brawling, they were all fine.

 

[Laurajean]

Well, they are all alive today; were very anxious to get out of the coop (I usually leave the pop door open so they can come and go but last night I left it closed). Maybe I should start (or search for) a different thread for this question, but Orchid mentioned frostbite. How do I check for frostbite? What do I look for, and if I find it, what do I do? Is there any way to treat it? I plan to bring them in one by one to check their feet, combs, ears, etc., but not quite sure what I should be looking for. Any advice?

 

[Frosty]

I never had problems with frostbite on the feet, on the combs it's usually the birds with combs that stand up. The tips will be either white or black. Sometimes they get a bit on the waddles, too. Not really anything that you can do for it, the tissue is pretty much dead at that point and will eventually fall off.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
Kinda funny, coming from "Frosty"...

Okay, so there's no harm long term? Pain? Infection? It just falls off and they're okay?

 

[Orchid]

I would guess the only one that might have any frostbite would be on the comb of your RIR; my PR rooster has a huge comb and the very tippy ends of his got some frostbite.

I could rub petroleum jelly on his comb, but we have an agreement - I don't bug him and he doesn't bug me.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
Well luckily my RIR red is the one I adopted from my neighbor (don't know if you saw that thread), but anyway, she's very friendly, so I can easily hold her and put petroleum jelly on it if needed. What does that do, sooth it? Just moisturize it?

My Silkie Roo on the other hand, I'm afraid to even hold him, he's vicious. Don't even know HOW I'll check him out. Maybe a face mask and welding gloves.....

(I wish they made rooster muzzles and feet slippers)

 

[Frosty]

I can't speak for the chickens, but it doesn't appear to bother them... once it falls off it'll look like the end was just cut straight across. I don't usually see it on the hens, even the leghorns with big combs. Maybe because their combs flop over and are closer to their body? The smaller combed and rose comb birds have never had problems. The only long term damage is that they won't be able to be in shows but I don't do that anyhow... Glad they made it through the night!

P.S. 'Frosty' is a name that I commonly use because I am in ND... it gets a bit chilly here.