Moving chickens

[Cwynkoop08]

Hello everyone,
I need some advice once again, I live in TN and we are going to get hit with quite the snow storm tomorrow morning. They are calling for very cold temperatures, I usually move the chickens into the garage where, in instances like this, we have a propane heater that keeps the garage at much warmer temperatures for their comfort. My girls have certains spots within their coop where they like to lay their eggs. The winter storm and frigid temps is supposed to last for at least 24 hours. Will my hens be ok in the garage for that period of time? My hens get very fussy when they cannot go to the coop to lay their eggs. I want to protect them not hurt them in anyway. Any advice is much appreciate! Thanks y’all!

 

[Eggcessive]

Not knowing what their coop and setup is like, it is hard to give advice. Most chickens who have a dry coop with water available, can withstand pretty cold temperatures. It gets close to zero here for a couple of weeks in winter, and mine do fine inside the coop. They have overhead ventilation, but no direct drafts.

If you put them up in the garage, make a couple of temporary nest boxes for them. Add pine shavings to them and they should be fine. Recycling bins or boxes work well. I have even used a bale of pine shavings with some moved out of the middle, and they will nest in there. Mine will lay on the ground if there are pine shavings or straw. They sell some cheap stackable bins like these at Walmart that are useful for nest boxes, and the tops can be removed or left on.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Your-Zon...V6SZMCh3m5QuvEAQYASABEgIYx_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...V8RvUAR2fvA6GEAQYDiABEgJWdvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Yardmom]

As long as the wind is blocked in your coop no need to move them. Feather coats are quite warm. You use the word frigid to describe the temperature predictions without saying what temp is predicted. My guess Frigid March in TN is still warmer than a winter day in northern WI, where I grew up. Some chickens stay in unheated coops there all winter.

 

[Bobfein2005]

Hello everyone,
I need some advice once again, I live in TN and we are going to get hit with quite the snow storm tomorrow morning. They are calling for very cold temperatures, I usually move the chickens into the garage where, in instances like this, we have a propane heater that keeps the garage at much warmer temperatures for their comfort. My girls have certains spots within their coop where they like to lay their eggs. The winter storm and frigid temps is supposed to last for at least 24 hours. Will my hens be ok in the garage for that period of time? My hens get very fussy when they cannot go to the coop to lay their eggs. I want to protect them not hurt them in anyway. Any advice is much appreciate! Thanks y’all!

Northern Wisconsin here. When below zero here, I put mine in heated garage in a big cardboard box with hardware cloth top. Straw, food, water and a perch in the box. They complain about being stuck in the box but they eat, drink and lay eggs. Give them lettuce, treats etc during the day to reduce boredom. During cold snaps they can end up in the garage 2-3 days. They do fine.

 

[Cwynkoop08]

As long as the wind is blocked in your coop no need to move them. Feather coats are quite warm. You use the word frigid to describe the temperature predictions without saying what temp is predicted. My guess Frigid March in TN is still warmer than a winter day in northern WI, where I grew up. Some chickens stay in unheated coops there all winter.

Our coop is open and draft comes through very easily. We moved them to the garage. I’m going to make a few temporary nesting boxes for them.

 

[NatJ]

I usually move the chickens into the garage where, in instances like this, we have a propane heater that keeps the garage at much warmer temperatures for their comfort.

Don't overdo the heating.

For example, if your chickens are normally fine at 40 degrees, then do not heat the garage about 40 degrees. I don't know what temperatures your chickens are already used to, so that's just an example-- but try to match the temperature they are used to, rather than making it a comfortable "warm" temperature for people. They cannot take off their feather coats, and will be uncomfortable if the garage is drastically warmer than the temperature they usually have in their coop.

My girls have certains spots within their coop where they like to lay their eggs. The winter storm and frigid temps is supposed to last for at least 24 hours. Will my hens be ok in the garage for that period of time? My hens get very fussy when they cannot go to the coop to lay their eggs. I want to protect them not hurt them in anyway.

Being fussy won't hurt them.

Being moved may interrupt egg laying. You will probably get eggs the first day, because those eggs are already partly formed, but they might have a delay before their bodies make more eggs after that.

Or they may keep laying eggs just like usual. It can be hard to predict what chickens will do.