New chickens during winter time !!! Help!!!

[Klatimer]

So I have 8 ducks and everything is fine, I would say I’m will versed with Ducks. But my mom has to rehome or process her chickens. My husband and I have wanted chickens and we live in Ohio where we just had a huge winter storm. We only have an acre of land and live in the city. We were thinking about putting them into our shop until we can build them a house in the yard. But I do have a green house that I could possibly put them in also.. I’m willing to hear anything suggestions

 

[Sefirothe]

You say process....are these meat chickens?

 

[Ridgerunner]

How big is the greenhouse (in feet) and how many chickens are you talking about? The concern is overcrowding, which applies any time of the year.

You have two issues in winter. One is a cold wind hitting them with them having no way to get out of the wind. That should not be a problem in a greenhouse. The other issue is moisture. If it gets too humid in there and it gets below freezing they can get frostbite. Do not worry about how cold it will get, they are wearing a down coat. But high moisture when it is winter in Ohio can cause frostbite so can you vent that greenhouse?

 

[Klatimer]

You say process....are these meat chickens?

Honestly I’m not sure, she has a bunch of them.

 

[ABQ chicken keeper]

So I have 8 ducks and everything is fine, I would say I’m will versed with Ducks. But my mom has to rehome or process her chickens. My husband and I have wanted chickens and we live in Ohio where we just had a huge winter storm. We only have an acre of land and live in the city. We were thinking about putting them into our shop until we can build them a house in the yard. But I do have a green house that I could possibly put them in also.. I’m willing to hear anything suggestions

Check around to see if anyone has shed of sorts that you could move to your property. BTW, where do you keep your ducks?

 

[GdayChooks]

My 4 ISA Browns just survived a week of - 27C without any trouble. Sadly they lost the tips of their combs, but they really don't seem fussed. They're out of the wind and humidity. I give them deep bedding, alternating straw and pine shavings, and they make themselves nests in that. But they always sleep roosted and tuck their feathers over their feet, and seem pretty happy. I didn't give them excessive lighting, but with a few missed days and a few teensy yolkless eggs, they didn't stop laying.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I wouldn't keep chickens in that type of greenhouse. Those are very flimsy and predators and the wind could tear through it. Snow could probably collapse it as well. I would definitely wait until you have a proper coop.

 

[NatJ]

You say process....are these meat chickens?

Any chickens can be processed. They may be larger or smaller, they may be more tough or more tender, but they all taste like chicken.

Honestly I’m not sure, she has a bunch of them.

You might ask what kinds she has. Any that are meat chickens, I think should just be eaten. That would be much easier than trying to arrange housing on short notice in the winter.

If any of them are layers, maybe ask how old they are. Hens lay the most eggs in their first year, then less in the second year, and it goes down from there. Depending on how old hers are, it might make sense to process some or all of them, even if you do want to get others for yourself in the spring.

The decision might be different for some chickens than others. For example, you might take some laying hens, enough to provide eggs for your family, and have all others get processed.

 

[Sefirothe]

Any chickens can be processed. They may be larger or smaller, they may be more tough or more tender, but they all taste like chicken.

True, I was just trying to determine if these were Cornish cross or not so realistic expectations could be set when determining to keep or process.

 

[NatJ]

True, I was just trying to determine if these were Cornish cross or not so realistic expectations could be set when determining to keep or process.

Good point. I was assuming that someone would process Cornish Cross rather than even considering rehoming them, but that someone would discuss whether to rehome vs. process a group of pullets or hens from breeds that might reasonably be used as layers.

Asking is safer than making assumptions.