New Hampshire!!

[DraigAthar]

So we all just went through a cold snap, the coldest it got in my coop was about 0F which is almost 10 below zero outside. the insulated barn (not heated) and 24 warm little bodies makes a difference. I was just wondering if everyone's flocks did ok during that cold snap. i hope all did well.

-18 was the low on the weather gauge at my house. This is why I raise Dominiques! They handle the winters like champs. I don't heat my coops at all, I just make sure they're draft-free and the chooks all hunker down through the cold nights. I did have a cross breed roo with a large comb who got some frostbite, but nothing too serious.

 

[Lexiluke]

All of my birds made out ok and I even had a 21 week old pullet start to lay. Now I am hoping the other 24 will follow suit during this heat wave we will be getting. All of my turkeys thought nothing of the cold. They just went about their daily duty monitoring the property and making sure no one gets out of line. Guineas were a little extra loud during the day and night.

 

[memechick]

My girls all did ok where I live in Concord. Although on the very windy days they did not want to come out of the coop. I'm really happy my heated dog dishes are holding out really well. I'm glad the days are slowly getting longer ..... although I'm still driving to work in the dark and driving home in the dark. C'mon spring!

 

[BlacksheepCardigans]

We didn't lose any, though we were sweating it for a few days there when we saw bantam combs start to get purple. The littlest Seramas came into the living room in dog crates. The large fowl in the outside coops did great - they didn't skip a beat.

 

[chicken pickin]

We didn't lose any, though we were sweating it for a few days there when we saw bantam combs start to get purple. The littlest Seramas came into the living room in dog crates. The large fowl in the outside coops did great - they didn't skip a beat.

Hmm I was wondering what to do about my bantams combs. I have 3 Japanese Bantam roos and their combs dont look well at all. They are in a coop with a heat lamp and its just not working. They are flighty so trying to put something on the combs may not work. Do you have any other tips?

 

[nhnanna]

Hmm I was wondering what to do about my bantams combs. I have 3 Japanese Bantam roos and their combs dont look well at all. They are in a coop with a heat lamp and its just not working. They are flighty so trying to put something on the combs may not work. Do you have any other tips?

Try putting some vaseline on the combs to keep them from frostbite.

 

[chicken pickin]

Try putting some vaseline on the combs to keep them from frostbite.

I can try, if they let me catch them

How often should I try to apply the vaseline?

 

[nhnanna]

just put a good glob on and when you see its dry put some more while it is cold weather.

 

[Chicken Techie]

well im glad to hear everyone made it through the cold snap ok, Im thinkng of raising some turkeys this year for the first time. a friend suggested the large breasted bronze, anyone have in "housing tips" for tukeys? probably gonna start small like 4 or 6.

 

[chicken pickin]

I house my Bourbon Reds who are semi permanent residents here in a coop we made from pallets and plywood its like a full shed with a human size door I can walk in and huge window
in the front of it the pen/aviary is made of chainlink fence with pvc arched over the top of the fence with aviary netting draped over and zip tied down.





I raised my first turkey which were broad breasted whites in a small shelter made from pallets and scrap wood window was just chicken wire and door was wood framed covered in chicken wire so it was very breezey and venelated in the summer months. I used 4 foot tall green chicken wire fencing and metal posts to surround their shelter and pvc arched over the top of the fence with deer netting or fruit bush netting over the pvc and zip tied on.






Both very similar but one on a bigger more permanent scale.

Now that I raise the bourbons I turned the smaller turkey house into a chicken coop