Newby in New York

[Copperoo]

Happy New Year !!!
My name is Debra and live in the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York.
I just adopted 5 Rhode Island Red hens from a church member who's husband died from an Aneurysm recently. She will be moving away and I offered to take them. I moved their coop, feed and hens on January 1st. I have always wanted chickens but I now need a crash coarse in raising chickens. These girls are almost one year old I think.
My main concern is what temperatures can they tolerate. I have read that their combs will get frost bite and not to let them outside below 32 degrees or when there is a windchill below 32.

I just joined this site today. I will read everything I can to learn.

Any advice for a Newby will be appreciated.

 

[N F C]

Hi Debra, you can get a good crash course in raising chickens by going to the Learning Center...it's full of helpful articles that will get you off on the right foot.

It's nice to have you here!

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, Debra, and ! Great to have you on the chicken train! As NFC suggested, the Learning Center is a vast storehouse of knowledge. Skipping ahead, I can assure you that the temp likely has to be much colder than 32 for your bird's combs to receive frostbite...and they'd have to be out in in for an extended period. Combs have pretty good blood circulation. Where I'm at we've had days with highs in the teens and 20's and my birds are fine as they have access to their coop. But yesterday afternoon I free ranged them for a couple hours with temps in the high teens...no frostbite issues. I know some folks swear by putting Vaseline on the combs for protection. Good luck to you and thanks for joining BYC!

 

[Copperoo]

Thanks for the good info.
My fencing is not completed yet, so they are going to stay inside.
The pen is 47'x27' with a shade tree in the middle.
We have Fox, Coyote and Raccoons, so I feel better with them enclosed while I am not home.
We also have Hawks and I worry about them too.

 

[RodNTN]

I am glad you joined us!

 

[Teila]

G’Day from down under Copperoo

Welcome and Happy New Year to you too.

Congratulations on your new feathered family. Here in Aus, cold temperatures are not an issue so I am not going to be much help in that department but the below are a couple of Topics of the Week that you might be interested in:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1144804/topic-of-the-week-kitting-out-the-coop

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1146334/topic-of-the-week-getting-started-keeping-chickens

I hope you enjoy BYC. There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun. Unlike non chicken loving friends, family and colleagues, BYC’ers never tire of stories or pictures that feature our feathered and non feathered friends

 

[drumstick diva]

Nice to meet you Debra. Hope you will enjoy BYC as much as we do.