NY chicken lover!!!!

[FishMtFarm]

is that your hat or the dogs ? LOL

In this household, everything belongs to the dogs!!

 

[Gramma Chick]

Yes it made a huge difference. We added plastic to the two end triangles and the back open areas. Yesterday it was really snowing and blowing here and there was none in there at all. The water container inside the heated water bowl is working great too. No more frozen heads. Today I bought a heated peep mat on clearance at tractor supply I but their ceramic crock that I put the moistened pellets in on it, some of them won’t eat dry pellets. I hope this will keep it from freezing solid.

Cool ! or I mean Warm !
Im assuming you put the mat under the crock ?
I feed mine fermented feed so it is always moist ..
This time of year I make it a little dryer ..I notice they drink more too .
Some of mine does freeze ..in the extra bowls ..
But the 2 main bowls have a moist heating pad under them
H pad is On aluminum pans ..and the bowls are resting on 2 round metal cake pans .
the cord is wrapped with electrical tape .
I had too many heating pads . Yours is probably safer
How much was the peep mat ?
Online
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/thermo-peep-heated-pad-tan-9-in-x-12-in-25w?cm_vc=-10005

 

[Gramma Chick]

NNYchick,
How much was the peep mat ?
Amazon and Walmart seem to have the best online prices 29.99 free shipping

 

[NNYchick]

NNYchick,
How much was the peep mat ?
Amazon and Walmart seem to have the best online prices 29.99 free shipping

Well I guess it wasn’t much of a clearance they were 26.99.
I spoke too soon. I moved them all into the garage this morning for the next few days, they were all frost, everything frozen solid out there. We are at -25F this morning and to night it’s going down to -35. It’s about 28 in the garage. I’ve decided this spring we will be doing a coop add on of a smaller and shorter fully enclosed and insulated building for roosting and nest boxes.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Well I guess it wasn’t much of a clearance they were 26.99. tHATS a Good price ...I saw them as much as 60.00
I spoke too soon. I moved them all into the garage this morning for the next few days,

They were frosted but didnt have frostbite Right ? So it was venting like it was supposed to do . They can survive the cold but not the humidity With it being this cold it changes the coop conditions
You have what I would Call a Run coop..which is what I have . But you only have a few tiny chickens ..I think that is a good idea to Move them inside for now ..and Make them a small coop in the spring .
Just remember the venting principle.. It still needs a small opening to vent the moisture.
so dont enclose it Completely .
Keep Warm all of You and Your Peeps

 

[NNYchick]

No frost bite, but they get frost built up on top their fur (Silkies). It’s not against their skin, it only happens when it’s 0 or below and seems to be when they sleep. Until last night I only ever saw it on a small patch in back between wings. Not sure if they get it from breathing on each other while the sleep piled or tucking their head. We did leave 2’by2’ areas open in the front and back. There is no smell or damp feeling in there. One of the biggest problems I think is I only have 8 of them in there it 8’ x 16’ with 6’ ceilings. I don’t think I’m getting any heat buildup.

 

[Gramma Chick]

No frost bite, Not sure if they get it from breathing on each other while the sleep piled or tucking their head. We did leave 2’by2’ areas open in the front and back. I would close the back one ..you only need the front open to vent ..it is more than likely letting in humid air . I also do a air exchange At least once a day ..Open the coop door and just let fresh air in for a while then close it . There is no smell or damp feeling in there. One of the biggest problems I think is I only have 8 of them in there it 8’ x 16’ with 6’ ceilings. Yes it is a large area for 8 small chickens ..I don’t think I’m getting any heat buildup.

No ..Not with the cold outside LOL..It is not the heat ..it is the Humidity..yes the humidity / Moisture comes because of them breathing.

 

[Monkeysmom5018]

No frost bite, but they get frost built up on top their fur (Silkies). It’s not against their skin, it only happens when it’s 0 or below and seems to be when they sleep. Until last night I only ever saw it on a small patch in back between wings. Not sure if they get it from breathing on each other while the sleep piled or tucking their head. We did leave 2’by2’ areas open in the front and back. There is no smell or damp feeling in there. One of the biggest problems I think is I only have 8 of them in there it 8’ x 16’ with 6’ ceilings. I don’t think I’m getting any heat buildup.

I have the same dilemma. We made a nice huge coop but I’m not convinced we have enough chickens for it to stay warm enough. Although everyone seems fine so far. Before Xmas we did lose 3 in a week 1 i have no clue what happened, 1 i think had an impacted crop and the other had chronic sour crop. Sad week that was.
Pic of our coop. We have 2 silkies that sleep with 2 young SLW under the roosts. The 2 EE, Australorp, Barred rock, and Cochin bantam also on the roosts.

 

[NNYchick]

No ..Not with the cold outside LOL..It is not the heat ..it is the Humidity..yes the humidity / Moisture comes because of them breathing.

What can I do about it? If i take down more of the plastic snow blows in. I read everything I could find on chickens in the winter and everything said keep them dry and lots of ventilation so that’s what I did, now I know my design is all wrong. I keep just rereading and going over it in my head how to come up with a temporary solution until spring.
I may have contributed to the frost also by putting them in the igloo dog house I leave it completely open and it has a hole in the top but maybe that is how they got so covered in frost. I thought they would be able to stay warmer in there. Do you think the igloo is a bad idea?
They are in the garage until this cold snap passes, the ladies are not happy with my make shift nest box or being in tight quarters but at least I know they are safe.

 

[koopmaster]

Hi I'm from the Souther Tier of N.Y. Olean, about 90 miles south of Buff. Glad to be back on this great forum with lots of chicken crazies like myself