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For those who are wanting to let them out but worried about opening the pop door.... Take a piece of heavy burlap or heavy plastic and hang two pieces of it over the pop door, with the pieces meeting and overlapping in the middle by a couple of inches. This will allow them to push through it to go in and out but will block a bit more of the cold airflow. Chickens learn quick, so pushing one or two out the door and then back in (or call them in and out when only one half of the material is up first, then the second piece is no big deal to them) Make sure you have a treat for them when you do it , nothing gets a chicken over being weird about new things like food!


Note... Don't let the material drag on the ground or it may get frozen shut with ice or snow build up... so I would cut it short enough to hang about a half inch from ground level... not a big deal if it is a covered area, but just wanted to mention it.
 
Mine are in since last week and they are doing awesome even in a small coopage! I threw crack everywhere and I had some leftovers as well. its good to get that bedding aerated for sure! I think I overworried for sure!
 
I guess its just us crazy people in Lancaster county, but I'm letting mine open as well. I suppose if they survive I have strong birds, if not, I'll have to deal with that in a few days. They should be able to huddle and stay warm. I hope.
The fog last night was horrible! Really glad I know these roads in the country! I know those who ride motorcycle hate those little reflectors on the highway, but they were a godsend for the highway portion of my drive last night.
 
wingstone said:
still not considering it.....I think they would freak out if I shut them in....most of mine have never been locked in anything...

If this was a prolonged cold spell of a couple days I might think about it, but since it is only 1 day I have opted to wait and see.
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My chickens have raised coops(4'wide x 6'long x 6'h) with fenced in wire runs (covered w/chicken wire) 4'wide x 15'long x 8' high. They have never been locked in their coops as well. They spend alot of time under the coop when it snow/rains and the runs and yucky. I have the back end of the under coop blocked with plywood as well to block the wind because of the wind blows in that way. So they can go in either the coop or underneath and stay dry.
 
All 4 of mine are out today so far. They go in & out as the want. I do have the infrared heat lamp on & will leave it on for the next few days. I have a thermoplug hooked up to the water warmer cookie tins as well as the red lamp. It comes on at 35 & goes off at 45 but I do over ride the light when it's warmer. I don't have the light stay on unless it's below 25 in the coop. I just leave them all plugged in so I have thawed water mostly. The 2 groups seem to be doing fairly well together, not sure about tomorrow & Wednesday as I'm considering locking them in for those 2 days. My run roof is also covered with the white & clear corrugated plastic which I love and we wrapped tarp & plastic around most of the run fencing. It's not usually windy in there unless the wind comes from the East for us. We have a small area about 1 foot wide that doesn't have tarp or plastic, I use it to look in & check the girls when I don't want to open their door. Unless we have snow on the ground they try to scurry out as soon as the door is opened. They haven't been out on the snow yet, they will stand in the doorway & just look out...lol Well, I hope all our babies (and worker chooks) make it through OK...not to mention us folks......stay warm fellow BYCers!
 
My guys have their little raised coop and the roofed run with plastic enclosing the whole thing so they are not confined to just the coop during the day and can get out and stretch their legs a little but still be out of the snow and wind and rain. Any day the yard's not covered in snow they also have free range of that. This morning it was still pouring out, though 43 degrees. The snow was melted off the yard for the most part but I was going to keep the chickens in because the temp is supposed to drop quick later and I didn't want a bunch of soaking wet chickens getting chilled and frozen and dying on me. They, however, had other ideas. The moment I opened the run door to feed them half of them snuck past me and out into the yard and refused to come back inside. So I just gave up and left them to their instincts. A short while later it stopped raining anyway. So they've been cruising happily around the yard all day picking at the grass and digging holes. Tonight I'll probably close the little coop door though the run outside the coop is as draft free as the coop itself with the plastic up. I just don't want to take a chance with it dropping down to -4 or so.

Tomorrow I don't know what I'm going to do. I know I'll definitely open the little coop door so they can go down into the run. As far as yard access... I'll probably leave that up to them. Bungee their run screen door open and see if anybody seems enthusiastic about coming out. The last couple of times it got really cold (not this cold but close) they alternated foraging in the open yard and then going back into the run, under the coop, and up on the roosts to warm up for fifteen to twenty minutes at a time, then back out to the yard to forage some more. I'll give them all kinds of options, the coop, enclosed run, and yard and trust their instincts to guide them to where they want to be and what's comfortable for them I think.

Here's the roosts under the coop where they go to warm up when they get too cold out in the yard:
 
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Hi folks:

I am locking the chooks in tonight....from this morning to tomorrow morning its like a 40 degree drop and I think it'll be a shock on everyone. The girls are out and about in the backyard today so they are getting some exercise.

My roo is not looking too good...He's got some sort of respiratory thing going on...He standing up but is not moving around alot and is shaking his head every now and then he seems to like being next to the space heater....I am forcing tetracycline and sugar water on him and hope it gets him feeling good enough to eat....he even turned down a tomato this morning....
 
LMP all 3 of my girls have been spoken for. We fell inlove with the one girl but she is going to people we know so we can have updates on her. The 4 males I posted pictures of, are still available. I am getting attached to the red one. He is so fluffy hehehe.

Weather is crazy. This weekend single digits and this morning in the 50's and supposed to drop really big again. Making me crazy!
 
stake said:
Hi folks:

I am locking the chooks in tonight....from this morning to tomorrow morning its like a 40 degree drop and I think it'll be a shock on everyone. The girls are out and about in the backyard today so they are getting some exercise.

My roo is not looking too good...He's got some sort of respiratory thing going on...He standing up but is not moving around alot and is shaking his head every now and then he seems to like being next to the space heater....I am forcing tetracycline and sugar water on him and hope it gets him feeling good enough to eat....he even turned down a tomato this morning....
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sorry to hear the rooster is not perking up...

have you tried putting some vicks under the wing...

I can not be of much help to you, for I strongly believe in survival of the best, and nature having it's own culling plan...

I would caution you to keep that bird isolated even after he feels better, respiratory illnesses will spread quickly.
 

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