Pipd's Peeps!

[Soon2BChixMom]

View attachment 1590032 It was 21 during the day!? Okay, well then I shouldn’t have to worry if we get down to about 29-30 tonight? I put the heat light out there just in case.. it is very secure... but I’m wondering if I even need that? My coop entrance does not have a door soooo...

Have your chickens had time to acclimate to those temps? I don't worry here about cold temps. Mine got by last year with those below 20 temps that we rarely have and they were in a prefab and no heat.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Have your chickens had time to acclimate to those temps? I don't worry here about cold temps. Mine got by last year with those below 20 temps that we rarely have and they were in a prefab and no heat.

I’m not sure... being as we have been hot (no fall at all!) and now we are freezing! They seem totally fine... it almost seems they are happier in the cold than the hot

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

View attachment 1590032 It was 21 during the day!? Okay, well then I shouldn’t have to worry if we get down to about 29-30 tonight? I put the heat light out there just in case.. it is very secure... but I’m wondering if I even need that? My coop entrance does not have a door soooo...

Oh, no, no heat needed at those temps! My birds have seen temps as low as -20° F without issue. Not even frostbite (except a few comb tips, though one was because she liked to dunk her comb in the water bucket ). I only intervene in cases that I've found it to be necessary--a bird that's ill, injured, or otherwise not acting right, in a heavy molt (such as Tessa), or very young (say, less than 3 months old). In such cases, I never add heat to the entire flock, but instead move individual birds to a location where they can be provided heat individually. I would suggest you take a look through one of the articles I've written discussing the many adaptations that these birds have for cold weather. As you've observed, they seem to like colder weather much better than they do hot weather. It's much easier for them to keep warm than it is for them to cool off in high heat because of the structure of their feathering. There are exceptions, of course, and extreme temperatures at which intervention may become necessary, but I don't think you'll see anything low enough to warrant such action where you live.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...k-at-the-question-of-supplemental-heat.67147/

P.S. If you do decide to heat after all, I would strongly suggest you switch out the heat lamp for something else. Not only are large heat bulbs a big fire hazard, but continuous light (yes, even the supposedly superior red lights) is very unhealthy for these birds. There are heating plates specifically for chicken coops, plus ceramic bulbs that emit heat without light that would work well for the job as well.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Oh, no, no heat needed at those temps! My birds have seen temps as low as -20° F without issue. Not even frostbite (except a few comb tips, though one was because she liked to dunk her comb in the water bucket ). I only intervene in cases that I've found it to be necessary--a bird that's ill, injured, or otherwise not acting right, in a heavy molt (such as Tessa), or very young (say, less than 3 months old). In such cases, I never add heat to the entire flock, but instead move individual birds to a location where they can be provided heat individually. I would suggest you take a look through one of the articles I've written discussing the many adaptations that these birds have for cold weather. As you've observed, they seem to like colder weather much better than they do hot weather. It's much easier for them to keep warm than it is for them to cool off in high heat because of the structure of their feathering. There are exceptions, of course, and extreme temperatures at which intervention may become necessary, but I don't think you'll see anything low enough to warrant such action where you live.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...k-at-the-question-of-supplemental-heat.67147/

P.S. If you do decide to heat after all, I would strongly suggest you switch out the heat lamp for something else. Not only are large heat bulbs a big fire hazard, but continuous light (yes, even the supposedly superior red lights) is very unhealthy for these birds. There are heating plates specifically for chicken coops, plus ceramic bulbs that emit heat without light that would work well for the job as well.

Great... thank you so much! Yes, they were not happy with that red “sun” shining in their bedroom window.. they kept going up.. looking in then going back down.. wondering why it was light INSIDE but dark out
Thanks again... I will check out the article.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

I agree on the heating. I have bantams and I never heat my coop. Never had issues with frostbite. In Jersey it doesn't usually go below maybe -15, but still. The way I look at it is that they have feather for a reason. Most annoying part about the cold weather is the water freezing. Drives me crazy I have to change it so many times per day.

It was freezing up here yesterday and we had a huge snow storm tonight. I'm supposed to go home for fall break tomorrow so hopefully the weather isn't as bad tomorrow. I'll get to see my hens for the first time in a few months, so I'm excited. Nice change of pace from the roosters at the farm I work at that attack my legs and give me bruises
Anyone else get any snow today?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Boys like that around here would have a space in the freezer with their names on it. I know people say they can be trained, but I've never had success, even following rooster training advice to the word. I can't have boys that I can't trust enough to turn my back to, not with my niece and nephew running around out there all the time. Not that that helps you, since they aren't your boys. Sorry about the bruises, and fingers crossed for good weather for you to get home, Shadow Rabbit! We got maybe a dusting of snow (it's in patches and less than one inch deep at the deepest), then freezing rain over top of that. Yuck! Despite how shallow it is (and hard, so you can walk on top of it), the girls are refusing to leave the deck today. Oh, well!




Just in case no one believed me, I did have to intervene with the OEGBs yesterday. Syb was molting when she arrived, and poor Winston went into a molt not long after. Our high was 34° F, and they were huddled, swaying, and breathing heavily in the cold. They are still quarantined, but in the bathroom now at a regulated temperature. No more swaying or heavy breathing, so I feel pretty safe that those were symptoms of being too cold, not of anything serious. I'll be watching them very closely for another week, just to be safe.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

Boys like that around here would have a space in the freezer with their names on it. I know people say they can be trained, but I've never had success, even following rooster training advice to the word. I can't have boys that I can't trust enough to turn my back to, not with my niece and nephew running around out there all the time. Not that that helps you, since they aren't your boys. Sorry about the bruises, and fingers crossed for good weather for you to get home, Shadow Rabbit! We got maybe a dusting of snow (it's in patches and less than one inch deep at the deepest), then freezing rain over top of that. Yuck! Despite how shallow it is (and hard, so you can walk on top of it), the girls are refusing to leave the deck today. Oh, well!

Yeah if they were mine I would have eaten them too. They get especially angry when I pick eggs. I know my boss said if there is a particular offender she would euthanize him, but I can't tell all the roosters apart so I have no idea if one attacks me more than others (they are kept in a commercial style house with a bunch of hens and probably 10ish roosters per pen. We sell fertile eggs so that's why we keep so many). Ours have their spurs trimmed and it still leaves bruises. The bantam roosters are pretty docile but there's something about those commercial breeds. Ugh.

Wow you didn't get much snow. We got a few inches last night and then freezing rain today. Not fun. Haha my girls hate snow too. They see white and they won't even bother stepping outside. Hope the OEGBs feel better.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I had to bring one of my hens in the house during molt a couple years ago. It really bothers me that their hormones get so off-kilter with the time of year.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I had to head down to Roland's on Thursday morning and the weather and roads were crazy. Poor visibility and ice storm with snow a little later. And the farther south I went the worse it got.

Left at about 5:30 am so it was dark too

It was slow going. And there's still a good amount of snow on the ground from that day.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yeah if they were mine I would have eaten them too. They get especially angry when I pick eggs. I know my boss said if there is a particular offender she would euthanize him, but I can't tell all the roosters apart so I have no idea if one attacks me more than others (they are kept in a commercial style house with a bunch of hens and probably 10ish roosters per pen. We sell fertile eggs so that's why we keep so many). Ours have their spurs trimmed and it still leaves bruises. The bantam roosters are pretty docile but there's something about those commercial breeds. Ugh.

Wow you didn't get much snow. We got a few inches last night and then freezing rain today. Not fun. Haha my girls hate snow too. They see white and they won't even bother stepping outside. Hope the OEGBs feel better.

Yeah, it seems like a lot of production-oriented lines have issues with aggression, especially the roosters. What breeds do they keep where you work?

Nope, not much at all and it looks like it's mostly melted off as of tonight. I'm hoping tomorrow gets warm enough for Tessa to at least visit the flock. The OEGBs are doing great now, though quite confused by their new surroundings.

I had to bring one of my hens in the house during molt a couple years ago. It really bothers me that their hormones get so off-kilter with the time of year.

Oh, I remember, that was porcupine broody, wasn't it? I think Tessa went the same way as her this year--poor girl was a pin cushion! She's looking quite sharp now. I'll have to get an update picture of her.

Glad you got to Roland's and back safely despite the weather!