Please calm me down, my northern friends

[KKatknap]

He's right about the propane heater - they are great for a shop, but I wouldn't recommend them for a coop.

We had several days in a row (maybe even a week) like that a few weeks ago. The girls did fine, and all I have right now is a 3x8 tractor. I cover it at night with an ugly blue tarp...keeps the draft out and hides them from the predators. I kept it half covered during the day on the cold days (we didn't get above freezing for several days).

I did give them nice warm oatmeal with a little yogurt mixed in every morning that it was so cold. Also gave them some warm corn in the evening before bed. Had two waterers that I rotated in & out three times a day to keep water in there. Ultimately, I was mostly worried about their feet, but they came through like little troopers!

Be sure to keep an eye on them, but they should be ok.

 

[Camelot Farms]

CityGirl, I am in SWVA and just posted about the same thing...should have read yours first.

I am going to try the hot water bottles. I have 10 individual breeding pens so am sending the DS's to the store for 10 gallons of cheap bleach which I will then pour out so I can use the bottles. I dont have any used on hand.

Going to give it a try tonight.

Poor little chickies. I have all bantams so I am really worried about their little tiny bodies.

 

[Toast n Jelly]

1) Hay or straw bales would cut the wind and drafts if piled high around the coops.

2) With a large amount of snow I would shovel it as high and as thick as I could against the coop.
It will provide a wind barrier which will keep the coop warmer like the hay bales do.

We are set here for a good week of snow fall and wind.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Well, it's 25 degrees out there right now and they are ignoring the temps. Whew! I put out cabbage and scratch to get them moving and they seem fine with it all. The waterers were frozen, but the black rubber water bowls only had a thin crust on them. Gosh, I love those black rubber water bowls in the sunlight!

So no go on the propane heater. I actually had planned on putting it outside the coops to warm the ambient air, but your reasoning, as always Rocketdad, is flawless. That all makes sense. I'll just let them have at it. I've done the hot water bottle trick with them before (after your previous post on the matter). I ended up pulling the babies back into the house, but left the water bottles. They had not frozen the next morning when all the water bowls had a couple of inches of ice. They weren't hot, of course, but they weren't frozen.

Thanks for your help, all. I shall just calm down and let them be chickens.

 

[rancher hicks]

I'm amazed Tenn. get's so cold. To think I dream about Tenn and the south. Seriously. Anyhow I expect they'll be fine. Here in NY it's been freezing too, little snow for insulation and now it's in the thirties too. Mine have a couple of heat lights but are in uninsulated coop and they are laying 3-5 for 5 and 12-15 for 19. I have one run covered w/plastic and tarps on top. Birds of a feather flock together. For warm I suppose.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Quote:
It's not supposed to get this cold this time of year!!!!!

Seriously. Usually this time of year it is happily in the mid 50s and down to the mid 30s. This is some freak arctic front that moved through and parked itself. Global warming my butt...

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Uh, are you serious? Pouring out 10 gallons of bleach? Hmmm...

Wouldn't it be better to buy ten gallons of drinking or distilled water and simply use what was already in the jugs rather than pouring out the chlorine/dioxin on the ground, in your septic tank, or in the municipal sewage system???

???

Ed

 

[rancher hicks]

Well in either case don't worry they'll be fine with temps like yours once in a while. Say you don't own a B & B do you? Cause I need a vacation bad. I've been saying that for months. Do you live near a train station? Heck I'll sleep in a barn just to get away.

 

[BlueIris]

We have been -20 already and spend a number of days below zero all winter. Wind chill -35 right now. I have 4 bantams in a 4 x 6 foot coop this winter. Snow half way up the outside walls already too. I insulted the coop this year as a precaution, since I was only keeping 4. They have a covered out side run 8 x 12 feet and a small coop door open 24/7 with a slit rug over it. They are doing great. I give them alafha hay to scratch in a couple times a week and extra scratch. So far, no frost bite on the roosters comb.

 

[RocketDad]

Quote:
Uh, are you serious? Pouring out 10 gallons of bleach? Hmmm...

Wouldn't it be better to buy ten gallons of drinking or distilled water and simply use what was already in the jugs rather than pouring out the chlorine/dioxin on the ground, in your septic tank, or in the municipal sewage system???

???

Ed

The cheapest bleach (store brand) has the lowest percentage of bleach, 3% or sometimes 2% instead of 6%.

Another great heavy duty jug is tropicana orange juice. Pricey, but it's good juice and the bottle is really tough. It also has a big opening. I keep them around in the shop for dead automotive fluids.

Personally, I'd go with cheap distilled water bottles. Replace them as they break, but they'll probably last through the cold snap.