Polar Vortex Prep

[springvalley123]

0C is 32F, so math wise 32 less 35 is actually -3F, right? Or no?

-40 C is the same as -40F so without running the calculations, et's as cold as the op says.

I'd worry that there are only two birds to huddle next to each other. My cold blasts are nothing like the OP, but you could wrap the roosting area in tarps to completely block the wind--I did that once and it helped. Sometimes in extreme storms the wind comes from an unexpected direction.

 

[Cynthia12]

We get pretty cold here. Poor chickens and their big combs and wattles. It's bound to happen..that frostbite at times. Makes you think it's a good thing the wild birds don't have them. Little finches, sparrows, woodpeckers..they make it through the winter though.

 

[aart]

gave them a dish of food before bed

They should always have feed available every hour they are awake,
and they will naturally fill their crops before going to roost as well as being healthier overall.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

They should always have feed available every hour they are awake,
and they will naturally fill their crops before going to roost as well as being healthier overall.

Yep, I gave them a big bowl in the coop last night and just checked on them early this morning before their door opened and filled up the dish again. In good news, the coop was 16% humidity compared to 56% outside, so very dry! And it was about -10 in there where my thermometer is and it's -20 outside. So the bedding and ventilation has been working great. I put in a hot water bottle so they can come back in and cuddle it if they'd like when the door opens in half an hour. I expect they'll roost most of the day as it's getting colder and colder but we'll see. I'm so happy they seem all good this morning.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Yep, I gave them a big bowl in the coop last night and just checked on them early this morning before their door opened and filled up the dish again. In good news, the coop was 16% humidity compared to 56% outside, so very dry! And it was about -10 in there where my thermometer is and it's -20 outside. So the bedding and ventilation has been working great. I put in a hot water bottle so they can come back in and cuddle it if they'd like when the door opens in half an hour. I expect they'll roost most of the day as it's getting colder and colder but we'll see. I'm so happy they seem all good this morning.

Edit! Turns out my digital thermometer is stuck at -10 and it's definitely -20 out there in the coop and -23 in the run. It's dry. Thank goodness it's sunny and thank goodness I have a heated water!

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

it was coldest morning here so far, -29c without wind and my girls are definitely cold they aren't coming off the roost. I hand fed them some tuna this morning to get them hydrated and they ate some scratch and to since they aren't coming off for water or food. thankfully going to warm up significantly over the next few hours but boy, I feel bad for them! I also noticed each one (there's just two) has a small frozen patch on their back feathers. Could this be from snuggling into each other and their breath freezing onto their feathers? I just noticed it and thought it was strange. there are no condensation signs in the coop, it's well ventilated and dry. Any ideas?

 

[Sammster]

How are your girls doing?

 

[knurse1]

Hey there
We have a forecasted -35c coming later this week. I have a very tiny flock of two pullets at the moment, in a coop with plenty of ventilation. They coldest they've been has been -20c for a night or two, but this is extreme temps coming up and going to be windy. Should I wrap their roost with towels to add extra warmth, or cover up anything but minimum ventilation? I worry about frostbite since one of them has a huge comb. I was thinking of getting those 8hr hand warming pads and tucking them on the roost bar under a towel - is that nuts? I just want to avoid frostbite. So far they've been good other than the tiniest tip of the large comb when we had close to -20 for a number of days in a row. Any advice welcome (also looking through old

 

[knurse1]

Hey there
We have a forecasted -35c coming later this week. I have a very tiny flock of two pullets at the moment, in a coop with plenty of ventilation. They coldest they've been has been -20c for a night or two, but this is extreme temps coming up and going to be windy. Should I wrap their roost with towels to add extra warmth, or cover up anything but minimum ventilation? I worry about frostbite since one of them has a huge comb. I was thinking of getting those 8hr hand warming pads and tucking them on the roost bar under a towel - is that nuts? I just want to avoid frostbite. So far they've been good other than the tiniest tip of the large comb when we had close to -20 for a number of days in a row. Any advice welcome (also looking through old posts)

Our hickens at a 10 by 10 area outside this complete plastic. And inside that is heated