Snow in New Orleans! NEED HELP PLEASE!

[Jezalilly]

I need some guidance PLEASE. As some of your might have heard, the south has been blanketed in a historical snow storm. I'm in New Orleans and we got 10 inches yesterday!!! My girls have a coop to go into, but yesterday they were just sitting in the big enclosure ( it's called Chickentopia - see pic) getting snowed on. They were VERY wet and barely even moved when I picked them up. They went into my bath tub(empty) with the bathroom heater on and are fine today. Here's the thing...what do I do now?? We aren't supposed to get any more snow but the lows are going to be in the low 30s until Saturday when it goes into the 40s.
I only have 2 girls at the moment a black australorp and a silkie mix. They are not pleased being in the bathtub, but i'm not letting them out until i know it's safe.
Please help this NOLA girl! lol

 

[Amer]

10 inches! Wow! Even we haven't gotten that much from one storm this year.

 

[The Henitentiary]

I need some guidance PLEASE. As some of your might have heard, the south has been blanketed in a historical snow storm. I'm in New Orleans and we got 10 inches yesterday!!! My girls have a coop to go into, but yesterday they were just sitting in the big enclosure ( it's called Chickentopia - see pic) getting snowed on. They were VERY wet and barely even moved when I picked them up. They went into my bath tub(empty) with the bathroom heater on and are fine today. Here's the thing...what do I do now?? We aren't supposed to get any more snow but the lows are going to be in the low 30s until Saturday when it goes into the 40s.
I only have 2 girls at the moment a black australorp and a silkie mix. They are not pleased being in the bathtub, but i'm not letting them out until i know it's safe.
Please help this NOLA girl! lol
View attachment 4033930View attachment 4033941

I have 18 birds mine got out of their coop into the snow this morning and I'm concerned about them being in the snow we got 8 inches in Hammond

 

[Jezalilly]

I have 18 birds mine got out of their coop into the snow this morning and I'm concerned about them being in the snow we got 8 inches in Hammond

Hopefully we'll get some good advice in this thread. I know in the past, I have seen wonderful response from this community in times like this.

 

[alwaystj9]

I got 5 inches north of BR, a low of 10 deg. last night. My birds are fine. They are not happy but they are all okay. They were happy to get some warm water to dring this morning. They are completely opposed to sticking their faces in the snow to eat. I dragged out some plywood and set the feeders on it, everyone is happily eating but the plywood will be unfit for indoor use.

 

[Amer]

I got 5 inches north of BR, a low of 10 deg. last night. My birds are fine. They are not happy but they are all okay. They were happy to get some warm water to dring this morning. They are completely opposed to sticking their faces in the snow to eat. I dragged out some plywood and set the feeders on it, everyone is happily eating but the plywood will be unfit for indoor use.

My chickens love eating snow. Chickens can handle snow and cold temperatures very well but my coop has wooden sides so I can't give good coop advice.

 

[The Henitentiary]

My chickens love eating snow. Chickens can handle snow and cold temperatures very well but my coop has wooden sides so I can't give good coop advice.

I coverted my shops garage to a coop with an auto door that opens to their free range area

 

[Amer]

I coverted my shops garage to a coop with an auto door that opens to their free range area

My dad built my whole coop from scratch!

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's up to 31 F which isn't bad but the wind had died down. The wind was my concern. When I was in Northwest Arkansas my chickens could handle down to -4F but we are not in Northwest Arkansas, we aren't set up for that.

Looking at your photo I suspect the wind was more of a problem than the cold or snow. With their feathers and down they should be able to handle snow laying on their feathers. Snow is an insulator and their down is a great insulator.

If you can put them where they are protected from wind you should be OK, even down in the 20's. Keep the water thawed and clean. Give them food. If you want to keep them inside you can, but you don't have to. If you are worried, leave them in.

 

[Amer]

It's up to 31 F which isn't bad but the wind had died down. The wind was my concern. When I was in Northwest Arkansas my chickens could handle down to -4F but we are not in Northwest Arkansas, we aren't set up for that.

Looking at your photo I suspect the wind was more of a problem than the cold or snow. With their feathers and down they should be able to handle snow laying on their feathers. Snow is an insulator and their down is a great insulator.

If you can put them where they are protected from wind you should be OK, even down in the 20's. Keep the water thawed and clean. Give them food. If you want to keep them inside you can, but you don't have to. If you are worried, leave them in.

X2
I am usually out there twice a day knocking ice out of there waterers. Our coop is only like 15 degrees right now.