Snow in October!!! HELP!

[Chicken Mama 6]

This is our first winter with our chickens. We are in the middle of setting up our shed as a winter coop (their current coop is not winter friendly brrrr), however it has decided to snow in October

! We got 6 inches and 10 more are expected tonight. We are trying to get our winter coop ready but might not have it all done before the storm. What things can I be doing to keep my girls warm and happy? We live in New England so we expect bad winters, just not this early... All you experts out there please give me some advice, what is most important to keep them comfy?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Provide them with a layer of deep shavings, and make sure their current living space is as draft free as you can make it. They should be fine. Good luck- we saw a few flakes here, but nothing like y'all are getting. Mostly rain. I feel for ya!!!

 

[Chicken Mama 6]

And of course my 2 EEs are in full moult and rather bare and pathetic looking. Makes me wanna put a sweater on them or something...They are already humiliated by the blue kote on their backs (the other girls were pecking them) so I guess sweaters are out of the question

 

[sourland]

Draft free and dry with plenty of feed and they will be fine. You will be amazed at how rapidly the molting hens grow new feathers.

 

[Godiva]

We use tarps a lot to block drafts in emergencies, hay bales on the wind side, nice deep litter, plenty food and extra scratch tonight. Our staple equipment is tarps, hay bales, bungies and zip ties

amazing what you can accomplish with these essentials

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
Yup they'll be fine--just be glad you haven't gotten them used to a heated coop because you may lose power. That's one reason why it is always a bad idea to put a heater in a coop.

 

[Chicken Mama 6]

We lose power often here in the winter. There is no way I will let the girls become dependent on a heat lamp. They just have to become tough New Englanders like the rest of us

We have them in deep bedding and have several 2x4 perches so they can sit on their feet to keep them warm. I am hoping we can get them moved to the winter coop before tonight, the one they are currently in is their "summer home" and is drafty. Waiting for DH to get up(he works nights) to help me finish the winter coop.

 

[foxypoproxy]

I'm in CT, been here all my life and have had chickens for years.
They tend to do very well in the cold.
Never lost one to the cold ever.
We just give them extra straw and pine shavings so they can sit in it to keep warm in needed.
You may need to check up on their water, because if it freezes then you have an issue.
The water freezing is the most dangerous part.
Some people have heated waterers and others who don't have to change the water alot.
Give them warm/to luke warm water, not cold.
Also if your chickens have been living outside then they have most likely grown in more feathers and acclimated to the temperature so they are more prepared.
Its more dangerous for them if they have been inside this whole time, where it is warm, and then being thrown out into cold temperatures, where their bodies haven't acclimated yet.

They will be fine as long as you take these measures :].

 

[Jay262]

Im up north in canada and i have never seen it cold enough to freeze my chickens i wouldnt be to concerned. As for snow the more snow the better once my coops get a few feet of snow on them the water doesnt even freeze inside anymore snow is possibly the best insulator you can get on the outside of course.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Quote:
Yup they'll be fine--just be glad you haven't gotten them used to a heated coop because you may lose power. That's one reason why it is always a bad idea to put a heater in a coop.

Agreed.
Chickens don't need or even like to be warm. In St. Louis (by the way WOO HOO World Series Champs) it goes from -5 or lower with high humidity in winter to 105 and high humidity in summer and they handle the winters fine, summer not so well.

Don't try this at home but occasionally when moving chicks and broodies or just chicks to new buildings a chick will get loose and run into the woods at dusk. It's happened about 3 times to me and so far they've always come back healthy in the morning.
Last night it was 36 here and a 2 week old chick ran away. This morning at sunup it came back chirping for mom. All is well again.
I know it's anecdotal but I think people tend to keep chickens and chicks too warm.