Snow in Texas!!

[7L Farm]

Quote:
Texans don't like cold weather. First off we are not use to it & either is our animals.One of my birds already has frostbite on her comb. I like south winds not north winds.

 

[Kyle E]

Pennsylvania has about 12 inches. Last week was about 20 below.

 

[jasonm11]

I am north of Denton and I almost had turkeysicles this morning. I generally shoo all the turkeys into the run at night, well last night they all came back out and roosted outside. I went out about midnight and they were all soaking wet and it was about 35 degrees. I put them all back in the coop and locked the doors. This morning I went out to feed them and it was low teeens with about 30 mph wind windchill into the -5 degree range. They did not want to come out this morning. The chickens are too smart they stay inside and wait for me to bring them feed on snowy days. They will not step foot outside on snowy days. -

dumb animals - RIGHT!

 

[8ROYALS]

I live in an old farm house. The chicken coop is warmer than I am. I may sleep with them tonight, if I didn't have my electric blanket. My kitchen was -4 this morning. My house is always colder than it is outside in the winter and the reverse in summer. I have a fireplace so don't fret we will not freeze. My chickens have a heat lamp and are all active. Their water was frozen, but have fresh now. My bater went down to 89 F. I have it back up to 99.7 hopefully they all are ok. stay warm everyone

 

[Kat's Silly Chickens]

My main worry is keeping the water from freezing, the 2 breeds we have outside are winter hardy and from what I've been told by other BYC'ers they are good to -20 degrees.
I just went out to see how the 100 watt is doing for the water and where it's directed the water is staying liquid. And the coop is warmer than outside, I'll keep checking it til I head to bed around midnight.
My mom's brilliant suggestion was to put a little alcohol (liquor) in it, it won't freeze then, she laughed out...

yep I really want 4 drunk chickens acting even goofier while stuck in the 13'X6' coop.

Moms!!!

 

[ryanhodapp]

I guess you all dont have any electric water bowls handy?
My girls wont come outsided in weather like this. They stay inside the coop. If you have sunflower seeds (
BOSS) give them some of them at night so they have protein to keep warm before going to sleep. I have read on here, dont give cracked corn, protein is better.
put some scratch in their coop to get them moving. Expect egg production to decrease.
the good news is that tomorrow the groundhog will see his shadow and we will ONLY have 6 more weeks of winter.

In St.Louis, we all had a snow day, even the grocery store chain is closing early at 8 and will reopen tomorrow at 8 am.

 

[ryanhodapp]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=421122

read the beginning of this thread, it will make you feel better about getting through the next few days.

 

[Kat's Silly Chickens]

I read that post, it was interesting to know how some would over heat a coop. But like I said I only switched to a 100 watt bulb this morning to help keep the water from freezing, it is only above the water. We have been trying to find a water dish that is heated and our town doesn't seem to keep them in stock. The coop is naturally warmer than outside, not from the little lamp I put in there. We put foam insulation on the walls under the wood panels to help keep the coop warmer than outside. Central Texas normally doesn't get below 20degrees in the winter, but this year has been way more different.
There have been accidents all over the metroplex and schools closed all day and even tomorrow, not a snow day they are calling it an ice/freeze day. Texans weren't taught to drive in snow/ice conditions like the northern states were. I learned to drive in PA and on 3" thick ice so I knew how to handle a slide. But we never owned chickens there and had no clue what temps they could handle. I'm confident they will be ok through this next week, as long as I keep their water from freezing.

 

[mamabigbird]

To all you down there where the sun is supposed to shine, we up here in Canada have our frosty fingers crossed for you and your birds.
We are luckily on the wet West Coast but it still gets cold. I think our chickens just naturally are fatter and more feathered to endure
the cold. The coop is uninsulated and just some plastic stapled over the windows in winter, but I also keep my fat non-layer old biddies to
help keep the coop warm. Here's hoping y'all do okay.

 

[lavacaw]

Thanks MamaBigBird...it's below freezing (in the 20's already) and still dropping here. Still have power so I think we'll be fine. We'll still take the crossed fingers!