South Louisiana Temps Dropping & Chicken Owners

[kuntrygirl]

I forgot 3 dozen eggs outside last night in 22 - 17 degree weather. Are they still good? Did they freeze? I didn't crack any open yet.

 

[chickenlittle32]

I just went out again to check everything...its all frozen again!!! It's funny to watch the ducks and geese trying to go into the pond but they don't break the ice...I broke all that up again....gonna see how long that lasts...LOL

Kuntry, I'd crack open an egg...but from what I've read, if they were frozen...they'd be cracked....Stay warm all!!!!

 

[catdaddyfro]

I went out this morning to fill the layers feeder up and break ice and it was aroud 20* at 7:30 and all were well. The only thing I could see good about these d@$&m cold temps, is you don't have to worry about sloshing around in the mud as its all frozen solid. This is the first time I havn't gotten my shoes covered in mud for about a month or more. Went back around 9 o'clock and grained everbody and they were all happy to get out of the coop it was around 24* by then and made sure the water was still thawed enough for them to access. At 2 they had enough traipsing around outside and were all back in the coop. I turned them outside at three it finally got to around 28* and they weren't thrilled at all about the temps and they kinda just milled around and mostly did nothing till it was time to go in for last feeding before beddy-bye time. I guess they know to just stand around with their feathers all poofed up kind like in energy conservation mode when its cold and they know its prolly not even worth the effort or to waste the energy trying to find something to eat. Mother Nature knows what time it is and what's goin' on, huh?

Supposed to be 17 or colder tonite so everbody hunker up and hang on for one more round, I think if we make it thru Sunday nite well be a sittin' purty for a while.

catdaddy

 

[chickenlittle32]

Catdaddy,

Speaking of the wonderful mud....have you seen next weekends forecasts? Rain!!!

When will we just have a nice weathered weekend??!?
I went out a lil bit ago, and for some reason, even my mallards are in the coop now....I may go out and take a pic of them...I just can't believe that they are even cooped up..My geese are still out and about honking all over the place...

 

[LynneP]

I had to come in and check on you folks. Sheesh, you are not getting a break.

When I have frozen eggs I break them open in the fry pan later and cook for the cats, who don't seem to care if they whites seem runny....

 

[hcammack]

don't worry to much about the cold I think people don't give their chickens enough credit they are hardy little animals then again it seems to be warmer in Maryland then in the "deep" south ! Its sunny here and we only have an inch of snow on the ground it has been colder then usual but I like the cold.

Good luck keeping them warm,
Henry

 

[speckledhen]

Was 3 degrees this a.m. Not pleasant.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Quote:
Yeah the birds are a little more hardy than people think as mine all are okay, but it was 17* here at 7:15 this morning and its just the pain in the kadochee that we have to go thru to get them all tended to as all the water is frozen solid, so you have to get rid of all that go get more and refill everything. I guarantee you that this is definately gonna check the egglaying for some time as these chickens are not happy. When they are just standing around all hunkered up with their feathers ruffled up conserving energy, you can bet they aren't even thinking about producing eggs. I know some people's chickens are producing, as mine were till about 2 wks. ago, but our chickens aren't anywhere used to these cold temps. An average cold night would be around 32* and we don't get much of that even, especially for any lenth of time, and usually it warms up quite quickly the next morning.

Chickenlittle32 yeah the rain is gonna be a welcome change here for me, as everybody know's it has to warm up too rain, so this time I will make an exception for the rain, h3ll it might as well, it can't hurt, everything's already saturated as it is.

AND everybody WATCH OUT for the thawing mud as I 'bout busted my @$$ this morning with both hands full of 5 gal. buckets of water, that was almost a catastrophy right out of the gate.

We should be getting back on track starting around Monday, so everybody hang in there and we'll get thru all this. Also all you guys that think this ain't nothin,' come on down in July and August and hang with me for about a day or two then you'll see why we aren't used to cold weather.

At least if you get hot you can cool yourself back down, if you're cold and can't get some sort of way to generate heat you're either gonna freze to death of if you do make it through it you can bet you're definately gonna be sick from it. I've been sick for months on end from sinus problems caused by cooler weather, in the summer I'm never ever sick and the SWEAT helps get rid of all them ol' toxins that you accumulate sittin' around in the d%$@m house months on end, just as well to take a shot of arsenic or lead every morning for breakfast.

catdaddy

 

[hcammack]

Quote:
Yeah the birds are a little more hardy than people think as mine all are okay, but it was 17* here at 7:15 this morning and its just the pain in the kadochee that we have to go thru to get them all tended to as all the water is frozen solid, so you have to get rid of all that go get more and refill everything. I guarantee you that this is definately gonna check the egglaying for some time as these chickens are not happy. When they are just standing around all hunkered up with their feathers ruffled up conserving energy, you can bet they aren't even thinking about producing eggs. I know some people's chickens are producing, as mine were till about 2 wks. ago, but our chickens aren't anywhere used to these cold temps. An average cold night would be around 32* and we don't get much of that even, especially for any lenth of time, and usually it warms up quite quickly the next morning.

catdaddy

True my birds are all used to weather between 40 and 0 for most of the winter. The highest predicted for the next 10 days is 46 boy that will be realitively tropical

It was 12 this morning now its about 22 but feels colder. It is sunny here and the ladies and rooster have decided that the snow might be worth it if they get some scratch. They do conserve lots of energy now but 3 of my 6 hens are still laying mind you only about 3 eggs a week but its still an egg

I have a heated dog bowl so I don't have to haul hot water out. I do have to empty it every day though of course but it makes it a less frequent trip. Hope all of your birds get used to it pretty quickly or it warms up alot for you guys. I am happy the mud is gone to about 2 weeks ago my yard looked terrible but now the snow hides all the bare patches.

Henry

 

[kuntrygirl]

all the chickens survived over here. the troughs and waterers were froze, so i had to haul hot water out there and thaw the ice out and put fresh water. the water trough for the sheep and goat is still frozen. i took out a slab of ice. i'm about to go out to see if the outside faucets have thawed and the water is flowing.

i was pleasantly surprised last night about 7pm, when i went outside and noticed that i have a baby lamb that was born. I HAD NO IDEA it would be born this soon. I knew the mother was pregnant but didn't know when the ram bred her, so I was thinking she would have her baby in a few months. the baby is sooooooo cute. both of then were laying around by the bon fire that i set on fire on thursday night. the wood and trees were still burning. i was startled when i walked outside and saw "something" huddled near my female sheep. i shined the light on her and lo and behold, there was a baby lamb. it was a good thing that i got up at 2am that morning and set a fire. i have prepared a stall for them.

other than that, everyone is ok.