South Louisiana Temps Dropping & Chicken Owners

[Blueggchick]

Quote:
...and even if you don't, it doesn't really matter! it's Louisiana... It'll never be cold enough to worry about. And if it does hit 22, it will be 88 and 115% humidity by 7am. Ask me how I know!

Thats a fact! LOL

Sounds like you are familiar with S LA. You must be from here with Cajun in your screen name.

 

[twentynine]

A few of us La boys on here. La. born been in Ascension Parish my whole life.

What people do not consider is that we are not prepared for snow, ice, and extended freezing temps. No snow plows, no snow tires, no salt for the highway, no de-icing equipment. Shucks in my industry an identical production unit up north would be inside, here open exposed, right out on the river. 30* for more than 24 hours and we got huge trouble.

 

[speckledhen]

I live in the mtns and there aren't any plows that come through my immediate neighborhood, but I rarely go anywhere anyway. I adore our soapstone stove!

 

[wildorchid053]

at least up here in upstate ny we may have 4' of snow right now but the roads are all dry and free of snow and ice. the wood stove is going and i don't have to go outside.. the chickens are in an insulated coop with a red heat lamp and heated waterer and lots of feed.. it must be awful to not be ready for the all the cold that has come to the south.. your not ready or used to it.. i feel for you and your animals...we have had temps in the teens all week and no problem.. i only wish they could get out into the run. they are in an 8x8 coop but there are only 8 of them.. good luck to you all and i hope this weather passes quickly for you..

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I second that. Louisiana is just NOT prepared for this kinda weather.

 

[LynneP]

We're adapted and so are our chickens and my heart goes out to you.
This is so unusual, NOT global warming at all.

I hope you are managing and that a peek at some of coops and ideas may help.

We're snowed in after a storm, but we're retired so if we don't get out until tomorrow it doesn't matter. Our hens are out today but they are local birds, cold-hardy (golden comets).
I live near Grand Pre, by the way, I bet some of you originated from this province circa 1755.







Wrapping your coop with some vapor seal may cut the wind. I would suggest that some of you may wish to place temporary huddle boxes in your coops, equipped with lots of bedding and a little perch on the floor (4x4) for emergencies. The other thing is that baffling the wind is important and of course, keeping the water liquid. It's a lot of work and I understand only too well that you constructed your coops for air movement, not for *this*. God bless.

 

[chickenlittle32]

Quote:
THANK YOU!!! Some ppl aren't understanding this at all....Yes it is cold everywhere...but the northerners know how to deal with this for the most part! Our chickens don't know how to deal with cold weather let alone freezing at night...I have an open air coop...now its covered in either tarps, wall carpet etc to keep them somewhat warm....

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
what is vapor seal?

 

[LynneP]

Vapor seal is plastic that is sold on a roll. It's used in house construction so that house moisture does not go through walls.
I have some pics in my coop construction on my BYC insulation page

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693-Coop_Insulation

You can also buy sheets of vinyl at a hardware store...

 

[Joz]

Quote:
THANK YOU!!! Some ppl aren't understanding this at all....Yes it is cold everywhere...but the northerners know how to deal with this for the most part! Our chickens don't know how to deal with cold weather let alone freezing at night...I have an open air coop...now its covered in either tarps, wall carpet etc to keep them somewhat warm....

Yeah, my house isn't insulated AT ALL, and I'm inside, with a heater on, non-essential rooms closed off, wrapped up in blankets, and still freezing my southern-acclimated arse off.

All y'all Northerners are welcome to come down here in midsummer, when the humidity is up around 99% and you'd swear you could drown in the hot, wet, thick air.

God I can't wait for summer. I HATE being cold.

I was planning on doing an "open" coop as well... basically just a roofed run with some roosts in, and putting up corrugated metal roofing as "walls" on 3 sides of one end for wintertime. I've been wondering if that would be sufficient in a small (4'x12') run, or if I'd need to put up a 4th wall to prevent drafts? It's been a bit stormy this winter so far, with some brisk winds.