Sudden temperature drop?

[Fletch83]

Fletch83 what part of Texas are you in. We are in West Central (south of Abilene) and today we are supposed to be low 80's then tonight dropping to the mid 30's and stay freezing through next Thursday. One weather source has us in the mid to high 20's for at least a week as this Polar Express blows through. I know it is not as bad as some up north of us where -10 and lower are expected but where winter normally comes in Jan or Feb this is going to hurt.

I am about 30 miles north of Dallas-Fort Worth. It's so pleasant and sunny outside at the moment! I hope the temperatures will sort of even out because I don't want to see it get even colder in January!! I went ahead and partially winterized my coop over the weekend just in case. When we had that brutal ice storm the other year it was such a nightmare.

 

[jtn42248]

I am about 30 miles north of Dallas-Fort Worth. It's so pleasant and sunny outside at the moment! I hope the temperatures will sort of even out because I don't want to see it get even colder in January!! I went ahead and partially winterized my coop over the weekend just in case. When we had that brutal ice storm the other year it was such a nightmare.

I don't think we will have the ice we had back in Feb.




This is a hill across one of our fields covered in 2-4 inches of ice. It was actually pretty so long as you were inside. The temp was 19 for a high three days running. They say that we are going to get cold and stay cold for at least a week and you are further north than we are so you may freeze and stay that way for a few days. Today is supposed to hit 81 for us then drop to 38 overnight. Tomorrow we will be lucky to get out of the 40's and then drop to the mid 20's and stay there for a few days. Hopefully there will not be any moisture to ice things up because I have to run in to town a couple of times...55 miles each way and I don't like driving on ice.

 

[Mrs. K]

South Dakota chiming in, beautiful week-end, now bitter cold. I have 4 two week old chicks under a broody hen. I am going down with warm water now, school got an early dismissal, tomorrow we have off, so hopefully I can get them through this cold snap.

However, she had them outside in the sun-porch this morning!

Mrs K

 

[Blooie]

South Dakota chiming in, beautiful week-end, now bitter cold. I have 4 two week old chicks under a broody hen. I am going down with warm water now, school got an early dismissal, tomorrow we have off, so hopefully I can get them through this cold snap.

However, she had them outside in the sun-porch this morning!

Mrs K

Let Wyoming and South Dakota get this all out of their systems before the 22nd.....we're heading home to spend Thanksgiving with my sisters, my brother, and their families, as well as with my granddaughter and her new husband. I'd much prefer crossing the mountains and then the prairies with moderately decent weather and road conditions. Not sure how much longer my little sister will be with us and I'm determined to spend this holiday with the family - been 18 years since the last time we all sat down at a holiday table for tons of laughs, great company, great food, and just being together. I love my siblings so much - they are my "best friends in the whole wide universe", as Katie says. Been back 3 times this year - once for Linda's bypass surgery, once for vacation and bringing Katie back on her annual trip back, and once for granddaughter, Little Diane's, wedding.

 

[bobbi-j]

Let Wyoming and South Dakota get this all out of their systems before the 22nd.....we're heading home to spend Thanksgiving with my sisters, my brother, and their families, as well as with my granddaughter and her new husband. I'd much prefer crossing the mountains and then the prairies with moderately decent weather and road conditions. Not sure how much longer my little sister will be with us and I'm determined to spend this holiday with the family - been 18 years since the last time we all sat down at a holiday table for tons of laughs, great company, great food, and just being together. I love my siblings so much - they are my "best friends in the whole wide universe", as Katie says. Been back 3 times this year - once for Linda's bypass surgery, once for vacation and bringing Katie back on her annual trip back, and once for granddaughter, Little Diane's, wedding.

Wyoming and South Dakota - you are welcome to get this out of your systems, but did you have to send it to Minnesota?

Blooie, I hope you are able to make your trip safely and without bad weather.

 

[Blooie]

Wyoming and South Dakota - you are welcome to get this out of your systems, but did you have to send it to Minnesota?

Blooie, I hope you are able to make your trip safely and without bad weather.

Thank you, Bobbi-j! You guys really did get hammered, didn't you? Did you get the freezing rain and ice first like we did?

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Ugh you guys are making me even colder. Today was beautiful in SW KS, almost 80! Then all of a sudden the wind picks up (nothing unusually in KS) and it dropped 30 degrees in an hour!!!!

We are supposed to get our firs hard freeze tonight and it won't get above 50 for the next week or more......

I hate winter and my chickens concur!!!

 

[togo54]

Could someone please explain the difference between "well ventilated and draft free"? How can you have one without the other? Draft free would be dead still air. Ventilated is moving air. Thanks in advance.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Well ventilated- condensation inside the coop is allowed to escape, so as not to build up and cause respiratory issues (as the chickens breathe and poop, they produce moisture, which could also fall back on them, make them wet, that= very bad). Typically, venting is done at the top of the coop.

Draft free- meaning there isn't air blowing directly on the birds.

 

[Blooie]

If their feathers are moving, they're in a draft. That's how someone who's advice I value highly told me.