The 'Low' tonight is -7. Usual is 20ish. Should I be worried?

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Hi all. I'm about to run out and get some groceries to prep for this storm we have comming in but I'm a little worried about the temp shift. The ladies have handled single digits before no problem but the lows for the last month or so have been around 15-20ish degrees. Now we're looking at a forcast of -7 with upwards of 20 mph winds.

Do we need to look at getting some form of heat into the coop or bringing them into the garage? Or will they be fine? We've given them some extra scratch and some BOSS but I want to make sure we cover all the bases.

They're in an Eglu cube.

 

[LarryPQ]

Can you insulate the cube more? Maybe pull it out of the direct wind or elements?

I should think you will be ok, if they are used to it. Mine are desert chickens, so they croak when it hits 35

it was super-cold and rainy (at a piddly 22 degrees) last night, so I put a heat lamp out for the stoopid chicks who stood in the rain all day. No losses this morning.

 

[codymax2]

as long as the coop isn't drafty theyll be fine!! mine still sleep outside and im in cny no problems with frostbite or anything, i used to freak out and round them up and shut them in but i gave up on that!!! but i would shut them in for those temps and wind put in some fresh bedding , theyll be fine

 

[Luckytaz]

They will be fine.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Thanks all, I just worry with temperature changes that big.

 

[imthedude]

you must live in northern colorado along with me....quite a change in the last 24 hours huh?

 

[fiberart57]

I'm in Western Colorado, Grand Junction area, and we've gotten very cold also. My girls are inside their coop, Very Annoyed.

How many chickens do you have in the Eglu? More will help to keep body heat levels up but my research on the Eglu said that they're good for two or three chickens.

If you cover it or insulate it, be careful not to cover ventilation holes because they'll still need those.

If I could manage it, I would move the chickens and their Eglu inside a garage or other shelter as a bit more protection. I've heard that tonight will be colder than last night.

We've gone from lows at night in the mid-30s to 4 degrees last night with a 30 mph wind. They just simply haven't had time to adjust.

Good luck, Mary

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

I'm in the Springs and there are three ladies in the Cube. It's just that one usually ends up sleeping in the nester area and I worry about her (Sunny, she always seems to be the odd one. I can't tell if it's her preference or if the other two don't want her to stay close to them). We ended up bringing them into the house at about 10 last night and we'll be bringing them in again tonight. Nothing froze in the garage so it's got to be staying above 32 degrees at a minimum. We have an old*large* dog kennel we put them in so they're not too cramped.

We got about six inches of snow last night and it got COLD. I don't have a thermometer outside but the news guys said it 'felt like -7' and the temp was still looking to drop about ten more.

*Edit, double typed a word