The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

We are at -2 here this morning... I offer water every 4 hours during the daylight but that's about it. No heat or heat lamps. Breeding pens don't even have a front normally but I did hang a tarp to break the wind.
Since I feed FF I simply offer each coop a few spoonfuls throughout the day and keep the bowls inside with the rest the day's feed.
My birds are all out of the wind and happy and fine... they are a lot warmer and hardier than people think.

I have given up FF in any unheated dishes unless it's the weekend and I'm home to refill a few hours later, because it freezes really fast. The silkies get it all the time because they were blessed with a heated dog bowl

They are finally starting to accept the dry feed.. they hated it at first.

 

[lalaland]

We are at -2 here this morning... I offer water every 4 hours during the daylight but that's about it. No heat or heat lamps. Breeding pens don't even have a front normally but I did hang a tarp to break the wind.
Since I feed FF I simply offer each coop a few spoonfuls throughout the day and keep the bowls inside with the rest the day's feed.
My birds are all out of the wind and happy and fine... they are a lot warmer and hardier than people think.

with two heat lamps, it was a balmy -12 in the coop this morning. thats a good 18 degrees warmer than outside!

I hung out in the coop to watch how things were going. After 15 minutes, my scarf was coated with frost from my breathing, I had one egg, and I'm worried about one of the astrolorps, she had no interest in eating when I was handing out the egg/grits/walmuts/garlic/codliveroil meal.

On the cold and the minnesota threads, people keep saying their chickens are dying (sudden death) from the cold. I figure it is something else, heavens know we have enough chickens with sudden death at every other time of the year. I imagine the cold might hasten the end, but am not thinking it is causing it.

Redridge, I wouldn't say mine are happy. a few, mostly pullets, are active and acting like chickens. the older chickens are huddled, puffed up, and not moving a heck of a lot.

 

[LadyBehir]

Name for the wry neck survivor .... Victoria.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Had to chip the ff out of the bowls this morning...and those are on heat pads! -14 real temp today with ungodly wind chill Not opening the pop door again as there's no point. The kennel run is all drifted and they won't go out by choice anyway and I don't want any of them being bullied out. Otherwise all is well.


Aoxa - did you end up giving your girl any special food/vitamins, etc? Or do you think it was just time and warmth that healed it?

 

[Leahs Mom]

On the cold and the minnesota threads, people keep saying their chickens are dying (sudden death) from the cold. I figure it is something else, heavens know we have enough chickens with sudden death at every other time of the year. I imagine the cold might hasten the end, but am not thinking it is causing it.

I wonder if it's the heart failure issue. It also seems that circulation wouldn't be at it's best with heart issues and, like you say, may be hastening the inevitable.

 

[lindz8504]

Everyone seemed fine in my coop this morning! Most came out to eat and drink, then went back in. Especially my EE girls, and the younger 17-18 week olds. The two roos and the G.comet girls were all still out in the run when I came back in the house. I will go back down around 11:30 or 12 and take some more water and give them some more feed. I can't imagine how you guys do it when you are in the negatives for weeks on end! We definitely worry more about them than we probably should! I hope everyone stays warm!

Aoxa, congrats on the chick improving!

 

[armorfirelady]

Lala I hope you know I am joking when I say you can take your temps back. I give you credit for venturing out in the temps you have had. While it's not as cold here I wore double layers of everything to snow blow. Even hats & gloves. I can't imagine how you guys must dress with your temps
I will take some water out shortly for them. They ate one bowl of snow already, I just need to warm up some before going out again.

-6 outside -30 with wind chil. About 2 ft of snow. Temp in coop was 2 degrees and that was before I put a few tarps up inside where snow was still blowing in with the blizzard. I actually could take my gloves off to hang the tarps !

Girls have a bowl of snow for water needs and bowl of bird seed. They are happy hens I did block the pop door. No need for them to go out. Tho they did sneak out when man door was open and I had to chase and catch them to put back in the coop.

Keep warm everyone. Glad to hear everyone's chickens are doing well.

 

[chicalot]

My girls are doing well this morning except for Lil'E. She's on the roost shivering even though I have the heat bulb out there. She came out this morning and went right back in. 2F right now..should start seeing better temps starting tomorrow and in to the upper 30s by weekend

 

[lalaland]

Lala I hope you know I am joking when I say you can take your temps back. I give you credit for venturing out in the temps you have had. While it's not as cold here I wore double layers of everything to snow blow. Even hats & gloves. I can't imagine how you guys must dress with your temps

I will take some water out shortly for them. They ate one bowl of snow already, I just need to warm up some before going out again.

-6 outside -30 with wind chil. About 2 ft of snow. Temp in coop was 2 degrees and that was before I put a few tarps up inside where snow was still blowing in with the blizzard. I actually could take my gloves off to hang the tarps

!

Girls have a bowl of snow for water needs and bowl of bird seed. They are happy hens

I did block the pop door. No need for them to go out. Tho they did sneak out when man door was open and I had to chase and catch them to put back in the coop.

Keep warm everyone. Glad to hear everyone's chickens are doing well.

yes, I know you are joking!
getting dressed...feel like a toddler. I have these windproof snow pants that are fleece lined that I got last year to go ice fishing in, and I wear them out to the coop all the time. Don't know how I lived my whole life without them, I will never be without them again. My legs are never cold. lots of layers on top and scarf and hat and hood....look like a snowwoman!

 

[lalaland]

My girls are doing well this morning except for Lil'E. She's on the roost shivering even though I have the heat bulb out there. She came out this morning and went right back in. 2F right now..should start seeing better temps starting tomorrow and in to the upper 30s by weekend

see, that would worry me - the shivering. THat means she is tooo cold and not able to provide enough heat for herself. Can you get the heat bulb aimed at her and close enough that you can feel the warmth on her feathers? If not, I would be seriously tempted to bring her in. If you don't bring her in, be sure to hand feed her if necessary with warming foods.

Let us know how she is doing! pics?