Think it's too cold for your chickens? Think again...

[bruceha2000]

Just watch the moisture buildup... Moisture will bring on frostbite. That can survive frostbite if cared for properly, but it is not pleasant for them.

So about this moisture thing. I bought cheap thermometer that has a humidity gauge and in the barn it always says it is 90 to 100% no matter what the temp is (only got it 2 weeks ago). I brought it in they house just to make sure it works and it dropped to 35%. Back to the barn but by the door (about a foot from the outside world and with the door open) rather than near the coop, back to 90 to 100%. This is a drafty old barn, not a tight insulated house. Do these things just not register properly in the cold (15F to 27F when I checked it) ?

My family is a ford family, I too went back to ford and still my cars always starts.

If you want a car that ALWAYS starts, get a Prius (Ford hybrids are similar). They aren't started by a whimpy little starter motor and a wussie little 12V battery. Nope, they start with a 30 KW electric motor powered by a 201V battery. You'll never hear "rrrrrr, die, rrrrr, die, rrrr, cough, die" again. Push the Power button, start driving, the gas engine will kick on in 7 or 8 seconds, as it does at all temperatures.

Those of you deep in snow right now, please remember, those of us in the warmer climates boil as if in the fires of Hades in the summer! You can turn on the heater, put on lots of warm clothes and get by in the cold, but when it's so hot you can't breath naiked, there's no more for you to do! Plus it's so beautiful to have 4 real seasons! And most of you are living in the countryside with trees and fields of green! How lovely that sounds to me!

That's one reason I no longer live in So. Cal. It was 115+ 3 days the week I moved. Yeah, I know, its a "dry" heat

Guess what, when your lungs are burning as you breath in, dry heat is still hot.
And we have 5 seasons in Vermont, the one between winter and spring is mud season. Especially on unpaved roads.

Ice baths?

Actually, that's a good idea for my boiling chooks!

If you are boiling them, no need for the ice bath

Cool! Is that hard to cut? Is there a trick? Thanks!

I presume you cut Lexan with a saber saw using a very fine toothed (like a hacksaw) blade. That is what I use for Plexiglass. They are different plastics.

OK, I broke down and set up a heat lamp over their food in the run today. Their food has been freezing up by mid afternoon lately.

Actually, It's not that cold yet, I don't think it's gotten below 25 degrees F,

What are you feeding them that freezes?

Tonight the low is supposed to be around 13, I will check on them early in the morning. They haven't "looked" cold yet this winter, their feathers are really thick.

We've been as low as 7F. No heat in the coop, no problems with cold birds. Supposed to be -1F Wed night and Thurs night and as cold as -40F in the next week or two. Haven't seen that for a log while (and not complaining about it either!) Might need to rig up the 250W brooder lamp for that.

Bruce

 

[PAchickengirl]

I can't get the girls to stop spilling their water, am worried about the coop being damp. They seem to be healthy sofar.

 

[Gargoyle]

What are you feeding them that freezes?

Their regular feed doesn't freeze, of course, but we give them a tray of chopped veggies, kitchen scraps, bits of meat, etc. each day for some diversity. That freezes up pretty quickly when it's 15 or 20 degrees out.

 

[cary 1973]

I can't get the girls to stop spilling their water, am worried about the coop being damp. They seem to be healthy sofar.

have you tried lifting it up by putting it on a brick or hanging it so it at head leavel but there they cant knock it over

 

[PeepinChicken]

I would think that once they're feathered out, that a 30 degree difference shouldn't hurt them too much--we have such swings on a daily basis sometimes since we live at over 5,000 feet and frequently see 30+ mph winds. Regardless, if they're in a coop out of the wind, rain, etc it should be a bit warmer or at least more comfortable than the outside. If you are concerned, you could put a heat lamp out there, and reduce wattage over the course of a few days/weeks until they are acclimatized--similar to reducing the temperatures in the brooder.

Hey neighbor we get the same weather here, pretty frigid winds. My girls don't seem to mind it at all. oh and good advice !!!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Cool! Is that hard to cut? Is there a trick? Thanks!

There's a special knife at Lowe's and Home Depot that will cut it or the lowcostmetals place will cut it for you for something like 5 cents a cut.

 

[Candimom]

what are your night time temp lowes in Texas? are your little ones inside or outside now?

Thanks everyone. Our night time lows right now are in the 30s, but they are inside. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[PAchickengirl]

have you tried lifting it up by putting it on a brick or hanging it so it at head leavel but there they cant knock it over

It's already up on bricks. It seems like it would be easier to spill if it were hanging and swinging?

 

[Triplell]

They must be roosting on it then. You can go and get a cap like the ones you buy to keep the squirles from getting to the feed. It works, I have one that I put on for the new chicks to teach them that it isn't a roosting spot. Also if you hang it then it will swing and they don't like that either. Just some thoughts for ya.

Also by puting out the kitchen scraps should be a treat and not every day. Or put it out and let them eat what they can in 10 min then remove so they will eat the commercial feed other wise they may not be getting all the nutrients they need. Diversity is fine but only in moderation, I only put out some carrots to keep the yolks nice and orange. They get a small chunk everyother day, they attack it and its gone in about 10 min.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Ok, I know this thread is about cold weather but if you want nice orange yolks even in the winter try alfalfa it does wonders.