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

[CarriageStone]

I have to thank everyone for this thread! We're in central Virginia and it's been getting down into the teens at night. Thankfully I started reading this thread before the cold weather came. You guys helped me sleep OK.

I have to admit to being surprised by my hens. The majority of our flock were hatched in early April and are just about old enough to start laying. With the cold weather and short days you'd think that would be a problem but they've been producing. I've gone from 4 or so eggs a day in November to 10-12 consistently now. Color me happily surprised.

 

[featherz]

Ok guys here's my report/update. Low was -26 last night/this morning and I finally got home from work to closely examine my chickens, all of whom were OUTSIDE in the run and it's only +2 outside. No additional frostbite that I noticed other than on my roo's comb (already have fbite on a few leghorns) and they were all running around eating like pigs. Even better, all nine laying hens laid eggs today. 9 out of 9! Five eggs were cracked of course, but the other four were still OK. Keep in mind I have some cold hardy birds (RIR/Australorp/EE) but I also have white leghorns and d'uccles. And I said before, my d'uccle bantams seem the least bothered by the cold. I hope that's the low for this winter - pretty please?

 

[superchemicalgirl]

It was fairly chilly this morning here...

But everyone (including the leghorns and the rooster and the banty) looks business as usual. Just gave some extra high calorie food before bed and everyone's happy. No chick-sicles under mommy, either.

I got 18 eggs today and none were cracked either... my insulated coop stayed about 20 degrees above zero despite the pop door being opened and the vents and windows open a bit.

 

[vmdanielsen]

time for GO BACK AND READ THE FIRST PAGE?
-22 here this morning. chooks got hot cereal and sprouts... a little kefir. None looked any worse for wear. I got the stink eye for not letting them out!! I did let them out a half hour later when the sun created the mountains.

 

[Mrs MIA]

I love it that you guys are keeping the reminder to read the first post on each page. I've been swamped with work, and haven't had much time on here, but I am so happy to hear the reports coming in from those of you in the deep freeze. We are unseasonably warm at +28F right now. Again, I'm not complaining, because normally that "+" would be a "-" right now. So hang in there, put a little vaseline on your own cheeks, and keep the chooks happy!
T~

 

[xyresicchick]

is anyone with bantams doing the no heat + subzero temps thing?????

just wondering. I AM JUST ASSUMING that you people all have Large chickens.

Maybe it's just me being from the city....? lol!

 

[kla37]

If I'm feeling really nice, I make my chickens some warm oatmeal in the morn ing!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Quote:
That bird a few posts up on my post is a bantam. My only bantam. It's a tossup between her and my leghorns as far as which chicken is the most hardcore... at 20 below this morning my leghorns and banty were running around first thing this morning. The bantam frequently runs through snow up to her butt when my large fowl are standing there contemplating it.

Granted, she's not a purebred bantam, but she's a bantam nonetheless and is outside in below 0.

 

[PamB]

Quote:
I have all silkies and they have been just fine the last couple of days is the FREEZING COLD weather! I'm about 30 minutes from Providence. Live just over the line into CT.

 

[nuttyredhead]

Quote:
I have bantams. 11 of them. No heat and we were at -20 to -30 with wind chill. They were not thrilled this morning, but they were ok. They got alot of scratch and oatmeal!!!