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

[bruceha2000]

They forecasted 5 tonight, but it usually gets colder at our house than what they say. Windchill is going to be 20 to 30 below. Thinking about putting Vaseline on the combs of the BA and BRs. The EEs and GLWs should be okay.

We did put Vaseline on the comb and wattles this evening. Just in case. Here's a pic of the lovely weather we are having!

Oh, that IS lovely weather, isn't it? My BAs combs are not too large and thus far no issues. The Anconas' huge combs a suffering a bit at the tips but they don't seem to be bothering the girls.

Remember, wind chill only counts if the girls are out IN the wind. I love the picture of the chicken in the window. Probably saying "Hey, you have any spiced hot cider to bring over?"

Bruce

 

[Triplell]

Well tonite one of my PBR hens get to say she don't have to fight the cold. I had to bring her inside as she is now in heavy molt. She did fine yesterday but with this frigid temps right now NO WAY!! Betty has alway's been a fast molter but not this year. Plus she decided to do it in the middle of winter. She only has about 1/3 feathers left as of today. I went to feed and feathers everywhere and all from her. So she I'm sure feels like she is in Burmuda right now in my large brooder next to the wood stove. I only hope she wont go into shock from getting to warm so quickly but it is my only place for her. THe stove is in the basement and it stay's about 60-65 F.

 

[cracked egg]

Hello fellow Idahoan! Seriously right? I'm in Boise, but honestly it isn't much better.....so tired of this stupid cold....I'm ready to start my garden!

Hey there, the wife is from down that way,Parma, she still has a hard time up here with the snow and colder temps. She couldn't believe the Snake River froze solid lol.
I would love to see some weather above 20 degrees for a while even if it means more snow. By the way, our garden froze in mid June last year.

 

[bruceha2000]

So she I'm sure feels like she is in Burmuda right now in my large brooder next to the wood stove. I only hope she wont go into shock from getting to warm so quickly but it is my only place for her. THe stove is in the basement and it stay's about 60-65 F.

Man, that better not happen with my birds! The basement is MAYBE 45 F and the wood stove upstairs has 3 resident cats!! I guess if we had to, we could put one back in the mudroom bathroom. There is a furnace so the area is warm. That bathtub was their brooder for the first 3+ weeks

Bruce

 

[Triplell]

Well it is 10:50pm and it is now -15 and gonna ge colder. Betty the hen is nice a warm( stopped shivering) and asleep. I gave her a chick roost if she wanted and FR to help with the molting. I guess come March she can go back out to the barn aslong as she is feathered out and the weather is nice. If not then it will be mid April.

 

[PAchickengirl]

My girls seemed unaffected by the cold. They are hanging in the coop even though the run is open, the wind picked up recently.

 

[AVintageLife]

It's a cold week here in NH, my first winter with a flock and I appreciate this thread! The temp tomorrow morning is supposed to be around 3 degrees at 7 a.m. with a "feels like" rating of -13! I haven't tried the vaseline on the roosters combs yet, does it really work? Will they get dirt/debris stuck to their combs? I have two roos that I'm going to cull in the spring (to replace with more pullets). Figured I'd keep them over the winter to keep the girls warm as I usually find the roosters like bookends on the roost at night with the girls in between. My coop is 8X8 and I have seven chickens total right now. Do you think it makes sense to keep the roosters over the winter or will the pullets be fine either way?

 

[jabina]

As a result of the cold, and perhaps the blocking of the door last week when it was in the single digits at night and about 20 in the dayttime, I think my BR got a little frost bit at the tips of her comb. I put some vaseline (although I have read conflicting opinions on its effectiveness) on her comb, and the tips were dark -- I couldn't tell if it was from the dust and dirt she scratches up -- but now the tips are sort of whiteish/pale pinkish.

Should I just leave them alone or is there something I should be doing?

 

[sberry]

it's -15F here in Southern Ontario today and all my chickens are hanging out outside of their heated house. For some reason they just prefer to be outside even in this cold. The run is protected from the wind on 3 sides by plastic so I guess its not too bad in there. The hen house itself has 6" of straw on the floor and the walls are insulated with straw as well. There's a 250W heat lamp in there that I only run at times when it drops below 0F (which will be pretty much non-stop this week). So apparently chickens don't mind being cold?!!?

 

[bruceha2000]

It's a cold week here in NH, my first winter with a flock and I appreciate this thread! The temp tomorrow morning is supposed to be around 3 degrees at 7 a.m. with a "feels like" rating of -13! I haven't tried the vaseline on the roosters combs yet, does it really work? Will they get dirt/debris stuck to their combs? I have two roos that I'm going to cull in the spring (to replace with more pullets). Figured I'd keep them over the winter to keep the girls warm as I usually find the roosters like bookends on the roost at night with the girls in between. My coop is 8X8 and I have seven chickens total right now. Do you think it makes sense to keep the roosters over the winter or will the pullets be fine either way?

I haven't done Vaseline (or Bag Balm) so I can't help there. I have the same questions about it that you do

I know my girls think my pants are THE BEST thing to clean their beaks off though. I can just see them rubbing their greasy combs and wattles up and down my pant leg!

With regard to "keep or not" on the roosters. I think the girls will be fine with or without them. Besides, don't you feel bad "using" the poor boys like that? Good for nothing other than being a blanket for the "end" girls

"3 feels like -13" IS 3 unless they are outside in the wind where it "feels like" -13. If 3 feels like -13 IN the coop, you have a SERIOUS draft problem that needs to be corrected.

Bruce