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

[Mrs MIA]

Blame it on me...

-13F this morning... I pushed all the birds into the coop last night, but left the towel down over the open pop door, so they could still go outside if they wanted to. Hmmm... there's birds in the run! I think this is the beginning of our downward spiral into the icy grips of winter... *sigh* One rooster, who insists on being outside, has frostbite on his comb, but that's it. The turkeys, pheasants, and chukars are in the hoop-run, with only a tarp, and no heat. I can see them running around, too. Still no heat in the layer coop.

I have the lights on a timer, to go on at 6am, off at dawn, on at dusk, and off at 9, to give them an "average' day of light, but more for me so I don't have to carry a lamp with me to keep from tripping over the birds.

They cluster around my feet, looking for treats when I go in the pen, and most are black so I don't want to step on them.

Would the aquarium heater work on a 5 gallon bucket? That's how much water I go through in a day... ?

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
Whatever you do, don't trip and fall or they're going to be on you like vultures on roadkill. Didn't you see Jurassic Park? They're just tiny dinosaurs.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
Whatever you do, don't trip and fall or they're going to be on you like vultures on roadkill. Didn't you see Jurassic Park? They're just tiny dinosaurs.

Seriously!!

 

[TC_BokBok]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

:Would the aquarium heater work on a 5 gallon bucket? That's how much water I go through in a day... ?

They make a higher wattage version for larger gallon aquariums. I'd go with that option for a 5 gal. bucket. I believe the 25 watt version is the one you're looking for.​

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Quote:
They make a higher wattage version for larger gallon aquariums. I'd go with that option for a 5 gal. bucket. I believe the 25 watt version is the one you're looking for.

Heading for the store this weekend for these supplies. If I can reduce the humidity, I can reduce the supplemental heat. Love the way everyone shares here.

Sick buckeye was not cold, she's laying internally. Over the week has developed the penguin stance. We are so bummed. Well, at least it is not contagious and probably not poor management.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
They make a higher wattage version for larger gallon aquariums. I'd go with that option for a 5 gal. bucket. I believe the 25 watt version is the one you're looking for.

Heading for the store this weekend for these supplies. If I can reduce the humidity, I can reduce the supplemental heat. Love the way everyone shares here.

Sick buckeye was not cold, she's laying internally. Over the week has developed the penguin stance. We are so bummed. Well, at least it is not contagious and probably not poor management.

Oh, I am sooo sorry.

I hate that there's nothing we can do about internal layers.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Well, I do believe that I have hit the threshold of cold tolerance here for the youngsters, at least. -15F, the older birds are doing fine, some in, some out. Two youngsters got pushed out of the coop, and were acting "drunk" so I brought them inside. They are happily thawed out and eating and drinking just fine. Lost a couple of eggs to the cold because I didn't open up the nest boxes in time and they laid them on the ground.

It's quite comfortable in the coop, though!
The gamebirds are doing just fine, though, and in the past have done fine down to about -35F.

 

[vtgirls]

Today we had a balmy 28 degrees - everyone except the setting little bantam came out in the snow - they all spent a lot of time giving us the "stink eye" as they peered in from our front porch. We didn't let them in so they went back to coop a bit later.... We have been keeping a heated dog water dish under the coop (its raised up) and its been working just fine - got it on amazon clearance for 6$. Also have a 60 watt bulb in the coop - turning it on at 4 when the suns gone behind the mountains and off at about 9pm. Still getting eggs almost everyday and so far all seem happy!

This is our roo Treasure and our easter egger Goldie.

This is Ethel - she's the only hen who really looked cold today - she absolutlely did not want to get off the porch to walk through the snow back to the coop - but she finally did!

These are our turkeys, hatched out in August. They have no heat or heated waterer - fresh each morning - and when its below 0 they sleep upstairs in the coop - otherwise they perch in the hoop house at night.

And little "leelee" the kitten (who is NOT a chicken but likes to think she is!) out and attacking little tiny snow balls....

Overall so far, winter not so bad - hoping it stays this way although I know better - usually have 3 feet on the ground by end of January.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Very sweet bunch of chookies you have there!

I love your rooster's tail! Very pretty.

Just remember...

4 MORE DAYS TIL SOLSTICE!!!!!!

 

[chump]

I had a mottled houdan hen freeze in the chicken house the other night when it got down about 0 degrees and high wind it was by itself on the floor with no other chickens to keep it warm. I have some unwanted roosters outside that sleep under the boat completely exposed to the wind and they survive night after night. I guess it depends on breeds and what each bird can handle.