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

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

janespromos

Thank you - I feel better , just a little bit. I can hear a southern drawl sweat voiice saying just that.
Could've been worse I suppose -

 

[jeannieo]

Quote:
You need a hug

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

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Oh my goodness I feel your pain and wish you warmer weather!! And you have reminded me of how much worse it could be!

 

[misschickenlittle]

Oh, Paradise! I feel so bad for you!!! I hope things get better as the day goes on. Lots and lots of hugs!!!

 

[kittykorat]

I have a question- We are expecting a cold snap. It's dropping to -5 over the next few days... Our average low temps don't usually go less than 10 (usually it's in the 20's). We were thinking about putting a heat lamp out in the coop for those two nights.... One of our chickens is already getting frostbite on her comb....
I'm afraid I will go out to a bunch of chick-cicles!

 

[Ema]

well my chickens held out just fine at -43, the cold snap continues for the next several days but at a lower -35 or so. I got all my 21 eggs but one was frozen so that went to the ravens across the field.

 

[imthedude]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Is it true that most, if not all of us in the northern climates are in the middle of our worst weather right now? Just a few more weeks... get through Feb, and usually that's the worst of it behind us...

amen to that. i feel like the solstice is the biggest milestone of winter for me. as long as i have longer days, i can deal with the cold/snow. february and march are usually pretty snowy months in my part of the country. best thing is that the cold snaps aren't as prolonged as they are in december and january, and the sun is higher in the sky, so that means the snow will melt much faster.

 

[True Grit]

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Ema I'm so glad to hear that. Yours was the first post I checked tonight. It's a good number of chickens;I only have 5 so they don't give off much heat. It got down to -20 last night so I kept the girls in the coop all day for the first time. I will let them out tomorrow for a bit since I'll be at home. I'm curious to know if you used your heat lamps or not?

 

[Ema]

Quote:
Ema I'm so glad to hear that. Yours was the first post I checked tonight. It's a good number of chickens;I only have 5 so they don't give off much heat. It got down to -20 last night so I kept the girls in the coop all day for the first time. I will let them out tomorrow for a bit since I'll be at home. I'm curious to know if you used your heat lamps or not?

the coop is 11x12 and about 12 feet high, since dh put the tarps up it was still pretty cold in there but our in barn coop is not insulated. I did use the heat lamp its triple clamped and around one of the rafters. I pointed it on the roost but dh said the space is too large and it doesn't make a difference :-( oh well I tried....as much as I know that it is not advisable to give them too much scratch I did last night and today just so they can get that extra energy to keep warm. I won't be letting them out int he next few days in an attempt to keep a stable temperature in the coop. they have plenty of room to do what ever cause well we made the coop large enough. tomorrow I am going to hang a cabbage in there and give them some warm oatmeal and some grapes. the grapes and cabbage will be their boredom buster. they like to chase each other around with the grapes lol

 

[featherz]

Going to be -20 tomorrow night. Chickens have been fine so far down to -11, but it still worries me a bit. My leghorns do have a bit of frostbite, even with the vaseline. DH is not really on board with this 'no heat' thing - I think he thinks I am nuts. for all you firefighter types, he actually suggested hooking up a hairdryer in the coop! eep!