this cold & humidity is killing us!

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
Exactly.

As the tempratures lower the animals begin to adapt and acclimate.

Even in ice and snow my ducks and geese do not seek shelter they love it.

Momma hens will take new chicks out in the snow in february and march.


(thank you, I am glad to be feeling better and back to me)

 

[technodoll]

Since I can't get lower than 80 to 85% humidity in my old crappy coop, I supplement with heat to make up for the misery.

My flock definitely appreciates it, the babies come running to huddle under the heat lamp when it's turned on.

Did I mention I have this in my coop?

You can't see it from the pose but her front is bare to the skin (head, neck, back), as is her entire body except her wings and some fluff on her lower chest & butt:

She's about 10 weeks old and very fragile so it'll be a while before she can "acclimate" to the cold since she has no feathers and is skin and bones.

Oh and for the water freezing in my coop - why would anyone want to deny their animals water and only offer them ice if it can be avoided? They're not wild in the jungle, they are under my care and this is what I do for ALL my animals. Yes I have a heated dog bowl to keep the water from icing up but again, I don't believe in letting my flock get to that point.

To each their own

 

[MissPrissy]

Oh, I see. Yes, new chicks up to 12 - 16 weeks of age will need secondary heat outside in this coming cold weather. Chicks hatched and growing out this late int he season do require extra care. You can add about 6 inch deep piles of hay or straw. They will burrow down and nest in it and keep toasty too.

 

[technodoll]

I may have jinxed myself - stupid heat lamp QUIT on me tonight!

It was working fine this morning and it can't be the bulb, it's almost new... tried to pry the cover off for 20 minutes to change the bulb before I gave up, that thing is impossible to open. I'm so p*ssed! Second time the lamp does this - works fine then just quits, for no reason at all, then works again a day or two later.

What the heck??

I have chicks due mid-December, I can't risk this bleddy thing acting up - is there another safe heat source I could use that would be more reliable?

Thank you...

 

[LynneP]

I can't answer the humidity question, sorry. About our insulation- it's sheathed with plywood and rodent-free thanks to the feral cats we shelter. Keeps the coop cool in summer, warm in winter, often 6 deg C above the ourside temp. Now we did the full insulation thing with vapor seal and all, and it's DRY in there. Only 12 birds though, and we spot-clean rather than use deep-litter. We also find that food-grade DE is excellent for odor and dryness and I also use Stable Boy powder in small amounts. Roofing the run was an expernsive decision but worth the money. It's been wet here for over a month but the coop is good.

About heat- some discussion

http://www.shopthecoop.com/chickens/He.html


For chicks, though, be sure your brooder lamp is rated for a poultry house- they have more secure fittings and are corrosion resistant.

 

[Jody]

You could try a passive solar heater to generate free heat and pipe it in, but it will only work on days the sun is out.

Reptiles lay on rocks at night to keep warm because the rocks that were soaking in warm sun all day hold on to the heat and take a long time to cool... I don't know how big your coop is, but if it's large enough, you could bake a few boulders in your oven and put them in the coop at night, just don't make them too hot so you or your chicks don't get burned, lol.. OR, bake enough rocks to fill a couple coffee cans.. don't bake the can though,, and put those in the coop at night..

Or, just keep a few red bricks or cinder blocks on the coop floor and it make's it easier to keep it warmer.

 

[lngrid]

Please forgive me for hijacking, but how are Sunshine and Faith, Technodoll? Everytime I see your posts I think of them, but with the bazillion posts here, it's a major effort to search for things. Is that a picture of Faith? The poor dear hasn't put on much weight since you got her?
Please don't feel bad about being a crazy chicken lady. I act like I'm one, and I don't even have chickens! So... does that make me the crazy imaginary-chicken lady?

 

[technodoll]

LOL Ingrid, thanks for asking - I was actually going to post a photo update on the girls today!

They are both doing TONS better!

Tomorrow will be 2 weeks they are here and they are rid of lice, their eyes are clear and bright, they're healthy and eating like crazy and, best of all, growing feathers!

Sunshine is much shinier and has gained visible weight and she's starting to have a tail.

Faith is still small but I just found out she's probably closer to 8 or 9 weeks old now, which sort-of explains her nakedness, yep I got lied to and got sold a very young girl... Nevertheless, she was in BAD shape and now with lots of good food and warmth and less stress, her new feathers are like little spikes all over her body

I wouldn't trade my little runt for anything in the world, she is soooo sweet

 

[lngrid]

Yay! Looking for the update as soon as I catch up on last night's posts!
(I wonder how I can get PAID for being a BYC addict...)

 

[farmin'chick]

Yah -- worrying about birds in the cold, 4 of my young ducks (5 - 6 mos old) (Muscovies) decided that THEY were sleeping in the CREEK tonight....Brrrrrrr!!! for me, apparently happy for them, as they have a number of other alternatives. I used to keep them locked up at night, until they laid on their backs and vigorously kicked the pen door until it came apart...Now they sleep wherever they want to; That being said, they ARE Muscovy, and have three 1/2" talons on each foot and wings that will beat the c**p out of you if they decide to do it. Even my Belgian Shepherd prefers not to go around them.