What is the proper way to remove a hen, if she chicken gets frozen on the roof of a hut/coop?

[Raeja]

I meant to get the hutch out so she won't get on it anymore.

We will definately be removing the hutch as soon as the ground thaws enough for us to move it. We are expecting -51F windchills over the next few days, so it won't be real soon but the snow is deep in the pen in most of the area, so they won't really be able to get to it right now. Thanx

 

[Raeja]

Well, this is a first for me! Is the roof of the hutch metal? I am so glad she is okay!

It is a shingled roof. It was scary but she is doing fine and Bubbles is happy to have her back. It was worse when she was stolen and gone for a few days

 

[Raeja]

Not sure, I was thinking just a bit round it's feet till it thawed then lift it off.
Anyway it was just a (thaw-t) lol.

Her chest feathers were slightly stuck as well, that is why we were weary of hot or warm water for the possability of her refreeze because of temp outside. Hope she stays off for now because we are expecting -51F windchills over the next couple of days. I loved your Thaw-t comment

 

[cmom]

That was our initial thought but because of the low subzero temps we were afraid that we would either scald and kill her or make her really sick ~ now thining lukewarm water but warm water freezes faster than cold water. Thanks for your advice.

It takes awhile for even warm water to freeze so I'm pretty sure you would have enough time to get her down before the water would freeze.

 

[Molpet]

It takes awhile for even warm water to freeze so I'm pretty sure you would have enough time to get her down before the water would freeze.

I don't think you realize how quick water freezes on a sub zero cold surface
if i spill water at -10 it freezes in seconds.. the chickens waterer freezes while they are drinking. the last ones don't get any. I bring out another until they quit drinking.. repeat every couple of hours.

 

[Raeja]

It takes awhile for even warm water to freeze so I'm pretty sure you would have enough time to get her down before the water would freeze.

I won't have to worry about that for a couple of days ~ windchill temps suppose to get to -55 below for next couple of days ~ TopHat and Bubbles are now safe in the spare room (in a cage) for the next few days ~ the 10 cats won't be bothering them.

You are right about the water taking a bit to freeze. I am just "overprotective of the chickens my kids brought howm thinking it would be fun ~ now they are gone and I am still here for my babies

 

[MontanaChickDoc]

Good heavens, dangers I never even thought about!! Though I did note that my automatic coop door was frozen shut the other night (I tried to open it to put one girl in that insists on sleeping outside)...I guess some snow had blown onto the rim of the door, melted and then froze. My rooster's combs look awful right now, more black then red. They may end up with pea combs by spring!

 

[Melky]

My Polish White, TopHat, was sitting on top of an old rabbit hutch that we have in the pen for them to sit on. After All, this is Wisconsin. The temperature dropped to -23 at night and was -20 when we fed our two chickens. She was on the hut and didn't come down for feed, unusual but not uncommon. Don tossed bread and still she didn't come. We ran to gas station she was still in same spot. Then we ran to walmart and came back still not moved from spot. We went to get her off the hut and she could not move. We thought hot water but then thought of other bad things to happen. Fortuneatly she wasn't frozen down too hard. She did lose a few feathers. I brought her in the house to warm up. After a couple hours, we put her back in the pen and I could definately feel a very improved body heat temperature for her. I am wondering if there is a safer way to unstick chickens if they get frozen in a spot. I hope it doesn't happen again but we will be looking at -50 degree wind chills in the next few days. They live in a dog igloo with lots of dry alfalfa for bedding and we add more as it gets "stomped down". My two chickens will be 2 years old in April.

I would cut away the snow/ice put bird inside warm environment. If signs of frostbite redness swelling them warm bath to get to temp of 104-106 F. Dry and keep in warm environment. Do not use any heat source direct on frozen bird as worsens damage from frostbite injury. If areas blanch then blacken likely frostbite with tissue death. Do not remove it will fall away on own. Do not put a bird that has frostbite back in freezing temps.