What to do when weather screws you over?

[CityslickerHomestead]

I need to rant - I no longer use a heater in my coop now that I know what I know about the consequences, but... Mother Nature is messing up my plans!

Montana has had an abnormally warm December (and January) where we have been in the high 40s to low 50s during the day, and just around 32F at night. Yesterday was a pleasant 49F. Well, the warm front from the south that’s been keeping us in perpetual autumn is going away today and the winter we were supposed to have will arrive. Tonight will be 4F! By this time next week, the high will be -1F! That’s nearly 50 degree difference in only a couple of days!
I feel like this is the equivalent of having a heater in the coop, keeping my girls in the 50s, only to have a power outage expose them to temperatures they haven’t acclimated to...
Now what? I’ve done the right thing by not spoiling my chickens with artificial heat, and now Mother Nature is going to treat me (and them) as if I have!

 

[PirateGirl]

I would be careful if you don't have any birds in tip top shape. The only time I lost a bird to "cold" here in Colorado was in a similar situation with a huge temperature swing and a bird in a harsh molt. Yes, normally birds do fine in freezing temps, but normally they reach them a bit more gradually.

I would do the usual cold weather prep, make sure there are good wind blocks, make sure there is extra dry clean bedding in the coop, consider providing food and water inside the coop even if you don't normally, consider a low wattage light bulb (doesn't have to be 250 watt red heat lamp) in the coop at the coldest times as safe and secure as you can make it, and check on them every few hours if you can for any signs of distress.

 

[Chicken Heel]

Chickens are hardy and remarkably resilient. I had put 6 three weeks old chicks outside back in September on a 92F degree day and their second morning it was down to 46F and they did fine.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Hang in there.
Your birds HAVE had cooler nights so it isn't as bad as it seems.

If you DO add a heat lamp secure it then secure it again and then even one more time securing it. Maybe add a hardware cloth cage around it too.

While your weather is not super freezing is the time to prepare.

 

[jolenesdad]

In general, they should be fine. So many things that animals do to prepare for the winter (...and the summer) are caused by light cycles and have nothing to do with temperatures.

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

I would be careful if you don't have any birds in tip top shape. The only time I lost a bird to "cold" here in Colorado was in a similar situation with a huge temperature swing and a bird in a harsh molt. Yes, normally birds do fine in freezing temps, but normally they reach them a bit more gradually.

I would do the usual cold weather prep, make sure there are good wind blocks, make sure there is extra dry clean bedding in the coop, consider providing food and water inside the coop even if you don't normally, consider a low wattage light bulb (doesn't have to be 250 watt red heat lamp) in the coop at the coldest times as safe and secure as you can make it, and check on them every few hours if you can for any signs of distress.

Thank you for your insight.
I do own a cozy coop panel heater that I tried to return because it wouldn’t turn on, but my Ag store told me it was fine, so I kept it.

I don’t know what water container to put in the coop. I know everything will freeze instantly, and I don’t want water spilling in there. Do you have any recommendations? I would only be able to change out the water in the morning before work and in the evening after work.

Yesterday I got off work early so I refreshed the bedding with additional pine shavings, Some sweet PDZ, and cleaned out the poop board. I ran out of straw but can always pick up more.
The coop is too small to effectively do the DLM, but since humidity has never been an issue I’ve been keeping it going.
I have already winterized the coop and run with plastic sheets and additional straw bales as a wind block, and caulked a leaking window to be airtight. There shouldn’t be any drafts in the coop as my husband built it with the leftover 2x6s from our house construction, and R-13 insulation. I do have an abundance of ventiLation (9sqft for seven chickens and floor space is only 15sqft). Some have been closed so they only have 7sqft of open ventilation that I would periodically block on windy days so rain and snow could not blow in. I’m contemplating on blocking off all but 2sqft when the temps are at their worst. The 10-day forecast says it won’t get above freezing until late next Friday the 17th so I’ll be monitoring humidity in the coop closely.

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

I forgot to mention my two Welsummers and one SL Polish are going through a molt They appear to be starting to come out of it, but still look raggedy and thin.

The Polish is concerning me because as of last week she has stopped sleeping on the roosting bars and now sleeps by herself on the poop board under them. I always move her back to the bars, but she typically doesn’t stay there.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Your coop is only 15 square feet of floor space of I read that right.....

To small for a heat lamp to be safe at all.

Ventilation is going to be your most important thing. That is after food and water access.

Can you post a pic of how your coop is set up inside?

My hospital coop was small so I hung a solid bottom rabbit feeder on the inside of the clean out door.

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

Here’s a floor plan since I’m not at home.
The “attic” exists because we used leftover trussing. That’s where all the ventilation is located - on both sides of the 6’ walls.
I am fully aware my coop is waaaaaaay too small and has been pointed out by other members on multiple occasions. I cannot address that issue at this time but have been working on design plans for the replacement.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Here’s a floor plan since I’m not at home.
The “attic” exists because we used leftover trussing. That’s where all the ventilation is located - on both sides of the 6’ walls.
I am fully aware my coop is waaaaaaay too small and has been pointed out by other members on multiple occasions. I cannot address that issue at this time but have been working on design plans for the replacement.

I totally get it. Right now working with what you have is how it is.

For food inside a feeder mounted to the clean out door can help.

Water....what a pain in the butt. I have to go out as I can in winter to thaw the water. It is frustrating at times I know.
The spill risk is real in a small coop. Mounting a piece of plumbers strap to the wall and running a couple pieces to run under the container can help limit spill risk. Only fill the dish half way and yes in the morning and after work will be ok. Yes it will likely freeze solid but they will have had access twice a day at least. Use a dish that fits loose enough that you can swap out the frozen for a thawed one.

I am totally not here to rip anyone apart for having a small coop.
It just helps problem solve if we can see what you're working with.