wind chill ~ single digets ~need warming foods

[nanawendy]

I just gave the girls hot oat cereal with raisins. Any other ideas too help keep them warm??
Wind gusts @ 60 mph and it's 19*

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Yeah we're at -25 tonight!

..WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 9 AM PST TUESDAY...

A WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 9 AM PST TUESDAY.

* WIND CHILL VALUES: -15 TO -25.

* TIMING: WIND CHILLS WILL DROP BELOW 0 THIS EVENING AND REACH THEIR COLDEST VALUES EARLY TUESDAY MORNING.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: OMAK...OKANOGAN...BREWSTER...BRIDGEPORT... OROVILLE...NESPELEM...DISAUTEL PASS

* IMPACTS: PEOPLE WHO ARE OUTDOORS TONIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR FROSTBITE ON EXPOSED SKIN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND CHILL WARNING MEANS WIND CHILL VALUES OF 20 BELOW OR COLDER ARE LIKELY. THE COMBINATION OF THE BITTER COLD AND STRONG WINDS CAN FREEZE EXPOSED SKIN IN A MATTER OF MINUTES...SO DRESS WARMLY. LAYERS OF PROTECTIVE CLOTHING ARE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN A SINGLE LAYER OF THICK CLOTHING.

I would recommend locking them into the coop...I feed whole corn & wheat when it gets this cold. Slightly warmed water...I just came in and it's 10 degrees outside with the howling wind--and it's 26 in my coop...so not too bad. I locked everyone in tight (used flattened card board boxes & straw bale chunks to block their doors....BRRRR!!! My poor ducks & geese, though! They have shelters but refuse to use them (the geese that is), so I drug some rotten hay bales in there to make a wall to (hopefully) block some the wind...

Oh and you should check out Washingtonian thread--there is a recipe just posted today for some treats!

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

feed cracked corn or scratch to help get their bodies working to burn the food off while they are sleeping! about an hour before they go to roost bring it out to them! look for the thread about 'Jim the farmer says'! it has some great advise! also, make sure if you have birds with large or pointed combs that they are greased to keep them from having frostbite!

 

[nanawendy]

They are all locked up with their chick heat lamp. I will change it out in about an hour for night time(putting a red heat lamp in)
I will put some cracked corn in just before . thanks for the tip. THIS IS CRAZY... we live in Bellingham... mild Bellingham.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:

Oh, they'll be fine!

Just tell them they're lucky and could be over here! LOL

 

[turbo13]

HI. were in Coeur d'Alene Id. Sharing your storm.Just left the coop its 31f in there,well insulated.outside with wind is about 12f.Expecting temp of -12 to -15 tonight. OMG! I put in a 100watt bulb in the brooder lamp.hung about 2.5 feet above one of the nest boxes.water did'nt freeze.Packed some snow around the the outside of the pop door. Added a lot of dry leaves and pine shaving inside kissed them good night and good luck.Best fo luck to all that freeze tonight. All my gals are cold hardy. I hope

 

[lotzahenz]

We feed a warm mash sometimes by adding boiling water to crumbles and of course stir in the extra raisens and a touch of canola oil if you have some, serve when it cools off a bit. I know horses stay warm by digestion of fiber, not sure about chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

Supplement diet with oil seeds (i.e. black oil sunflower seeds) to increase energy intake.

 

[nanawendy]

Thanks all

DH and I went out to change bulb to red 250w . All were very happy, still milling around. I want to go out to see how they are doing ... But I buttoned them in (put another tarp over the door) and the wind is gusting well over 60mph- current temp 18* What does that make the wind chill, I forget the formula

 

[pgpoultry]

When it gets really cold round here (not down to the levels of a lot of folks, but very wet and 'bone numbing' at times) I give them cooked oats with sunflower oil. Doesn't sound so nice, but it disappears immediately when I give it to them, so they certainly like it.