wind chill ~ single digets ~need warming foods

[Judy]

Quote:
X2. Even the weatherman has gotten sensationalistic. Ugh.

 

[jettgirl24]

I'm in south Seattle and we got it pretty good last night too. Super windy but not 60MPH... More like 25MPH but enough to whip the snow up under the eaves of my coop and right into the coop through the ventilation openings

I spent 20 minutes out in the worst of the storm screwing plywood over my ventilation openings to keep the snow out last night. Half my poor girls had snow all over their backs.... All in all, not fun!

They were fine this morning and my plywood fix worked well. I filled their waterers with warm water and gave them some warm oatmeal... They devoured it in about 30 seconds

I think I'm going to try the crumble mash with some scratch later on. They really don't want to be in the snow so I'm keeping them locked in today so the wind stays out and the coop stays warm. All in all they seem to be fine and not too worried about the cold... I'm more concerned than they are... As usual!

 

[MyThreesome]

Also reporting in here from north Seattle (Shoreline), where it was 18 degrees when I got up at 7. My three girls are staying up in the loft of their little tractor, with a 125 watt brooder lamp. They LOVE the warm oatmeal with raisins and flax seed for extra oil & fiber. I also put some grit and oyster shell in their crumble to make sure things move along...None of them want to go down their ramp after slipping and sliding on it yesterday. I clamped a towel onto it. Still no go! They are cozy and hanging out and are eating a LOT.

 

[nanawendy]

Wow, The girls are troopers. We went well below -4 (YES MINUS) maintained winds @ 50mph ,gusts @ 65. Right now we're gaining on 22*. DH let them out this am and put back in the white light bulb that is a 125w , just to take the chill off. My afternoon delight was some left over homemade chicken noodle soup WITH>>> BOSS, oatmeal, raisins and cracked corn

They are chowing down as we speak. I want to give flax seed as I have some tucked away. Do I need to crush them?
Warm water...WHAT A CONCEPT! that option seemed to have slipped my mind.

I love all these ideas but am still confused about oils????

 

[nancypo]

I give my girls extra calories with the cold- yogurt, fresh bread, raw oats, but with the cold next 2 days supposed to be in the below 0 - 10 degree range will add some hot snacks. They have a heat lamp on (75 watt reptile lamp) on 24/7 when it's below 40 in the upper condo area, nice and dry, comfy. I let them out a little while ago (it's about 22 and blowing hard, sunny, some snow on the gorund) they didn't enjoy it. Pu them back in. I give them snacks right now (home on vacation) several times a day. I'll check them out tomorrow. I hope their beaks are ok, may do the vaseline before dark...

 

[nancypo]

I just gave the girls some warm oatmeal and raisens, wow they loved it!!!

I added a little drizzle of canola oil too...

 

[MyThreesome]

Quote:
Hi! About crushing flax seed for the chix: mine is already ground, and the oil would be more readily available to the digestion. Grinding a little with a mortar and pestle would work, if you have that. It's tough stuff! This is what is added to the commercial "High Omega 3" egg layers. I'd rather give the whole food rather than oil, but for short term diets I imagine they could tolerate anything.

 

[papeine]

I am confused about the oil.. I have been giving my girls some black sunflower seeds every night..thought that was good for them, I was also told not to feed much scratch grains as this could affect egg production... I have to admit, I do give them some when they are outside (they aren't free rnage...I have a dog, and new construction without many trees)

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
Everything in moderation--a little BOSS and/or a little scratch is fine, just don't give them so much they eat that instead of their regular food. It's like giving kids candy just before supper and expecting them to eat a good meal. If you have regular food in front of your birds all day and toss a little scratch into them just before light's out, it is kind of like dessert, which is fine as long as it isn't overdone.

 

[MyThreesome]

Thank you, Woodmort! I just figured out what BOSS is, too. .