My 3 Girls and their first Milwaukee Winter!

[Cl2Abbeyrd]

Here are some pics of my 3 Easter egger girls (our first chickens)! My husband and I have been using tips from this community and hoping for the best during week 2 of sub-zero temps in an unheated, pre-fab coop. So far so good! Here is what I’ve been doing:

1. My black Easter egger started losing feathers on her back beginning of December. Pin feathers are coming in now, though her sisters do try to peck them a bit. Going to put a saddle on her to see if that helps. She is acting normal.

2. I’m giving them warm oatmeal with heated food and sunflower seeds/scratch/ mealworm mix as a treat each morning. Heated dog dish is keeping the water in good shape. Thinking of switching to feather fixer for amonth or 2 since they stopped laying right now.

3. Threw lots of straw overtop of their cold sand. Layering pine shaving and spot cleaning/raking poo out of their little coop. They all huddle in the nest box at night, but as long as it’s working, I may just let them do that this year.

4. Put a tarp over their coop, but left space open near the ventilation window. I also leave their sliding door open a crack at night since the run is covered and mostly out of the wind behind our garage and fence.

5. Put another tarp along the more windy side of the run. It’s not pretty, but acts as an easy wind-block.

Couple more months to go - Please wish us luck!

 

[TheFluffyButt]

Good luck, only other thing I would say to do is give them lots of love and huggles. They definitely need them these coming weeks in the cold.

I know you said you're keeping them in good shape, but grandfather always gave his chickens corn in the afternoons to keep them warm at night.

And sometimes he would sneak in some chili just to get them clucking a little more.
Some people will go against this advice, just because people have gotten a little weird about feeding chickens chili, but you're not giving them a Thai curry, just a little bit of chili will work fine.

 

[Cl2Abbeyrd]

Good luck, only other thing I would say to do is give them lots of love and huggles. They definitely need them these coming weeks in the cold.

I know you said you're keeping them in good shape, but grandfather always gave his chickens corn in the afternoons to keep them warm at night.

And sometimes he would sneak in some chili just to get them clucking a little more.
Some people will go against this advice, just because people have gotten a little weird about feeding chickens chili, but you're not giving them a Thai curry, just a little bit of chili will work fine.

I definitely give them lots of pets and greens and a few other treats throughout the week! Just made some chili - will have to give them a little bit .