BYC Café

[RoyalChick]

No, I don't provide heat.

At about 10°F, I keep the people door shut (it's usually open all day). When it gets closer to 0°, they don't want to go outside, so I give them a bowl of snow to go with the bowl of feed in the coop and shut the pop door too.

The only frostbite I've had to deal with was on my Buff Orpington's comb and wattles, and it was fairly minor.

The openings in the coop are covered with air filter material, so there aren't breezes blowing through. I have 10 hens and about 62 sf in the coop. There's a thick bed of pine shavings (mostly shoved to the back) and the make nests in it.

I'll check on them every couple of hours when it gets that cold.

Thanks. I plan to shut the pop door. My concern is I only have 5 hens in a very large space (140 sf) with tall ceilings with lots of ventilation very high up. So any body heat will just go straight up and out. Thinking of hanging something inside to 'lower the ceiling' from a heat point of view.

 

[aart]

Monday and Tuesday will have highs in the single digits, and lows over night below zero.

...and that'll be after the couple-few of days above freezing.
Should be 'interesting'.

My concern is I only have 5 hens in a very large space (140 sf) with tall ceilings with lots of ventilation very high up.

That's good!

So any body heat will just go straight up and out.

Most their body heat stays under the feathers,
it will by no means 'heat the coop' no matter how low the ceiling.

Block any winds, keep the water liquid.

I like to give a dose of electrolytes during extreme cold,
it definitely helps with cold stress.
Soak it up with rolled oats(not cooked, room temperature EL solution) and they'll gobble it down.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

 

[RoyalChick]

...and that'll be after the couple-few of days above freezing.
Should be 'interesting'.


That's good!


Most their body heat stays under the feathers,
it will by no means 'heat the coop' no matter how low the ceiling.

Block any winds, keep the water liquid.

I like to give a dose of electrolytes during extreme cold,
it definitely helps with cold stress.
Soak it up with rolled oats(not cooked, room temperature EL solution) and they'll gobble it down.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

Thanks. No wind at chicken level. All the ventilation is about 6’ up and higher.
Thanks for the electrolyte tip.
It is mainly the two that are molting that I worry about.
The one that is fully over her molt has a vast amount of fluff hard to see her feeling the cold. But a couple of her sisters are still pretty ragged.

 

[sourland]

Good morning, and thanks for the coffee.

 

[Mtn Margie]

Good morning and thanks for the hot coffee!
They have raised the predicted temps, they have raised the snow totals, I will just have to wait and see what happens.

@RoyalChick putting some nice fresh straw down will give the hens the option of nesting down in it if needed. Straw is warmer than other bedding.
Not much going on here, just prep for the cold.
Thursday is the last warm day for a bit.
Enjoy the day and stay warm and dry!