Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?

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Toosje

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Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« on: February 27, 2018, 19:43 »
I hope some one will read this soon!

All of a sudden I realize: isn't it to cold outside now for the chickens to be in the coop outside?

The three big ones have a very good insulated coop (also for noise) but I worry about the small ones. They are three really small silkies and the coop they are in is new but I find a little open along side the doors.

Maybe the temperature difference will be to big when I take them in?

Here it is -8 C which will be 17,6 F?

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Toosje

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2018, 06:32 »
Last night they stayed in their coop. Tonight it will be even colder and the wind has a -10 feel to it. A thick layer of snow has formed over night. Tonight I will put a big thick blanket over the coop for extra insulation.

For the day I put vaseline on their feet and soft parts on their heads but have my doubts wether it is enough. They will be padding around in the snow, so I am thinking to get the broom in the run and the day before yesterday I dropped all the cuttings from working with the chainsaw in a part of the run. Maybe mix that up a bit? I hope the wood has a less cold feel to it..

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Mr R Design

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2018, 06:57 »
Don't worry about the cold they will take those temperatures. Don't put any artificial heating anywhere as that can kill them through shock of going from warm to cold. The extra insulation will be ok but the main object will be to keep draughts and wet from going in the coop.

Stick a big upturned box of some sort in the run which they will huddle under if necessary or if you have space a big piece of wood or even an old door propped up some how and clear the snow from underneath.

Vaseline is fine and watch that any snow doesn't freeze their feet feathers.

Chickens have a big thick coat and will survive at surprisingly low temperatures.

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Toosje

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2018, 07:57 »
Thank you Mr R Design.

They now have a 'coop extension'. I've put a table against it and under it a big box with hay (the rabbits food) for insulation. While I was fixing this, they took a runner and are enjoying them selves under my car now ;)
I will guide them back to the run when the weather gets worse, especially the wind, but they will probably go for the spruce trees.

The big ones fed, looked around and decided to stay in; they went back inside their coop. They have a big spruce tree in the run and some extra roofing.

It is good to know they don't take well to temperature differences. My little white one gets broody every six weeks. She doesn't stop on own initiative, so I then take her in at night and during the day the coop is closed off. The same in wintertime. She doesn't seem bothered by the temperatures but I will put her in a room a little cooler than the living room next time.


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New shoot

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2018, 08:13 »
Chickens are very hardy and will decide what they want.  Some of mine decide to sit in the coop if we have a lot of snow, but they are all out and about today.

A very cool room inside is needed if you want to bring them inside.  They can overheat easily.

As well as a dry coop, they need access to water which isn't icy and lots of good food.  Given that, they will be fine  :)

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Mr R Design

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2018, 09:57 »
If they are out and about pottering around outside the run leave them to it they will come back if they decide that is the best place to be.

If they stay by the spruce trees or under the car they have decided (and they will be correct) that that is the best place to currently be.

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Toosje

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2018, 10:34 »
A very cool room inside is needed if you want to bring them inside.  They can overheat easily.

My little black silky does overheat easily: as soon as it gets a little warm she walks around with her beak open and drinks a lot. She is always so hyper active... I am lucky she doesn't get broody as often. The white one seems more 'easy' in all aspects, as the brown one.

The coop is nice and dry. The only thing is: I am afraid it is a bit doughty, so I will shelter it with a blanket tonight. The wind will be picking up. When all is dry I will close off the doors better then they are now: they have a gap around them.

They probably do Mr R Design  :dry: They are under and around the spruce trees now.


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jaydig

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2018, 11:05 »
I've just put an extra heap of bedding inside the coop for mine.  They can snuggle into that if they feel cold, but they'll more likely than not roost on the roof of the coop as they always do.

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Toosje

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2018, 11:11 »
Nooo Jaydig they would freeze to death!!

My parents always had chickens and they would sleep in the chestnut tree. When it was really cold, we would try and send them to the barn but they wouldn't. We would loose a few chickens every year due to frost!
My father kept being convinced the chickens would know best.. I always found it so sad..

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Sassy

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2018, 13:03 »
2010 was the last time we had very cold weather here. We had two days in North Yorkshire of -18 degrees centigrade and they were all fine. I did put old carpet over their coop to help with the cold but it is really important that their space is well ventilated but not draughty. I'm sure they will be fine and it sounds as though you are doing your best for them. When you get very involved with your birds you are in the best place to notice any changes and act accordingly.  :D
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted!!

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jaydig

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2018, 15:02 »
Nooo Jaydig they would freeze to death!!

My parents always had chickens and they would sleep in the chestnut tree. When it was really cold, we would try and send them to the barn but they wouldn't. We would loose a few chickens every year due to frost!
My father kept being convinced the chickens would know best.. I always found it so sad..

I could probably get three of the girls inside the coop, but the fourth one, Jasmine, otherwise known as Attila the Hen, would be an impossible task.  If I put the three friendly girls inside, then Attila would probably freeze to death on her own, so I leave them to huddle together, hoping that if it gets very cold they will follow each other into the chicken house.  We also have a stray cat that we have taken pity on and have been feeding, that clears off for the evening so we can't get it into the house, but then comes screaming and crying at the bedroom window at four o'clock in the morning wanting to come in.  We can't win!

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Toosje

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2018, 20:20 »
 :lol:
O why do our hearts go so soft with animals. The nonsense we take from them and still love them to the end. This alone makes them so lovable.

I really hope they will choose the warm bedding tonight!

How cold is it going to be? Here they say -10 with wind force 5.. Brr.

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jaydig

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2018, 11:16 »
The girls went into the coop last night - it must have been freezing cold for them to do that.  Hubby took pity on the stray cat, and we took him/her in at about four thirty in the afternoon to make sure he didn't wander off in the cold in the early evening.  Needless to say, a bed was made for him out of some old sheets, he had breakfast in bed (almost) this morning, and then went out of the door without a backward glance. There's gratitude for you!   I think this means he will be sleeping at ours until the weather improves and he finds somewhere he likes better. 

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Toosje

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2018, 12:14 »
Ow they must have been so cold! I am glad they where sensible!
Cats have strange ways of showing affection. He probably will stay with you till the end of days and bother you with everything he can think of :)

I missed your post Sassy: that is so cold! Didn't the girls have problems with their feet? I had a neighbor once and his 2 ladies both had frozen toes..

I went and checked last night before going to sleep at about 11.30 . They were fine, not even huddled together, the air in coop felt warmish when I put my hand in, so all worries over board.
Today they are having a bit of a hard time with the wind, but I guess, they just have to get through it, as we do really ;)

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grinling

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Re: Urgent: chickens inside with this temperature?
« Reply #14 on: March 01, 2018, 21:22 »
I went to add a new water bowl as the present one is a bloke of ice (washing up bowls) and did a head count. Down 1, but heard a noise outside the run. No marks in the snow, so checked under the fig bush, nothing, walked up and she was under the coffee table. Had to pick her and put her back with the others.
Darwin then decides to stroll over the garden, then realised it was cold and walked back.
They will come out when grass shows.
I rotated the house as it is on castors out of the wind



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