Tips for snowy conditions

BabyBantam

BabyBantam

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Not had snow yet, but its on its way!
Any general tips for feeding and keeping the girls warm appreciated (both for me and others new to snowy weather). I've also got 2 Pekin bantams in an ark designed for 6 full size birds, so a bit worried about prospect of keeping just 2 of them warm at temperatures down to -5 in such a big house.
Cheers x
 
Had 2 " on Monday night. Cocky does NOT like the snow. He came out of the pophole and stopped on the step looking around as though to say "What the H**l has been going on?" He didn't want to move until one of the hens pushed him from behind - then he flew, obviously not wanting to walk on this white stuff.

I swept the snow off the grass in front of the house so that it didn't get trampled in to the house. I also swept a couple of other areas so they could see the grass to scratch. Their feed is under cover in a shelter so that was OK, but I'd forgotten to take the waterer in so had to take it inside to defrost and refill.

I did wonder about putting Vasleine on Cocky's comb but he isn't really used to me yet so I'd have to do it once they've gone to roost (protects from frost bite).

How thick is the ark timber? Wood is usually warm - I get a light covering of ice on the inside of my plastic roof. If you think it's much too big could you close part of it off to make it smaller? The more experienced members so it isn't a problem as long as there are no draughts.

I've read recommendations about giving a warm mash on cold mornings - I feed a grain diet so cook it to soften the grain and get it warm. Cocky just eats all the peas but certainly Henny eats some of it - it all gets eaten during the day but it will have gone cold.
 
Chickens are very well adapted to the cold weather, as long as they can roost in a well ventilated, dry house and are healthy, with access to clean water and food they will be fine. I remember seeing a fascinating thermal photograph of chickens roosting in minus 7 degrees, the thermal imaging picked up perfectly how warm they were :)
 
I share Margaid's thoughts re. vaseline; the Met Office website says that it'll be -3C & feel like -8C here tomorrow, but there's no way that Varta will let me pick her up, never mind smear her comb with vaseline. I'm loath to do it while they're roosting, as this means taking the side off the coop & replacing the warm air with freezing cold air, enough to put anyone off lay, surely?

I'll have a go at doing Energizer & Duracell's combs in the morning; there's not enough to get cold on Millie's head.
 
Found this when I was looking for something else

http://poultrykeeper.com/keeping-chickens-faq/chickens-in-the-cold-weather
 
I have kept Leghorns for years and have never used Vaseline on them or any of the other males which also have large combs. Clear an area for the hens as they don't react well to anything new but if they want to wade through it when they get used to it, that's fine. Cold will do them no harm at all. I am talking about normal chickens here as I know nothing about the fancy breeds.
 
Oh good, one job I don't have to do then Chuck - I wasn't looking forward to it and I doubt Cocky would have enjoyed it!
 
We've just had 6" here and down to -8 BB. Had to sweep the runs off 3 times to avoid problems with the weight. They are all standard runs 2 metres square with one centre support made from panels constructed with 1" x 2" lath and centre supports. I was really worried about the reinforced sheeting on the top tearing off. Coops will easily stand 6 " of snow and were left. Snow acts as insulation.

Chickens were fine -Wyandottes, Orpingtons and the TNN's (who delight in the cold despite the lack of feathers, first out and last in). Except Boris and his girls, the Brown English Leghorn Bantams -fancy breeds as Chuck describes them. They came into the storeroom overnight and had their combs rubbed with vaseline. Fine during the day when they are moving about. But with a properly ventilated coop the inside temperature won't be that much above the outside. As they get cold they stop blood circulating into their combs which shrink and then get frost bitten. The drawback to having them, but the rest of the year they are a delight.
 
we have had about 6 inches here it came down from about 8.20 am tell around 2pm , horses stayed in and didnt even ask to go out which was great as i did not need to worry about them but i worried all day about the netting on the run as that normally holds the snow and saggs badly { didnt even fix roof bar from last lot of snow } but when i got home there was no snow on the netting just the whole floor of the runs was about 6 inches deep instead poor birds were not to happy , even the roofed run got blasted with snow inside the banties an quails were not impressed with that ethier but cant do much about it .
 
After all my worry, Exeter hasn't had a drop of snow, we're an island in a sea of snow around us :( rained all day and now 3degrees. Daughter is NOT happy!
 
would take pics of mine but its depressing :lol: :lol: i wanted to go out and make extra feeders but i think it can wait .
 
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