The Poultry Keeper

Motherbird · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 54 Location: Dorset

My poor chickens are walking about in the freezing weather. They sound as if they are crying. I cooked them some pasta, potato peelings and boiled eggs today, which they loved. I'm making sure their bedding is clean and dry and the water is not frozen. Is there anything else I can do to make them happier?

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6953 Location: isle of lewis

i'm not really sure as mine like to go out in all weathers ,even 90 mile an hour winds Shocked

,the only thing i do is if it's really cold i feed inside so they don't have to go out if they don't want to ,i'm sure someone who can help more than me will answer soon Very Happy

suz

CP · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 1:43 pm Post subject:

Not much you can do really. Maybe try to let them have an area that's covered & relatively draught free (not easy!) so they can shelter from the worst of the wind & rain. Wink

Ours have a dustbath area that's covered, but their favourite is a large bush that comes right to the ground & they shelter under that, next to the garage wall.

Motherbird · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 54 Location: Dorset

Thank you, for the advice. The chickens have an area in the hen coop that is covered and they use for dust bathing, as well as an 8 foot rabbit hutch to hide under. I feel I should be giving them hot water bottles. The rabbits I bring into the garage, into indoor cages. I think I just feel guilty about leaving the chickens outside and wondered if there was more I could do. Many thanks Smile

Lisa · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:25 pm Post subject:

The worst is damp and draughts, rather than cold. Remember they're covered in feathers, so they're walking around with their own custom fit duvets. I have a maximum / minimum thermometer in my shed and its been down as low as -5C this winter, but the chooks seem okay. Since you've provided them with shelter to use if they choose, I really wouldn't worry. If yours are anything like mine, they're only crying out for one thing...... more food!! Rolling Eyes

Motherbird · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 54 Location: Dorset

That is SO true. Pot on the stove, full of water, for pasta, right now. I think, they think, it's worms. Very Happy

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6953 Location: isle of lewis

rice in our hose is called maggots
Embarassed

suz

Motherbird · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 54 Location: Dorset

Perhaps my chooks would like some 'maggots' for a change? Wink

debcat · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:39 pm Post subject:

mine go mad for rice Very Happy

mojo · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:38 pm Post subject:

corn or maize given very sparingly several times a day will help your birds keep warm..........cold is not such a problem with livestock it is damp and draft that play havoc as long as they have windproof dry coop,shed.barn or even a big packing case they will be fine dont coddle them to much as you weaken their resistance to bad weather..........they have adjusted over the mollenium to living outside only in the last hundred have they been coddle like we do................so grit your teeth and keep they dry and draftproof and they will luv you ..................mojo

fenwoman · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:49 pm Post subject:

Don't forget that they don't actually feel the cold like you do. For a start you aren't wrapped in your own feather duvet and secondly, you have come out of a centrally heated house into the cold outside. They will have become accustomed to the cold gradually and be used to it just as visitors to my house complain at how cold they are since I don't have heating on during the day and open the windows wide every morning for half an hour or more for a good blow through of clean fresh air.To me, my house feels warm enough, but to others who have heat on all day, the place is freezing cold. SO don't worry too much. As others have said, ensure their house has plenty of ventilation as breathing warm damp fuggy air overnight can kill them. I recently bought a lovely big secondhand poultry house which the chap had made and when I got in to clean it, found the whole of the walls and roof covered with black mildew because he had not given adequete ventilation. There was a nice big vent, but not big enough. So after washing at all off with bleach I made a temporary vent by ensuring the part of the roof which lifts open, does not close properly by way of a block of wood placed under it. They won't feel the cold but by golly they will feel mould spored going into their lungs. When the weather gets better I will cut a bigger vent but I ain't working out there in the cold wind.