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BothCourage9285 t1_j6ysvut wrote

Been prepared for this since the day after Thanksgiving.

More worried about my chickens, they haven't seen these kinda temps yet and aren't acclimated.

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obiwanjabroni420 t1_j6z6nwj wrote

I think my goats and chickens are going to spend the day in the barn. Meanwhile I’m gonna be out at Killington working as an ambassador on the mountain. It’s gonna be “freeze your nuts off” cold up there!

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greenmtnfiddler t1_j710701 wrote

Tall combs or rose type? Mine are in their second winter, last year I had the same worries but honestly they were fine. The ones with the tallest combs lost the very tips of the points to frostbite but it didn't seem to bother them near as much as it worried me. Adequate ventilation, block off drafts, add some fresh bedding to their night coop to make sure it's good and dry, they'll take care of the rest. Moisture management is key. .

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BothCourage9285 t1_j7410mn wrote

Got a mix of everything. They've been thru colder than this in years past, some are 7-8 years old, but they haven't had any cold at all this year.

It's not the cold, it's the 50 degree swing that will kill them

Luckily it's not gonna last

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greenmtnfiddler t1_j755a34 wrote

>7-8 years old

Apologies for assuming you were a newbie in your first year. :)

(I just talked a colleague out of digging out the infra-red heat lamp leftover from from the chick stage and setting it up in her coop tonight, hers is pretty close to the house and I really don't feel like hearing the fire sirens go off in the wee hours.)

For what it's worth, I have had friends with elderly ladies who expired gently but suddenly in big swings, so we both know it can happen - but hopefully for you it won't.

I've got one who molted wayyy late, still filling in some of the fluffy bits. We'll see, hopefully she'll get herself into the middle of the perch lineup and draw heat from her neighbors.

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BothCourage9285 t1_j7c5iue wrote

Mine all survived. Coop is actually insulated and had a thick pack on the floor. Added some fresh shavings and gave them some warm soaked scratch before lights out.

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greenmtnfiddler t1_j7d3e5p wrote

Mine too. Couple of dark spots on combs that may fade -- but if the points get rounded off a little more that just makes them more weatherproof for the next time.

My floor's got nice thick pack too - keeps them well sealed but whoo it's gonna whiff a bit when the thaw comes.

I've been wimping out on bringing out warm soaked scratch in the mornings and I'm paying for it - egg production dropped like a stone. Time to get my but in gear again.

:)

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