I Have to Feel the Chill Wind Befor I Get Cold Again

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Windchill and chickens existence outside

• Thread starter Going Quackers
• Showtime date Feb 20, 2013

• #one

Do poultry feel windchills? or do you just go by the real temperature? My run is not fastened so it'south not a thing of they go in the coop or come up out.

Minor wooden box is provided in the run but it'due south null high class, doesn't even have a floor. The i side of the pen however is covered in cedar copse that tower well beyond it's meridian, and so i wouldn't call it broad open.

Only trying to figure this windchill vs real temp matter. Forgot, their coop has no bogus light or heat.

Last edited: February 20, 2013

• #2

Aug 3, 2012

ane,709

164

227

How cold does it get where you are? Fully feathered chickens tin accept pretty cold conditions, as long as they have fresh h2o and their combs are protected from frost seize with teeth. I put a tarp along a section of my debate to cake the prevailing wind and they seem happy and healthy simply the lowest the temp has been hither is xix degrees f.

• #iii

I would say yes, they do feel current of air chills. For some time I was told that my Shamo's needed extra winter care as Oriental gamefowl having such sparse feathering can dice from the cold temps.I questioned how cold was also cold for a long time with no answer and I'm not someone to supply artificial rut except in the example of chicks without a mother.

I had the temps get around 10 degrees I believe it was the first year I had them, it hasn't gotten quite that low again ( I didn't even wrap their pens this year) and they survived perfectly just having tarps around their pens. I mentioned this to a friend and she mentioned that she believes information technology is all in the wind mostly and that temp itself is usually not too bad except maybe in actually common cold climates.

That being said though, for many breeds windchill doesn't thing. Most are perfectly capable of withstanding temperatures below 0 if they are in good shape and never demand any supplemental heat, it can result in frostbite for the single combed breeds if y'all're non careful but it actually all plays into knowing your breeds.

God bless,
Daniel.

Last edited: Feb 20, 2013

• #4

Sure they know when information technology's cold and windy. They'll blink, squint and if the wind whistles through their feathers they'll only savor existence outside for spurts. Ours can come and go. They decide. A lot depends on whether the sun is shining. I notice they love to come out, even if it is naught weather, if they can "catch some rays".

Truth be told, the wintertime ground is frozen and covered with snow here. At that place's little to nada to do exterior anyhow, so they wander out, then wander dorsum in. Spring is coming, but not fast enough. Supposed to exist -8 F tonight again.

Terminal edited: Feb xx, 2013

• #five

A strong, common cold current of air seems to exist the one thing that does drive my hens dorsum into their coop. They may be technically able to withstand it but they just don't seem to similar it. They get out for a bit then head back inside, or they hang out on whatever side of the barn is out of the wind, peculiarly if it'due south sunny.

So if your birds don't take admission to go back to their coop from their run I'd make sure they have a good identify to get out of the wind when they get tired of it.

• Thread starter
• #6

Thank you for the input. Information technology;s overcast and snowing, -7C with a windchill of -16C so... 19F just feels similar 3F the basis is solid, we did get near of the snowfall out the way but the entire perimeter has at least x inches of piled upward snow/ice, plus since it is snowing the ground is covering up anyways.

They practice have branches and so forth to mimic trees simply at that place is zero out there in way of scratching, bluntly i am non sure if the water volition fifty-fifty stay open. I had them outside yesterday but the weather was more stable and sunny. They are a cold hardy, small comb flock of birds simply i run across i am on the correct track with my way of doing things.

I hope to take a pen attached for this winter coming to avoid the conflict of deciding.

Last edited: Feb 20, 2013

• #7

We are supposed to have xxx mph gusts and current of air chills here tonight that are beneath zero. I have nearly 15 birds that open up air military camp every night even though they take a large house where the remainder of the flock sleeps. Should I lock them in the house this evening or allow them slumber outside?

• #8

I have a couple birds that sleep semi in the open, on top of my coops but they are under the roof of an open up befouled. But when we get bad north winds I put them in the coop at night. I just sleep better knowing they are not sitting at that place with the air current diggings on them all night long, and I live in central CA where nighttime air current chill factors might be in the 20's, nothing in the negatives.

• #9

I don't know why these birds sleep outside, heck, they could also become under a dry out lean to side by side to their room simply they open up air, 1 even sleeps on top of the cage like Snoopy! I do not lock my birds in their pen at night. Their room is a 12 x 12 with shavings and perches and their food, enough of room for all of them.

• #10

Yes, chickens feel air current arctic. Current of air Chill is a matter of physics. There are some different risks for chickens.

One big take chances is frostbite. Chickens with larger combs and wattles are more than at take chances, but even these chickens can ordinarily handle some pretty cold temperatures to us without a big problem as long equally the comb and wattles are dry and they are out of the air current. But in extreme cold or if they are moisture or in the air current, they are at risk of frostbite.

Chickens can handle really cold weather considering they are wearing a down coat. That downwards coat traps tiny pockets of air, that air gets warmed upwards, and it keeps them warm. But if a wind ruffles the feathers and lets that warmed air escape, they tin can get dangerously common cold. I estimate technically that's non a wind arctic effect, but wind chill can brand it even colder to them.

From what you describe, I'd put them in tonight. Not because of air current arctic, but considering of current of air.

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