4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Larkspurs]

Hi all

I just heard on the radio that the next few weeks are going to be really cold, they mentioned temps as low as -13C. I looked at the Eglu specs and they've been tested to -10C.

 

What do you all do to keep your hens warm during cold snaps like that? Because I'm going to copy you!

[HENthusiastic]

blimy thats extremely cold!

[poachedegg]

-13??!!

[Larkspurs]

Yep, that was Heart FM, I don't guarantee it will happen though (like all forecasts!) I must admit to being a bit surprised myself and just checked the BBC website and it mentions on the long range forecast just that it will be cold... no dire warnings or anything.

 

Edit: I just checked Metcheck and the closest to that radio forecast it came to was Sat 10th Jan where it would feel like -11C...

 

Anyway, just wondering. Do you think covering the Eglu with a blanket or something at night will be okay? I won't have my hens then but it would be handy to know what to do.

[Egluntyne]

You can cover it with a blanket or old bit of carpet. Keep the ventilation holes clear though.

 

You will be surprised at how warm the inside of the Eglu gets though, as hens generate a lot of heat.

 

Many swear by the **Snugglesafe**, although I have never used one so can't personally recommend them.

[Larkspurs]

Thanks Egluntine, you are a star!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Our first winter I put an old picnic rug (one with a removable plastic backing) over the eglu because I was worried about my little darlings when it was very cold. I didn't bother this year .

[Larkspurs]

I think I'll do something similar ANH. The metcheck site has recently updated showing slightly warmer temperatures making a liar out of me....never trust a forecast! On saying that though, I'd rather be prepared. Thank you once again for your advice!

[sandyhas3chucks]

don't laugh at me please. but as I already had an inside outside thermometer, guess where the outside sensor now lives.

Up to now I have been happy but as got down to -5 ouside near the house I was checking. I watched it go down & down through the night. At this point I would like to add there are only 2 in there a big fat looks oven ready now, ex bat fully feathered &who I know was in the nest box NOT with he thermometer, & her less than fully feathed not fat enough friend who was roosting.

well at 3am it dropped in there to freezing

could bear it no longer . & 2 somewhat bewildered chooks taken into a snuggly pre used bedroom crate in the 10 degree bathroom. some very contented chuntering there was too.

dopey I am sure but at least i slept then, a neihbour just lost her old dog & offered me the snugglesafe. so in that will go today or in the bathroom they may sleep. next to a friends hybernating tortoise that needs to be roughly between 5 & 10 C and is too cold in our shed even ewith a heater on next to her.

[Bootscooter Nell]

Has anyone tried putting loads of straw inside the eglu like a big nest? I used to do that for my rabbit in his wooden hutch as well as covering the hutch with a duvet and he always survived the winters.

 

I hate the thought of the girls being cold at night especially as the roosting bars are made of plastic and I do wonder how cold they must feel on their feet.

[Salop Chuck]

Many swear by the **Snugglesafe**, although I have never used one so can't personally recommend them.

 

I have used 2 of the Snigglefafe pet heat pads for my 3 girls for the last two nights. They roost in the nest box so I place the heat pads under the straw - they seem to appreciate the extra comfort without getting too hot.

[Guest]

we've done the same as ANH, with the plastic backed picnic rugs, the ventilation hole at the front of the cube is still clear and the rugs are only a loose fit, it will just (hopefully) stop the biting cold getting thru the gaps.

 

 

 

 

[maximum_999]

I was wondering how they would withstnad the cold but then the pigeons on the roof 2 doors up stay there all night, as do the pair of turtle doves on a branch over the Eglu, it was only -5 last night though. So an eglu must afford a good deal of protection, however the wind chill cannot be discounted so a blanket over the top wouldn't hurt

Happy New Year

[chelsea]

I've done exactly the same as Poet & ANH with the picnic blanket over the top of the cube and eglu(not covering ventilation holes), except I have 2 picnic blankets and a duvet over the top!

 

We have decided this morning we are going to purchase a heat lamp (you can get them for £15-25) to put in our run on really cold days....just to add an extra bit of warmth - especially on days like today when we have no sun and it never warms up. I have one old gal with sterile peronitis and I think she really feels the cold.

[Tiggy]

my eglu is in a walk in run but I have put the omlet covers and palstic corregated sheets over one end where the wind blows through

[nutterly_uts]

I've just been out to shut mine into the eglu (the door is never shut normally as its generally warm here) and to give them a snugglesafe wrapped in a tea towel then buried under some shavings.

 

They started off with indignant squawks when the door was shut, followed by more when I opened the egg port to put the heat pad in.. But that soon changed to happy hen noises as 4 chickens tried to balance on one heat pad lol

[Blackrocksrock]

We were -8.7 the other 2 nights ago and the hens in the morning were so so toasty - I checked them out before I let them out in the morning. They are so cosy in the eglu with the door shut on them.

[MadMitch]

I think I must be a cruel chicken mum as I don't shut the door at all (only half way).

I went down to do it last night as it was -4 but 2 of the girls were sat half in and half out as usual so I ended up leaving it in the end. Maybe I should be a bit more forceful and push them in but they really dont seem to mind the cold.

It's still -3 outside now and they are still scratching around the garden.

[brambles]

We are expecting -7 tonight in Cheshire. I'm a new chicken mum and trying to reassure myself reading this! I gave them porridge made with warm water tonight to give them something to keep their insides warm and have put a layer of bubble wrap and a picnic blanket on the eglu! It's good to read about their own duvets! I peeped in and they were fluffed up and snuggled together earlier.

 

I'll be worrying about the heat in the summer ... (we live in hope!)

[crazygal]

I've been worrying about mine this last while, and tonight put an old blanket doubled over over the eglu about an hour ago...(leaving the ventilation holes at the front uncovered)

 

silly thing was I was so tempted to have a peek to see how they were, but of course if I opened up the egg port the cold air would then counteract the insulation of the blanket.

 

Now I'm worrying that they might be too hot!

 

What am I like?

[sandyhas3chucks]

well unless you put aan electric blanket in there they won't be too hot

[Happy chickens!]

It's already down nearly to -4 in my greenhouse in Cheshire (the Wirral bit of it anyway), but the lowest it's been since Christmas day - can you tell what one of my pressies was! - is -4.6 and the girls were fine. Some of mine haven't got many feathers either. I've been following the advice on the forum and given them a high energy feed in the late afternoon, covered the cube up a bit, being careful of the ventilation, and, touch wood. they are all fine.

 

They've been prancing around on the frozen lawn and flower beds fine every day too - and some days have been freezing all day - so I think they're a bit tougher than I thought! Hope so, anyway.

[sandyhas3chucks]

have they got an Eglu in there or a house of some sort. My girls only venture out for half an hour before deciding it's back under the car port & easy food for them. any one had runny tums from icey grass? might just be her moult and sniffles!

[sandyhas3chucks]

I've just been out to shut mine into the eglu (the door is never shut normally as its generally warm here) and to give them a snugglesafe wrapped in a tea towel then buried under some shavings.

 

They started off with indignant squawks when the door was shut, followed by more when I opened the egg port to put the heat pad in.. But that soon changed to happy hen noises as 4 chickens tried to balance on one heat pad lol

was it that happy clucky chuntering sound? mine do it when laying too.?

[Happy chickens!]

Hope all your chickens ok this morning; got down to -6.3 here last night, but no frozen pooh in the cube and all girls seem fine (touch wood). Still very cold, -4, but the girls show no signs of wanting to go back inside. Doh! Even my chicken watching reduced in this weather.