Angels4 Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 This might be safer than one of those lights. If you have a crock pot or slow cooker with one of those ceramic inserts, you could place some clean dry pea gravel inside the ceramic insert, place inside the heating element (with the lid on) and heat on low for 45 minutes to an hour. Unplug and place in an aluminum roasting pan and place inside your run or coop. The peagravel and ceramic insert will hold onto the heat for a while, you can cover it with a cloth or towel so the girls don't burn themselves and as it is unplugged you could use it inside your coop or run even if they have no electricity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-F-C Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Here's a possible solution! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6935298/Chicken-owner-knits-wooly-jumpers-for-birds.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Mine have all been fine, even the little bantams. The snow makes surprisingly good insulation. Now that there is a good layer on the runs, I am finding that the water is no longer freezing in the Glugs even though the temperature has dropped below zero. In fact it is at zero at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 I was not allowed to use the hot water bottle last night but the snow does make good insulation. When I opened the egg port this morning the cube was surprisingly warm inside. They are not being let out today because the tree surgeon is doing the trees in our garden, and they are complaining loudly about it. They might get a little while later today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 THink real Igloo! I have a recovrinhg pigeon in an open run! Well not quite as covered and on half 3 sides same half with bubble wrap. Where it roosts on a branch I have added a polestrene sheet above and some old underfelt. The water UNTIL thesnow has constantly frozen siolid in a large ceamin dog bowwm wrapped in bubble wrap, placed in a container standing on polestyrene. However with a few inches of snow on the roof last night for the 1st time in weeks it is NOT frozen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 One of mine was shivering slightly at roosting time last night, so I finally weakened and put them in a large cat carrier in the outhouse which I heat with a greenhouse heater for the guinea pigs. It was a bit of a squash, but after some bickering and positioning, they got themselves organised and looked very cosy, and were obviously enjoying the heat. DH let them out this morning, and Mabel has spent the morning trying to get back into the cat carrier any time anyone opens the outhouse door! I am going to take out the ladder and block up the hole of our home made 2 tier piggy hutch so that the piggies can have the top floor and then the girls can go in the bottom floor tonight, that way they will have a lot more room. We are all soft you know, chickens have been living in unheated hen houses for centuries probably in far harsher winters than this and coming to no harm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathybc Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I have added more hay in the eglu and they seem to snuggle up in it - I am more bothered about the cold than mites at the moment. Having said that, it is actually warmer here now it has snowed, bunnies water wasn't frozen this morning hope you mean STRAW, hay is wrong for all sorts of reasons No, it is hay - I know it it not ideal but IMHO it is better than the alternative ie I have nothing else available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beulah59 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Another clever idea! THANK YOU! I'll put my cherry stone bag (like a wheat bag but impossible to overheat and make popcorn ) in there tomorrow before bedtime to make it warm, wrap the poo tray up, and put Aubiose on top of the roost bars. Cherry stones?! Can I use the ones from my garden and make my own do you think? I have piles of them every year! (But then, perhaps this year, having thought of it, we won't get any!! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 got my heat lamp will post photies tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisEllis Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 to keep ours warm i got a celebration tin and punctured holes in it everywhere with a small tea light - stuck their dirnker on top with rocks underneath - takes the chill off the drinker without burning the plastic and lets it ventilae - we keep itin their coop as their coop is quite spacious - sio keeps the water liquid - and obvisouly a bit of heat in their coop and also the inside of their woden cop froze a bit so its defrosted the inside of hteir coop = and the tealight isnt too strong and goes out halfway through the night so the tin isnt too hot (not that it woul be) in the morning if they were too stand on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
