Baby it's cold outside....

-16 degrees F. to be exact.....burrrrrrr

Have I ever mentioned that my husband thinks I'm chicken crazy? Well, I'm not. My friend, Jennifer, just might be however. She is a wonderful chicken lady. Here are her hens resting nicely in her basement for this Arctic blast we are getting here in Upstate NY.  They look very happy indeed.

Some very lucky chickens!

I was rummaging around our garage last night trying to figure out how I could bring my girls in without destroying my husbands lawn tractor. They took roost on it last year and he hasn't let me forget that. I was even playing with the idea of cardboard boxes. I finally gave up realizing that I needed to just trust that they would be fine. I couldn't bring them in where it would be too warm because I was afraid they would get sick when I put them back up.

It's a good coop and they are the hardiest animals I've ever seen. Jumpers was in the jaws of a coyote and has the tale to tell. I've got cold hardy breeds, I use the deep liter method, and I just needed to trust I was doing OK. The coop is 4'x8' with an extended nest box and a slanted roof which holds the snow nicely for insulation. I do run out several times when we have these crazy cold snaps with jugs of really hot water and place them under the roosts. I am careful to keep their drinking water fresh because it freezes so quickly on days like this.

I have to change up the filled milk/juice jugs twice during the day and first thing in the morning. I keep the coop closed up so the heat stays inside the coop. It really does raise the ambient temperature inside and doesn't add much if any moisture. I haven't noticed any moisture build up because even though it's really cold I keep some side ventilation open to prevent frostbite.

If I had a place to bring them inside I would have. I did one year and really enjoyed that I could go and hang out with them for extended periods of time. Yes, I talk to my chickens.....they don't argue with me like my children sometimes do!

The main thing with keeping them inside is they do get bored. Boredom can lead to pecking. I bring them treats like warm oatmeal or polenta. Eating is a great boredom buster...I know this from personal experience, unfortunately.

-16 degrees and they are doing fine. I on the other hand go a bit stir crazy (er). I hope you stay warm and keep looking out for the sunny days soon to come:)