Check your nesting boxes before they get too cold, learned that the hard way

I found 4 frozen eggs cracked open last week because I didn't add extra straw before that 20 degree night. Now I swap in fresh bedding every Sunday and put a small piece of cardboard over the corner gap. Anyone else deal with frostbitten toes on their hens when it drops fast?

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margaret_bennett313d ago

The cardboard trick is smart, but what really saved my flock was putting a thermometer inside the coop instead of just guessing. That way I know the actual temp where they sleep, not what the weather app says. Also, check their combs and wattles when it drops fast, pale or bluish means they're struggling before they even show frostbite. Moving the waterer closer to the nesting area helped too, less cold air near the boxes when they pop out. Another thing nobody talks about is feeding them extra cracked corn right before a cold snap, it warms them from the inside out. This year I'm rigging up a little heat lamp on a timer for the worst nights, just a few hours, not all day. Keep at it, sounds like you're already ahead of most folks who never look until spring!