Below zero coop Temp?

aart said:

They might appear to 'like' it......
.....but that doesn't mean it's a good idea,
or necessarily good for them,
or that they won't survive unscathed without it.

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Yes I know as it could possibly make them not as cold hardy I heard that somewhere that they become not as cold hardy or something

We're going through our second cold snap (single digits at night) of the winter and the chickens have done fine. We put up a clear, vinyl tarp on part of the north side of the run to keep snow out and to block the wind. There is no heat and so far no frostbite.

ChickenMammX4 said:

We're going through our second cold snap (single digits at night) of the winter and the chickens have done fine. We put up a clear, vinyl tarp on part of the north side of the run to keep snow out and to block the wind. There is no heat and so far no frostbite.

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That's almost exactly what I been doing expect using two tarps.

ChickenMammX4 said:

We're going through our second cold snap (single digits at night) of the winter and the chickens have done fine. We put up a clear, vinyl tarp on part of the north side of the run to keep snow out and to block the wind. There is no heat and so far no frostbite.

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I've got a tarp on our west side of the run, because that's where the snow comes from, plus I have a tarp on the roof of the run. They will often sit in the run and watch the snow fall on those stormy days. I also set up a kind of chicken fort out of an old playhouse and another spot using an old patio umbrella. They love to go from fort to fort during the day, which also keeps their run and coop cleaner.

I think a word of caution about supplemental light and heat needs to be tossed out their. Electrical fires are a real possibility whenever you have unattended heat or light sources especially in an area where feathers and dust can be a problem. As a 911 dispatcher, I have sent the fire departments on far too many barn, shed, garage and house fires for that very reason. One of my officers had to break a hole in the side of a barn and reach in to pull out puppies that had been kept warm by a heat lamp that started the barn on fire. Some of the puppies survived, but, the mother dog and most of her babies did not. It always reminds me that it's better to do what farmers, ranchers and homesteaders have always done, even in places as far north as Alaska. No supplemental heat or light, equals no chance of a coop fire. Their chickens do just fine. Of course, they also are careful to raise cold hardy breeds, so, that may be a consideration, too.

-20 here last night with gawd awful wind chill. No heat, non insulated but draft free coops - all are just fine and are pecking around outside in -5 right now..

featherz said:

-20 here last night with gawd awful wind chill. No heat, non insulated but draft free coops - all are just fine and are pecking around outside in -5 right now..

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I was cold last night with zero degrees and u had -20