Winterizing Chickens

yes, from our wood burning furnace. Ours love the stuff. We also scatter it among the flower beds and the chickens go there to roll in it, too.

If I put a light bulb in my very small coop (doghouse), then how do I keep shavings from touching it and starting a fire?

So how cold does it have to be for the combs to get frostbite damage? I am starting also to think about wintertime. I know my coop is fine: it is weathertight, insulated and has double pained windows. Around here 40 degree temperature swings on a winter day are common. We will be anywhere in the teens typically in the mornings, sometimes single digits, and 40's-60's most of the days. Do I keep them locked in early in the morning and let them out once it warms up? How cold is cold to a chicken comb?

Zenbirder, anything below freezing can cause frostbite. Now when you start going single digits and below 0, you are talking like 15-30 min of exposure time before frostbite can start to sink in. This is information I learned in nursing school. Unless things have changed in the last 10 years, I would assume that the comb of a chicken would suffer the same as exposed human skin.

Chickens know when to go out in the cold and when to stay in. I have BA's and SLW's. If you have chickens that have a straight comb you need to make sure to take Vaseline and rub their combs with a small layer to coat so they do not get frost bite. Most of the time you want to keep your coops very clean, in the winter, try not to change the bedding to often for some of that layered poop brings out heat to warm the chicks. If you have supplemental light in their coops, you really do not need to add a heating lamp due to a risk of fire. Our BA's don't mind snow as long as there is not more than an inch on the ground. After that they really don't like to go in it. I put old milk crates in their run for them to jump up on to get out of the snow, or a long board to make it easier for me to walk without all the mud. I have done stray/hay/shavings but it would just cause mold if not changed often and could harm your chickens. I also give them scratch to help them keep warm from the corn. I make sure to keep extra feed in their coops for during winter they will eat double the amount, and keep fresh warm water all the time.

Im really new to chickens. They came with the house we bought in October. We recently covered 2 of the 3 sides of the attached run with plastic for a windbreak. The run also has a shingled roof. Im still worried as it is 16 degrees out & a bit windy right now....

Thanks for all the great suggestions! This was an excellent thread for me as I get started with my flock