Chickens Arctic Conditions Prolonged Period

It is -10F with a windchill of -37F in Canada today. These Arctic conditions will linger another week according to the weather forecast. I have 2 inch Styrofoam insulation in the hen coop however the temperature inside the coop is not much warmer than outside.


I will be going out directly to check on my flock they have been doing well so far (my 6 Golden Comet eggs production was down to 1 egg yesterday). That being said the girls are very vocal and active.

My squabs (housed in 1/4 inch plywood barn no insulation) that hatched December 26 & 27 are coping well and I have eggs in another white homer nest.




My ringneck pheasants are enjoying my extra trips to the buildings and wondering what all my fuss is about. I shut up my ventilation ports yesterday because of the cutting wind but may open a few today if there seems to be vapour in the buildings. I open my double doors first thing in the morning that changes the air inside the building in about 5 seconds.

Filled up the water containers with fresh warm water. Birds are all doing fine. I have suspicions about whether or not my homer eggs will hatch (time will tell). The 6 Golden Comet hens gave me 2 eggs this morning (those hens are long in the tooth so I am surprised they are still laying at all). I would highly recommend Golden Comet (sex link) birds to anyone thinking about starting up a chicken coop.Good layers excellent personalities just a joy to have in your coop.

That -10 F isn’t all that far from what I’ve seen way down here some years but I can’t come close to that wind chill. That’s dangerous. I worked in conditions similar to that in Kazakhstan. The cold isn’t all that bad as long as the wind isn’t blowing but the wind chill is vicious. Be careful.

There has been a lot of discussion on the value of insulation in cold weather. It will slow heat loss but you need a heat source to start with. The birds will provide some heat but I notice your coop is raised off the ground. You are not getting any advantage of the thermal mass of the ground. There is probably not a lot of thermal mass in your coop that will actually store heat. With it elevated like that, you are not likely to keep it much above the outside temperature even with insulation if the temperature stabilizes for a while.

You are watching your birds and from what you say, they are doing OK. I’d personally be a little nervous locking that up air tight, thinking more about ammonia but moisture is part of it. If you can, you might want to consider opening a small vent on the downwind side higher than where they roost. Ammonia is lighter than air and will build up from the top down. If your coop is that cold inside, the poop is probably frozen and not giving off much ammonia or moisture. Your highest danger point may be when it starts to thaw.

Sounds like you are doing fine. Hope that continues for you.

You are very observant Ridgerunner and right on in all your assumptions There is no danger of ammonia at this juncture. Their droppings are frozen in my 4x8 footprint coop harder than concrete I have 3 elevations in the coop and most times they spend their day light hours on the nest box level and bottom feeding area. Night time is up on their roost with a 3 1/2 inch drop to their poop board which catches any eggs laid during the night. I usually bring out fresh water twice a day however lately it has been 3 times a day which prevents them from being dehydrated and any frozen eggs. As soon as the temperature rises to 32 F I will be opening my vents. I have been paying close attention to my Delaware


Rooster thinking he might suffer frostbite but he is happy as a clam showing no ill effects as of yet. I have to give that rooster a bit of a flogging every month or so or he forgets who I am and puts the spurs to me and draws the blood. He already broke off on 1 1/2 spur on yours truly.

Then I had on hen grab me by the inside of the nose while she was on the roost and almost made me cry it definitely brought the water to my eyes. That was only one isolated instance thank God!

I have been around the sun 63 times and most of my good judgement has come from bad judgement as they say. I am not too worried about my flock such that it is they are all in excellent health.

Thank you for taking time for posting and reminding me of safe guards for protecting my flocks health.

It has warmed up considerable now in Canada 2F and -18F with the windchill. Everything is copasetic out in the chicken coop even got an another egg. That is 3 eggs today from the Golden Comets that are past their laying prime. With no heat no light and the temperature of 2F inside the coop. Oh well better days are coming Here is a brief picture of what my hens are in for. They will be getting extra corn to contend with this of course.

Friday Current temperature outside 0430hrs -8F with a windchill of -37F.
Mainly sunny. Wind west 30 km/h gusting to 50. High minus 14. Cold wind chill minus 37.

(temperatures are in the Celsius Scale that are not designed with F)
Saturday
Sunny. Low minus 20. High minus 15.

Sunday
Sunny. Low minus 19. High minus 12.

Monday
Sunny. Low minus 19. High minus 9.

Tuesday
A mix of sun and cloud. Low minus 12. High minus 5.

Wednesday
Flurries or rain showers. Low minus 7. High plus 1.

Eggs laid at night?

Single digits here for the last several nights.

My 8 BOs are down to 4 eggs a day. Average is 5 to 6.