Preparing Your Flock & Coop for WINTER

Just went outside at midnight with a infrared thermometer to check the coop temperature.

Outside air temperature: 22 F; windchill 11 F
Inside the shielded run: 45 F; ground temperature: 50 F
Inside the insulated coop: 35 F to 45 F (with one window and the coop door opened)
Chickens' outer feathers: 90 F

I guess this explains why the chickens are not afraid of cold, they are quite insulated.

We broke a record low here i heard.
The thermometer her in the barn reads 14, as soon as i finish milking I'm headed to the warm fire and coffee. I think the other livestock can wait.

auntphibian said:

I thought ducks are mold cold he as rty than chickens. Don't they only need outdoor shelter? If you leave them in a 62 degree basement for the winter put a baby pool in there for swimming. Research those duck breeds, cause I don't think you have to keep them in basement, just provide drat free shelter outside. I think you are right. Leaving a basement that warm with that sudden of a temp drop could be a problem, but maybe not for ducks. They are built pretty weather resustant. Maybe someone with lots of experience here will chime in

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We keep them inside because we have them for pets. The like being wherever we are. We only have the two and even got the duck diapers so they can sit on the couch with us. I have an area in the laundry room that I'm setting up to put a small pool in now. They will love it.

Omg. My husband would kill me if I ever brought a chicken, rabbit or any livestock inside. They are all pets but not allowed inside ever.

khawks said:

I NEED this coop. where did you get it?

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Here's an oldie for you. It's got plans. 1912. Old.

http://books.google.com/books?id=o0...DIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=poultry housing&f=false

LindaB220 said:

Here's an oldie for you. It's got plans. 1912. Old.

http://books.google.com/books?id=o0...DIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=poultry housing&f=false

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And here's a modern view of the coop, that's on the front page of the link.

RedRidge said:

Omg. My husband would kill me if I ever brought a chicken, rabbit or any livestock inside. They are all pets but not allowed inside ever.

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You mean yours don't just let themselves in??

Audrey likes to nestle down wherever the dog is and if I leave the doors open (like I do in the summer) she thinks that makes the house is fair game. At least until I shoo her out the door (photos first though...always!)

My chickens are now inside in their coop which is inside a part of a carriage house. I put down thick straw on the floor. I put the cookie tin warmer on underneath the hanging waterer. That's about all that we do. We are in Southern Ontario where it can get pretty cold. Last winter they were fine. I have 9 chickens. One died a few months ago (my beauty) and one I gave away to a neighbour as my chicken was being picked on. They are 1 1/2 years old.

We also have a wooden roost - I think metal would be terrible for their feet.

Metal?? For a roost bar?? You got that right...that would be AWful!

I am actually having a slight problem with my rooster being out in the cold. His comb is actually turning blue at night because it is getting so cold. I have even taken the risk of putting a heat lamp in the coop, and his comb STILL turns blue. I think he even got frostbite, because one morning I took him out and the tips of his comb were slightly scabbed, and still slightly blue. My hens are even cold. They won't stay in their nesting boxes anymore and they sleep in the middle of the coop every night so they can be under the heat lamp. I have cedar shavings in the coop sometimes, but the chickens seem to dislike it and will do every thing they can to scratch it out of their coop before they will sleep. Plus it can serve as a fire hazard, seeing as there is a heat lamp in the coop. I was wondering if anyone had any advice. I live in the PNW and it usually doesn't get this cold here, so a temporary fix would be fine, as long as it lasts through this unexpectedly cold winter. Any help would be very much appreciated.