Can chickens stand the cold weather?

[TheReadyBoys]

Hey there
I was checking the weather for the next few weeks, and it is supposed to be pretty cold! Should I close the run doors to cut off the cool air, or leave them open for fresh air? I don't want them to freeze.
The run doors face a field in western direction. We live close to the sea, which is northern. Also I'm in Atlantic Canada, so the weather gets pretty nasty up here sometimes.
Anyways, just hope you can give me an answer soon.
Thanks

 

[Ridgerunner]

P,E,I, Canada, yeah you can get some pretty nasty weather this time of year. I suggest you read this article from a lady in sunny subtropical Ontario. I’ll include three articles, more bang for the buck. I think Pat is pretty good.

Pat’s Big Ol' Ventilation Page
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

Pat’s Cold Coop (winter design) page:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-winter-coop-temperatures

Pat’s Big Ol' Mud Page (fixing muddy runs):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

The biggest danger to chickens in cold weather is frost bite, not freezing to death as long as they are in good health to start with. A huge danger to cause frost bite is lack of good ventilation. You really don’t want to lock them up tight. That puts them at risk. But you don’t want a direct cold breeze blowing on them either. Wind chill is real. The ideal is to have openings above their head when they are roosting to get the moist and stale air out so they can breathe decent air and let their down coat keep them from freezing.

I know your weather gets a lot colder than this but I’ll share a picture I took a few years back when it was 4 degrees Fahrenheit above zero, which is about (-)15 C. I left the pop door open and let then decide what to do. They went outside. If a cold wind had been hitting them they would not have stayed outside. They really don’t like cold wind hitting them but they don’t mind the cold.

 

[JackE]

Insulation may be a good thing to have under the roof to help with summertime heat. But as far as winter goes, chickens have perfect insulation of their own, and need no help from us. My chickens thrive in an uninsulated, unheated coop. The only thing artificially warmed in my coop is the water fount.(Cookie tin water warmer) Other than that, nothing.
Jack

 

[Tambo26]

On some cold winter days my smallest BO hen October "Toby" asks for this treatment:

This morning, she and I walked all the way out to the main road to pick up the newspaper (probably 1/4 mile) ... she slept the whole time and didn't want to get out when we got back! My neighbors must think I'm a NUT JOB! LOL! She's warm, I'm warm!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

We leave are 6 hens in our basement and it is freezing out in Tennessee.

It doesn't get cold enough in Tennessee to hurt hens. Let them out to play!

 

[Yukonchick]

This is what happened to my rooster when we had a cold snap. got down to minus 35. His comb froze and i almost lost a hen due to a big ice ball that formed on her butt. she got a warm bath and blowdry and was happy again. I quickely put a heater in there and insuated all the walls best i could. Ceiling isn't insulated and im using the deep litter method so didn't have to insulate under floor. Heres some pic of their house before the insulation job and my poor rooster.

 

[Rhoise]

"Boiseans are welcoming in the new year with goosebumps from three solid weeks of frigid temperatures. All but two days in January have been below normal — and not just a little. We're talking average daily temperatures that have been 10 to 24 degrees below normal.
In fact, the city is on track to record the fifth coldest January on record since 1865, according to the National Weather Service."

Let me start by saying a combination of greenhorn and bad weather has been cause for my birds to suffer.......

I did do a bit of research on breeds(obviously not enough) and also had to consider heat tolerant birds as well. In the high dessert here we had several weeks straight of above 100 degree Fahrenheit temps this summer. I moved out here 18 years ago and have never seen the temps go this low. Last three nights it has been 87% humidity and a foggy wet frost on everything, the temps have dipped on my thermometer as low as - 6 below zero Fahrenheit. After seeing actual frostbite on the tips of the combs of 4 of my seven birds, I decided to add some heat. With a 40watt bulb it has raised the temps inside the coop to 16 degrees above zero at night while they roost. Their is alot of ventilation in the coop, but the outside humidity is a culprit here too.

I got my design and chicks from a local old timer who has had alot of experience and designed his coops with the local climate in consideration. The fact that my grandad and my dad never had electricity or heat in their coops is true, but they also had problems and lost chickens in the frigid New England winters. My dad often teases me about my "spoiled" hens, but also admits they weren't getting 6.5 eggs per day on the average from 7 pullets in the middle of winter either.

There is so much information and conflicting information from experts and old timers, out there and on this web site, it makes my fool head spin sometimes! A person has to live and learn, and all that I'm truly sorry about with this darn cold snap is that my girls had to suffer at all on my watch! Pets or Livestock is my business, but either deserves my best to be fed right, well cared for, and managed humanely. Just because I may eat them or set them on my lap in my living room, shouldn't matter, but was does, is that the birds don't suffer from preventable human mistakes. I wish I could control the weather, and I draw the line at bringing them in the house, but if anyone decides that's what works for them have at it!

Sorry for the rant, I probley just committed political suicide, and drove some folks away with my whining. Just feeling guilty about my pullets and was hoping by posting my experience from a few nights ago it might help or prevent someone else from the same fate, or at least let them know the reality of what happened and what I am trying to do to remedy the situation. My skins a little thin tonight, and I guess being defensive isn't going to help my chickens any, but sometimes cutting holes in the coop isn't the only kind of venting needed........

At times I get testy at the judgmental, condescending attitudes, or lack of patience from some of the folks here. There are several I really appreciate though, so I'll keep learning and listening, and hopefully keeping my tiny flock thriving. The common sense, experience, advice, wisdom, and patient live and let live approach to sharing their knowledge is indispensable, a huge asset and resource to many, for that I am truly grateful.............

Thanks, Julie

I'll be quiet now, lick my wounds, and get off my soap box, there's chickens to care for!.......... Julie

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/...for-you-boise-temperatures.html#storylink=cpy​

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Chickens do wonderful in the cold. They are much better in the cold than in the heat. Just make sure drafts are shut off but still give plenty of ventilation.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

If you think they will freeze I would shut them up. Not sure how cold we are talking about but if it's below freezing point for several days or weeks they could freeze or get severe frostbite. Do you have maybe a heat lamp you could put in your coop just to keep it a little warmer for them? Also how well insulated is your coop? I have shut mine inside for a day or two when it's been really cold. Of course they would rather get out and run around the run. Chickens do surprise me sometimes with their tolerance for cold and heat. They are tougher than we think. Good luck!

Frost bite will only happen is there is too much moisture. That is were ventilation comes into play. Plenty of vents open up high in the coop and not over the roosts and you will be good on the frostbite protection. The bad part about heat lamps is the risk of fire. There are so many people a year that lose their whole flock due to fire caused by heat lamps. They really dont need extra heat once they are fully feathered.

 

[TheReadyBoys]

Yes, my chickens don't like the snow or rain much. In fact, my rooster is the biggest baby when it comes to bad weather!