Can chickens stand the cold weather?

[bahman]

Hi
I think the ventilation is important.
my flock under 20



is no problem with the cold weather.

 

[Yukonchick]

We got dry cold up here in the Yukon but it can get extreme. Two weeks ago it was minus 35. Dawson city was minus 43 celsius. Brrrrrr

 

[Yukonchick]

Don't let it get colder than minus 8 or nine in thereor you get a frozen comb on your rooster. Check out my poor guy. it got downn to minus 34. Quickly insulated and got the temp up

 

[kbird]

I can't give you any good advice on frostbite, but I just wanted to comment about the rooster in your picture (avatar). He looks just like mine! I've been trying to identify his breed for the 3 years I've had him. Do you know what breed this rooster is? He's beautiful!

 

[TheReadyBoys]

I can't give you any good advice on frostbite, but I just wanted to comment about the rooster in your picture (avatar). He looks just like mine! I've been trying to identify his breed for the 3 years I've had him. Do you know what breed this rooster is? He's beautiful!

My rooster is a Rose Comb Light-Brown Leghorn. I had two, but one was killed a few months ago by an animal of sorts. The one is the pic isn't actually mine, it's the person I bought mine from. But they are the exact same, basically.

 

[rancher hicks]

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

I close the pop hole doors at night to keep them safe. Preds might dig under the runs. Here's what I do in the winter. As you can see the runs are covered with plastic. Not sealed up tight but enough to break the wind. The back sides have tarps hung and secured with zip ties. If it's not to cold I do open the doors and let them go out if they choose.




This run is covered in the front up about 2/3's to keep the snow out.




Bales of hay are stacked for them to climb on and keep busy. Straw is on the floor to keep their feet warm.

 

[wherry]

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Thanks for the post. I relocated the water to inside my coop and added a base tin heater. I like that it has a built in thermostat - turns off when the temp goes above 37F. Seems to help keep the coop warmer on cold night (New Hampshire as well) but I am concerned about the potential for increased moisture. Have been keeping the "window" and pop door open during the day but close them up at night. SO far my biggest concern is that my hens are either starting to molt or the roo is a little too amorous. How can you tell? Started making hen aprons to help with the feather loss on the back and to help them stay a little warmer...

 

[Bogdahns mom]

Reading these posts made me laugh at myself. I've been worried sick because the girls sleep on their outdoor perch not in their inside coop perch no matter the weather (this is my first winter with the girls). Reading todays weather report got me really concerned so I spent the day designing and sewing hats to prevent frostbite. The girls promptly got them off. My husband is out of down so I took his cold weather sleeping bags and covered the run-I now have 3 days to plastic up the north and east sides to block the wind and according to those of you north of me quit worrying. Thanks all-I'll still worry, but a little more controled.

 

[centrarchid]

Reading these posts made me laugh at myself. I've been worried sick because the girls sleep on their outdoor perch not in their inside coop perch no matter the weather (this is my first winter with the girls). Reading todays weather report got me really concerned so I spent the day designing and sewing hats to prevent frostbite. The girls promptly got them off. My husband is out of down so I took his cold weather sleeping bags and covered the run-I now have 3 days to plastic up the north and east sides to block the wind and according to those of you north of me quit worrying. Thanks all-I'll still worry, but a little more controled.

Most of mine kept exposed with little more than wind block and they do fine. For simply maintaining birds that is adequate although for egg production more needed although not as much as many think. Additionally, some lengths folks go to can actually be a stressor on birds rather than making life easier as intended.

 

[bruceha2000]

I'm late to the party and did wonder why this one made the front page when the
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/421122/think-its-too-cold-for-your-chickens-think-again
thread has been active for over 2 years. But I can't help but chime in

Background: coop is a converted stall in an OLD barn. No heat (couldn't anyway) and no insulation.

Listen to Justine. She is mere kilometers from you, similar climate and has who knows (I'm not even sure she knows) how many birds of all nature she has (including one that lays dozens of tiny brown "eggs" all at once

). Sorry your snow hen melted before you could get a snow rooster Justine

Also I noticed some blood and aggravation on all the combs of the chickens. They are whitish color and have black spots, kind of like when a cut is healing, it seals up and leaves a noticeable spot. Is this the first sign of frost bite?

Probably and it if is on the combs it is likely due to high humidity in the coop. My Anconas are getting some of that but on their wattles. I think from water drops when they drink.

I bought a prefabbed coop this summer - not huge but big enough for them. I have it full of pine shavings and sand and I have a heat lamp secured that I leave on during the day with their coop door open (if the temps are 30's or below). At night, I close them in and the heat lamp goes off. The coop is also wrapped with a plastic tarp because I'm not convinced that it's draft proof or that it's water proof since we didn't build it ourselves. I do keep the vents on top open for circulation.

The girls do very well. They are predicting temps for us next week in the single digits with -0 windchills. I am not sure whether I'll keep the heat source on all night or not at this point but will see how they do. For sure, they do not like wind. I've only had to close them in during the day once due to a snow storm. What i've learned so far is that they probably don't need heat during the day, but I know they enjoy the warmth especially when it's windy and colder. So, they get heat during the day. If it's going to be single digits at night and bitterly cold, I'll leave their heat on a lot longer at night and if they are resting and roosting, i'll leave it on, if they're restless and not roosting, i'll turn it off. If the seem stressed the next morning after whatever I did, i'll do it differently the next day. I think we, myself included, make it harder than it needs to be. LOL

If there are no drafts, there is NO windchill. And there should be NO drafts in the coop. If you have an outside run, I'm sure they would appreciate having a wind blockage on the walls.

The only reason they would need heat in the single digits would be if they didn't feather up properly due to being kept too warm as winter descended.

Don't let it get colder than minus 8 or nine in there or you get a frozen comb on your rooster.

C? -8 C? If you are getting frostbite at 17F it is a humidity problem for sure. Now the -34 C, now that is cold

Reading these posts made me laugh at myself. I've been worried sick because the girls sleep on their outdoor perch not in their inside coop perch no matter the weather (this is my first winter with the girls). Reading todays weather report got me really concerned so I spent the day designing and sewing hats to prevent frostbite. The girls promptly got them off. My husband is out of down so I took his cold weather sleeping bags and covered the run-I now have 3 days to plastic up the north and east sides to block the wind and according to those of you north of me quit worrying. Thanks all-I'll still worry, but a little more controled.

Chicken hats

Figure if they are sleeping on the outdoor perch it is because they are COMFORTABLE on their outdoor perch

They aren't like teenagers who dress foolishly for the weather because they want to be "cool" (or is it "kewl" or is that now passe as well?).

Yep, block the wind and they will be happy chickens

Bruce