Can chickens stand the cold weather?

[primalchick]

I would say it depends on breed, and climate. Animals acclimate very well, so if you have cold winters your chickens should adjust. Today's high was -19 C/-2 F and my flock was outside all day (by choice). That's a pretty normal winter temperature here, and there was no wind chill. We have long, cold winters (the snow and cold hit here in mid-October and will melt in April). They get used to it.

I don't heat my coop. For our climate, I personally don't think it's a good idea as they won't acclimate to the cold if you do. They do have a nice insulated coop full of straw though, and for my convenience they have heated water dishes We'll get down to -40 in winter, and in those extreme temperatures I will put extra straw in their coop and don't open the door in the morning. They don't want outside in those type of temperatures anyways (and I don't blame them!), but they stay pretty cozy and comfortable in their coop even without a heat lamp.

I have cold hardy breeds though, and I think that makes a big difference. I have a friend with Silkies and they don't seem near as cold resistant as my birds.

That being said, as mrsjohnson said, when it's around -20 C/-4 F, eggs freeze pretty quick even in laying boxes full of straw. We do find a few frozen eggs if I'm not out there fast enough. Many of them expand and burst the shells lol

 

[rancher hicks]

"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​

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Now , now don't get your knickers in a twist. I personally ain't going no where. I've learned to just cool off and get back at it. No successful person ever quit.

Lets get some things straight with regards to this old bird. My advice is like dinner when I grew up. You have two choices. Take it or leave it. What works here in Syracuse may not work in Boise. Even the best "How to raise Chickens" book doesn't cover everything. I take what I can use and dump the rest. There are more ways than one to skin a cat.

Now if you feel folks are being condescending, you need to give them the benefit of the doubt. It's hard to see the physical emotion on their faces. I hold to most folks here just want to help is all.

Love ya, (well not love but like)

Rancher

 

[Yukonchick]

Mine is a Red Sussex cross

 

[rancher hicks]

Mine is a Red Sussex cross

You got pics? Or did I miss them?

 

[bruceha2000]

Sorry for the rant, I probably just committed political suicide, and drove some folks away with my whining.

You bet Julie, I'm outta here ASAP!!

My girls seem fine so far. The Anconas are showing a little greying on the tips of their combs but shy of locking them in the coop, enclosing it in plastic and running a dehumidifier plus heat OR heating the coop, the barn AND the entire outside within 200' of the barn to above freezing, there isn't much I can do about it.

It was 1F outside this morning when I let them out of the coop (quick, get outta the way, chicken Tsunami !) 12 F in the coop and just outside it in the barn alley. The circulating nipple watering system is working now that it is incorporated into the bottom of the "radiant floor" nest box (just loops of the tubing carrying the water from the nipple pipe back to the heated container), figured I might as well see if the floor of the nest is a BIT warmer, the eggs will have less chance to freeze. Haven't had any freeze before or after and half the girls still prefer the enclosed community box so I won't really have any way to know if it does any good. But it can't hurt!

Found 2 eggs at 9 and another at 11.

Bruce

 

[rancher hicks]

whoa, look at all the people on.

Waiting for DW to call and have to go to the mall for a carousel right with the Queen. I hate to go to the mall cuz I'm sure to spend money.

I don't go out much in this cold. Makes my arthritis hurt to much. Chickens are out there doing their thing.

Still haven't any idea how I'm gonna fix that fence post in this cold. I need to dig/drill a hole to set a new post, since the one there snapped in two. Any ideas?

If it were just one panel wide I could just nail up a temporary fix, but with it being in the middle of two that makes it double hard. I could rent a post digger but they need two people to use them. Digging the hole is the hard part.

It's 6' stockade.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I'm just going to put this on here and duck out, too.

-22 F this morning (not including windchill as they are in the coop today). Heat lamp installed last evening for the first time this winter. It will stay there for the next 3 days during these deadly temps. Uninsulated, vented coop was at -4 F at roost level. At -4 F my birds will keep their "winter toughness", I feel assured about that. And if I have the means to help prevent their feet and legs from freezing off from underneath them, that's what I'll do.

 

[bruceha2000]

Still haven't any idea how I'm gonna fix that fence post in this cold. I need to dig/drill a hole to set a new post, since the one there snapped in two. Any ideas?

Know anyone with a real tractor and post hole digger? I don't think you will get a post in without a powered auger or the old fashioned "Miner's way" - a pick axe. Then you have to figure out how to back fill. Probably OK with the auger but I suspect the pick axe stuff will be nothing more than chunks of frozen dirt of various sizes..

Bruce

 

[epeloquin]

My pop door remains open so if they want to get out of the breeze they can. I have part of the run covered with plastic to reduce the draft and keep snow out. I also keep the floor of the run covered with dry straw so their feet stay dry. They do quite well.

People think that if we are cold then the chickens must be. As I always tell people who worry about my girls, the heat is far, far more dangerous to a chicken.

 

[RichardHoney]

Hi....

I am in Colorado where it gets pretty cold. During a recent hard freeze -5F to -10F over the course of a week, I placed a 1 Gallon juice container filled with hot water in the coop each night. By 6am, everything outside was frozen solid, but the "hot water bottle" was still tepid. The inside of the coop is lined with about 2" of wood shavings on the floor and about 4" of packed straw .... I covered the "hot water bottle" with a light layer of straw (standing up) so they would not get burned. The water was not boiling ... but very hot to the touch!!! I think they loved their hot water bottle, and I did not have to mess with the risk of electrical. I'm thinking of going into the "coop heating system business" with small ATV radiators ... fill them from a spout outside and drain them through the bottom of the coop!!!! Radiant heat for my girlz .... they are pretty spoiled .....lol