Can chickens stand the cold weather?

[Cknldy]

Out of 3 rir hens and 1 bg that are laying I get 3 eggs most days. Sometimes 2 eggs. Maybe 5 days total with no eggs since last september when they first started to lay.

 

[TheReadyBoys]

Strange. I got one egg this morning from 4 RIRs.

 

[rancher hicks]

Something to do with the editor not working. It seems to be now:




Drafts (or draughts if you prefer

) aren't so much the wind blowing but air moving. You can get a draft on a nearly windless day if rising heat escapes which pulls cooler air in.

What you WANT is to be able to ensure than any air moving through the coop isn't blowing over the birds. At least not in the COLD. In the heat that breeze is a plus. That is why the open front coops aren't drafty, there is no where for the air to go once it hits the open front because no air can pass through any other wall. The could be a gale blowing straight at the windows and other than the very front, you would not even know there was a wind. At the same time, because there is so much open "window" area, natural air exchange will occur. Those coops would be VERY drafty if the back or side walls had gaps.

Thus, if our Ark is TRULY tight, having the door open on the bottom will not create a draft. They might still have cold bums since the air at the opening is cold and that cold will cool the coop eventually. But that is true of EVERY coop unless heat is added - man made or just the sun in the day time.

Now I have a question:
The "roost" looks like it is a board very close to the floor. Is there enough headroom to put one or more perpendicular to that but up a bit higher so the girls aren't down at floor level? They prefer to roost as high as they can. It looks like at least one could be to the left and would not be over the opening in the floor at all.



It was +1 F (-17 C) this morning though it was 12 F (-11 C) in the barn and coop. The girls came roaring out as soon as I opened the door about 9:15 so clearly that temp wasn't making them cold and slow. Good thing I wasn't trying to walk when they blew by or I'd be doing a jig trying not to step on them. They spent part of the day outside (at their discretion) and it never got over +9 F. The sun shone for a while but it was cloudy most of the day.

Bruce

One thing we need to take into account is the humidity. This comes from the birds as they exhale. Since heat rises this moist warm air needs to be drawn off and away. This is why the venting needs to be near the top of the coop rather than the lower part. This particular design lends itself to a "ridge vent" type venting. Much like a house.

However you want the venting "above" the chickens rather than at the same level. I don't think this design was meant for permanent housing but rather a temporary tractor type housing. I could be wrong.

Because of where this is placed you could hang burlap around the sides to and move it back into the space a little more. This will protect it from any direct wind.

If you are using this as a coop rather than a tractor , meaning that they are not confined to the small run space underneath, I'd reconfigure the whole set up, by removing the middle section and cutting three small 1- 11/2 " holes front and back under the peaks (you could buy some vent plugs to stick in the holes at HD) , so the lower section would be where they spent the night. You could run a roost side to side 12" off the floor and put in some bedding.

I hope I haven't misunderstood your concerns.

 

[Bogdahns mom]

My chickens can stand the cold, but they can't stand my sister in law.

Learning chickens are smart when it comes to humans-bet they'd dislike my sister-in-law as well. I would never let her near my girls, she'd probaly think they killed or were a lover in a past life. Animal suicide-I've seen it a couple times abused animals protect themselves the best way they can.

 

[Polson]

Here in Wisconsin it's -7 F this morning. My 6 BR hens live in a non-insulated coop with an open run door 24/7. They are happy, purring young ladies everyday with no heat and plenty of air movement. There are many opinions out there, but consider how much conflicting information you are getting. People are telling you to insulate and seal your coop from drafts then tell you to have plenty of vents so the moisture can escape. HUH? Your birds are tough animals by nature! Don't heat your coop because if that fails they won't be able to quickly adjust to the environment. They do this naturally with the changing of the seasons. Success = protection from the wind, plenty of food, and constant supply of fresh water, that's it. For some added energy during the really cold weather, grains and sunflower seeds are nice.

 

[Cknldy]

Had a frozen and split egg in the box this morning. Rest of the week is killer wind chills in the negative teens so I moved my chickens into the feed shed to better protect them from the wind. All hens acted like they knew what my intentions were. I've got a couple of hens with 'cool' personalities, they just go with the flow and nestle right in. Even my big roo that tends ro be aggressive only took one minute to submit like a hen in a corner and indignantly be carried like a football under the arm to warmth and protection! Lol, couldn't believe it. Here they are much warmer in the shed:

 

[Cknldy]

It's a quick fix for now, not grand or glorious but they're thankful. 3 hens and roo in the 4'×4' chick grow out pen. Hey, i wrangled that thing in the door and even though it isn't near as much room as their coop and run at least they won't battle the wind. My 2 bg mix hens in the 4'×2' dog cage- tuxedo (in the back) just scratched her out a little nest spot and got comfy!

 

[MsChickenMomma]

Yesterday it was 9 degrees here in Michigan, and the wind chill was below zero. I left the small chicken door open for my hens so they still had the option to go outside. Only 2 of my 15 chickens went outside, and they didn't stay out long. But I still left them the option to go out. I made sure they had a constant supply of room temperature water, so I had to refresh their bucket every hour or so. Depsite how cold it was, I got 8 eggs from my 13 hens. (I have 2 roosters) Today is about 3 degrees colder than yesterday, and my chickens all seem to be doing fine.

Just make sure they have plenty of shavings, or whatever bedding you use, and make sure they have plenty of fresh water, and they should be fine. Also on the really really cold days, put vaseline on their combs when they are up on their roosts at night. That way it keeps them from getting chapped combs, and frost bite.

Chickens do very well with cold. As long as they have a place to geet out of the weather, they should be fine. I have never used a heater for my chickens, and they have all done just fine through the winter.

Wishing you all the best!
-Ashley.

 

[aoxa]

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.


THAT tells you everything you need to know about whether they should be allowed out or not. Small chicken brains, yes, but they have their basic needs figured out.


I don't agree with this. Extra hours of light may fool their systems into thinking it is laying season but it isn't going to affect how much they eat. My girls have food 24x7 in their coop. We usually give them a "good morning" snack (warm oatmeal with beef/pork fat from some prior dinner and some BOSS when it is ~10F or below). They get scratch before roost time and will fly down off the roosts to get it if they've already gone to bed. We get sun from 7:30 to 3:30 mid December. If 8 hours isn't enough light for them to get enough food they would be eating all day long. They don't, not even close. They have a 60W equivalent CFL OUTSIDE the coop pointing in that goes on 4:30 AM, off at 7:30. It isn't enough light to make them think it is time to get up. On again for an hour spanning nightfall since the coop is inside a barn and daylight in there shuts down before it does outside and the girls think it is time for bed. My larger Black Australorp didn't start laying until 1/3 and has laid every day since except the day after her first, including a whopper 82 g egg 3 days ago.

THIS I agree with

Thanks Erika


That would be -10 C, right? Let us know when it gets cold on P.E.I.

My guess on the ice ball is humidity.

If you are only going insulate ONE area, it should be the CEILING. Heat rises and you will lose about as much heat with insulated walls and no insulation in the ceiling as with no insulation at all. Now, as to the heater. Yes, I imagine there is a temperature you don't want to go below and -35 (C or F) is probably in the range. Haven't had chickens before so I don't know what the "Max" minimum might be. Possibly even -20F. So keeping a coop from dropping below that isn't the same (IMHO) as heating the coop.

Mine haven't yet seen -10F (though they might this week, the Clipper is scheduled to come through) and they have been FINE. Happy, healthy and active.The people posting that they heat to keep it above freezing aren't doing their chickens any favors. Put on your heaviest winter clothing (OK, you people in the south, put on all the clothes you own) then go into a grocery store from an outside temp of sub freezing (you in the south, go find a restaurant with a walk in freezer to come out of). See how comfortable you are NOT in the heated space. Likewise, start in a heated space with clothing appropriate for that temp, then go outside (or into the freezer). Again, how NOT comfortable are you? Chickens kept in unheated coops "put on" their winter coats as the cold season progresses. They can't just throw it on to go outside and they can't just take it off to go inside.


See the above remark.


Seems like they have enough sense to hang where they are comfortable

Ever see a wild turkey? Not nearly so well fed as I'm sure your birds are and they roost in trees all winter and that includes places where it gets cold, for REAL cold like -20 to -40 F. If they are cold and have the option going inside, your turkeys will do so.

Quote:
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

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.


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.

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

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

Yesterday it was 9 degrees here in Michigan, and the wind chill was below zero. I left the small chicken door open for my hens so they still had the option to go outside. Only 2 of my 15 chickens went outside, and they didn't stay out long. But I still left them the option to go out. I made sure they had a constant supply of room temperature water, so I had to refresh their bucket every hour or so. Depsite how cold it was, I got 8 eggs from my 13 hens. (I have 2 roosters) Today is about 3 degrees colder than yesterday, and my chickens all seem to be doing fine.

Just make sure they have plenty of shavings, or whatever bedding you use, and make sure they have plenty of fresh water, and they should be fine. Also on the really really cold days, put vaseline on their combs when they are up on their roosts at night. That way it keeps them from getting chapped combs, and frost bite.

Chickens do very well with cold. As long as they have a place to geet out of the weather, they should be fine. I have never used a heater for my chickens, and they have all done just fine through the winter.

Wishing you all the best!
-Ashley.

My egg production is booming!

The issue here is to collect them before they freeze.

 

[MsChickenMomma]

My egg production is booming!

The issue here is to collect them before they freeze.

Same here! I haven't had any frozen eggs yet, but I go out every 1-2 hours to check on my girls, so they never have the chance to freeze. This is the coldest winter we have had in Michigan in years, and yet I have been getting twice as many eggs as I got last year, with less hens! I had 28 hens and only got 3-4 eggs per day (I know, weird huh?) and now I have 13 hens and I have been getting 5-8 every day. Even with half of my hens being almost 5 years old!