Extreme Temp - Cold Winter - Below Freezing in Chicago Windo Chill -25 - -35. Winds up to 55mph

[Onecornerstone]

What to do?

I'm suffering from the same concerns in the NW burbs of Chicago as others on this message board. Cold temperatures don't usually cause me to consider heating the coop, or closing the windows (even when below freezing), but the weather warnings for the next two days/nights are not in the realm of normal.
Unfortunately, most posts on chicken sites or the ytube that are related to cold weather, do not address these extremes. I understand the concerns of fire risks. I understand a chickens ability to warm themselves. My concern is about the limits to this. The actual science to freezing a chicken. We all own freezers, we know it can be done. Not alive, of course. This is what I am trying to avoid. See weather warning below:

So, my questions:

1. Do I close the coop up and heat it during these 24-48 hours? I have two windows about 10 inches above the roosting bars, (not placed well in hindsight.) They are always open, about 12 x12 inches of screening each. This is certainly drafty with 55 mph winds! However, these windows are the ONLY ventilation in this space, beside the little chicken door that releases them to the run. Do I close the windows DURING those 24-48 hours? Leave them open an inch? How much ventilation do I NEED to control moisture for 2 days? The two days most likely to cause frostbite? Note: snow would also be blowing in. I'm not referring to the everyday recommendations.

2 Do I put sweeter heaters in there? Do I hang these from above the roosts? If so, How far above the roost to prevent frostbite, but not too far to be ineffective? Or wall mount behind their roost? Ceramic heat emitters, etc? They have deep litter, currently. The walls are insulated.

We are only on our second year as chicken owners. The building they live in is a Cadillac for chickens. They are our pets. I've taken most of my knowledge from study and research and from actually watching what they do via blink cameras (3). The chickens have taught us alot about how hardy they are.

Please comment if you've experienced -30F with chickens.

 

[igorsMistress]

I know @cavemanrich is in your general area, perhaps he has some ideas for you.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You might follow this link. They live in bitterly cold weather.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

 

[Mrs. K]

Excellent article above that Ridgerunner mentions.

My advice - same weather notice. THINK DRY not warm. I think that if you lower your roost it would be better than closing the windows. When you close the windows, you do not save heat, you save moisture. Think of being in an unheated car with a bunch of people, almost immediately, it begins to fog up. Amazingly fast.

Good dry bedding below - get it deep.

Do have some hideouts in the coop.

Mrs K

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

Excellent article above that Ridgerunner mentions.

My advice - same weather notice. THINK DRY not warm. I think that if you lower your roost it would be better than closing the windows. When you close the windows, you do not save heat, you save moisture. Think of being in an unheated car with a bunch of people, almost immediately, it begins to fog up. Amazingly fast.

Good dry bedding below - get it deep.

Do have some hideouts in the coop.

Mrs K

Snow will be blowing in those open windows so leaving them open would not let moisture escape.

If it were me, I would bring the chickens into my garage for a couple days. No it’s not ideal but not every coop is designed for every weather event. Presumably they would have a LOT of air in the garage and they wouldn’t have any drafts or snow blowing in.

 

[ChickyWhicky]

Im in Southeast Iowa & in the same weather boat.

Looking forward to the comments, as well. Interested to see what people say. I understand chickens can handle cold BUT -40 windchill with 50+ mph wind with blowing snow is a bit extreme for most animals. Mine are in an uninsulated coop but it is snug/no drafts. Ventilation up top (above roosts). Will keep the extra 2 ventilation "windows" (roost level) closed due to blowing wind/snow. Will add extra layer of bedding and straw this afternoon. Provide lots of food.
I think they will be ok without supplemental heat? I have never provided heat lamp/heaters for them. I do have 3 juveniles that are only a few months old (fully feathered) I think they will be okay, they tend to sleep together so they can huddle up for warmth.
I guess we will see what happens. Good luck, everybody & stay warm/safe.

 

[cavemanrich]

You have received good advice from above postings.
I'm in your area, so same weather situation.
Here are my thoughts;; see what works best for you.

If you can bring them inside your garage for the next 3 days, or so,, the deep freeze will pass. I watch same weather reports as you on TV.

If you are not able to bring inside,,, then 2 things need to be done. Lower, or remove the roosts for time being.

Cover the openings with a furnace filter. The filter will keep out the blowing snow, and still allow humidity to vent out.
Here are some types I found for you.

There are also some other options. Use straw bales to block wind from blowing thru window openings. Have straw close to wall, but not against it totally. Picture just for reference. Bales would need to be at your window opening heigth of your coop.

If you have a sheet of plywood, lean it against the wall of coop, to block direct wind.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Onecornerstone]

Brilliant suggestions. I did debate bringing them into my garage. Unfortunately, we just got them out of there, as we designed their outbuilding over the summer. My husband is NEVER allowing them in there again. This group did not stay put, and made a mess on several shelves. If they all could have lived peacefully in a 4x8 space, then it could have worked, as a repeat situation.

I would recommend a garage for those with small flocks, as a temporary solution, especially when they are outside during the day. We did this with our first six chickens, and they simple stayed on their roosts without an enclosure, a well behaved little flock. Again only temporarily. This will be a delight for all the rodents that pass through as they collect feathers, etc. Not an ideal scenario. It has also crossed my mind to build a modular unit that can be assembled and disassembled when needs like this occur. Perhaps, on a small-scale for a sick bird, or a large scale for a sick flock (or weather events). (I over-think things).

UPDATE:

The weather front should be moving in this AM. However, I already have one chicken with frostbite on her comb. I have a mixed flock. So, I was surprised it wasn't a chicken with a big beautiful comb. It was my brahma with a small pea comb.

I added another layer of bedding and 3 sweeter heaters. I'm so paranoid now that the whole flock will be suffering from frostbite, and I will have to deal with infections next.

Via CAMERA -

As of this morning half the chickens are on the roosts and half are on the poop boards, covered with bedding, under the roosts. This is unusual. There's always a few that will perch at the edge of the boards. But these chickens are laying right in the middle of the bedding. And a few are laying on the floor of the coop (deep bedding). This tells me their feet are cold.

Interestingly, only half the flock are near the sweeter heaters. I topped off food and water. We also made sure our generators were ready, and made a fuel stop. Both for us, and for the chickens now.

As suggested, today I will remove their roosts and bed down 1 more time. I'm hoping this will prevent frostbitten feet and sores that may be forming that I can't see right now. It will also get them farther away from the window draft. (Thanks Cavemanrich)

Blessings, health and safety to you all. Thank you for your time and sharing in my woes.

 

[Maureen in Chesterton]

We're in NW Indiana, same forecast, same concerns. This is our flock's 3rd winter - 1 rooster, 12 hens. Our coop is 6'x8', ~4' high, raised up so their food and water is normally beneath the coop - but they have to leave the coop to get to it under normal circumstances. 2, 2' long awning windows across the top for ventilation. We have glass doors set on their long edge on end along the W, N, E, and part of S walls of their secure "little yard" encompassing the coop; also some glass windows arranged around the area beneath the coop where their food, water, grit, oyster shell are. Have an electric heater on a raised shelf, secured so chickens can't get to it or knock it down, on a wi-fi controlled outlet, so we can turn it on and off (provided we don't lose power!)
We're thinking we won't let the chickens out tomorrow, keep the pop door closed, when the forecast daytime temp is -4 to 2 F, windchills -22 to -30F. Is it ok to keep them in so small an area? We'll put in a fresh chicken water-er every hour? Does that introduce too much humidity? Give them a mash of food / scratch corn / warm water, replace that every so often so it's not frozen? We gave them a scratch corn-water mash this morning to get them used to it.
Any comments / suggestions?

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

For future, you could use a cheap tent in the garage. That would have the benefit of containing the mess as well as the chickens.