How cold is TOO cold for a chicken?

[hennible]

I had one girl ( black sex-a-link) I couldn't get back into the coop for a week in January when it was below -20 something she was fine ( it was a dry cold ).
I don't think I'll bother with heating the coop anymore just the water. Lots of debate and thought on this in the " winters coming check list thread"

 

[chicken chickie]

So to get it straight ...chickens do pretty ok in colder temps ...I am so worried ...it's 37 and a bit of snow and rain ..they are all in their coop which is Draft free and has plenty of bedding ...I am thinking it's me ..I freeze in 70 degree temps lol

 

[bobbi-j]

So to get it straight ...chickens do pretty ok in colder temps ...I am so worried ...it's 37 and a bit of snow and rain ..they are all in their coop which is Draft free and has plenty of bedding ...I am thinking it's me ..I freeze in 70 degree temps lol

Chickens do just great in colder temps. It's been below 20, with wind all week. DH just put the windows in the coop today, and that's because it's supposed to get to -8. Your chickens will be just fine.

 

[chicken chickie]

Chickens do just great in colder temps. It's been below 20, with wind all week. DH just put the windows in the coop today, and that's because it's supposed to get to -8. Your chickens will be just fine. 

thank you ...I just checked on them and they do seem fine and the coop seems surprisingly warm ...I guess I am too much of a mother hen lol

 

[WthrLady]

Mine spet the day free ranging. It never made it past 20'F today. Will be 4 tonight. They keep their coop pretty warm on theiir own. No heat, no lights.

I did keep the run closed two days prior due to 10' temps and 50 mph winds. Otherwise, I open tbe run door and let them choose if they want to go out.

 

[Temp]

Ditto on the no heat, just draft free, dry, plenty of feed and water. Wide roosts so they and cover their feet at night, lots of bedding to keep the floor warm and dry. Coldest it has gotten here so far this year is 15 but they did not miss a beat still laying 80% and free ranging a couple of hours in the afternoon.

 

[chicken chickie]

Thank you so much ...I guess because this is my first time and winter with chickens I am just a lil worried too much cause really pretty much everything I have read and researched says they are fine in cold temps ..they are draft free and have plenty of bedding so they are probably good ..I still check on them at night periodically lol

 

[WthrLady]

Leave them be. Everytime you peek, you let out their hard earned warm air. We will be down to 2 tonight. Windchills of below -20 but they aren't in the wind, ate and drank before they went to bed ( no food or water in the coop), and are sleeping on tbeir tipped 2x4.

 

[gmrt77]

Hi, I live in Oregon, and I recently had to deal with this, since the last four days we've reached 32F.
The roof of my coop is clear corrugated plastic to give them more light, and I was worried about the temperatures. I have installed the heat lamp in their run and runs from 3.30 - 11.00 pm. They are out there playing, pecking and chilling. Then I have an LED light inside of their coop. So far they are doing good, but I have a Plymouth Rock and a Buff Orpington. Right now it's getting close to 36 and they seem to be doing fine. Just make sure they are away from big drafty areas, and that they have lots of water (I added vinegar, garlic and some salt in the water to prevent it from freezing) so far it has worked. I also have added some herbal tea at night and they don't seem to mind that. They also love some warm treats before close them in for the night.

 

[minnehaha]

This is my first winter with chickens and sometimes it can get to -35 or lower here! BUT I have relaxed a little knowing those folks in Canada have chickens and they do just fine

it has gotten as low as 25 here at night and the chickens threw off enough heat to keep the coop at a whopping 40 degrees

with NO heat lamp. I keep a thermometer in their coop that I can read from in the house. I got it at walmart.

Picture, brand model? I would love to see the thermometer. What a great idea, and if you can read it from your house, I surly can read it from the comfort of my favorite chair with the laptop on my lap via the the coop cam...I can read backwards.