How cold is TOO cold for a chicken?

[JackE]

It is about 9 F. My hens do not mind cold, it is the wetness they hate. We have snow, then it melts, then it snows, and repeat. My have a heated coop. They hate the snow .

If they don't mind the cold, why is the coop heated? The chickens sure don't need any help keeping warm.

 

[WthrLady]

I have 4 BRs, they are going on 4 yrs old. They have tall combs. They have been through winters, with temps to 0 F, (Sometimes a few degrees lower), and they have never had any problems with frostbite at all. And they have never had any vasoline smeared on them either. And of course, they live in a un-insulated, un-heated coop.

Hey Wthrlady, how's that Wood's coop working for you? The glazing has all but fell out of one of my coop's transom windows. Window has been rattling a bit. But I'm not messing with it now, unless it falls out. Winter has decided to show up here, last couple of mornings down to 10 F, or so. We were up in the 60's coupla weeks ago.

Ya. Normally I wouldn't bother slathering the cockerel, but he did get frostbite on his tips a couple of weeks ago. Still not sure how he managed it. But the goo helps the healing. Plus, the dude really likes the attention. (French Blue Copper Marana, so ya, huge single comb.). The other two that do have large combs, The Boy just loves to tend them, so I let him.

LOVE the coop! It's a show stopper on our road! I had a rattling upper window, some painters tape is holding it still, as the noise was driving me bankers. Mine has a long run attachment on it, which has corrugated clear panels on the sides. The correlation allows plenty of air flow still. I put wings on the run too, so those can be full wide open unless blowing snow or ice/rain are falling. I can open one, both, or neither. The pop door is open all the time as the run is fort Knox. They come and go as they please. About 11am, weather permitting, I open the run door and let them free range. I cannot believe I started building it a year ago!

DH wired it for me and I have supplemental lighting, but they've slowed so much, I don't see the point in using it anymore, so I'll probably switch the timer off slowly this week. Of 14, only 7 are laying, and not every day. The others are either off for the winter, or are molting. (almost done)

I put hay bales around the coop. Mine is elevated. They act as a wind block when the girls are out and playing underneath. I have a mix of DE and peat moss under there and it is a dust bath party at any hour!

 

[WthrLady]

Funny story. Last week, when we hit 5'F and the wind-chill was -17'. I went out about two hours before dawn to change the water and top the feed. The flock was already up as they have a light that turns on at 330am. ANYWHO, bundled up like nanook of the north, thinking of all who heat their coops in this weather (a story on the news the day before here had a house that burned down due to a heated coop, heat lamp, catching one of those mini prefab coops on fire and spreading to the house), and while I am slogging the 120 yards to the coop, balancing a 5 gallon bucket of water and a bucket of feed, while walking on ice in wind, I trip. ON A FLOCK OF DOVES! They apparently thought the wind break of my run was a great place to hang out for the night.

If they can make it through the night just fine, my fluff butts in their Grand Hilton Spa and Resort will be fine.

 

[WthrLady]

It is about 9 F. My hens do not mind cold, it is the wetness they hate. We have snow, then it melts, then it snows, and repeat. My have a heated coop. They hate the snow .

I don't like the wet, THEY don't like the cold/wet. I mucked out the run and put in clean hay, and in the parts that seem to get wet due to drainage on the hill as snow/ice melt, I put cypress mulch. It doesn't float or move like the hay, so the water flows under it. It gives them a place to get OUT of the wet if they choose to. Mine don't mind snow. They love eating it. You'd think it was Italian ice.

Mine stood around for an hour yesterday, fluff deep, eating pomegranates. Then it was off to the dust bath spa and a sit in the sun.

 

[AmberSD]

I appreciate hearing that. We are supposed to be zero for highs this weekend and 16 below for evening lows. I was a little worried until i read your post. It's my first year with these peepers. Thank you.

 

[WthrLady]

I appreciate hearing that. We are supposed to be zero for highs this weekend and 16 below for evening lows. I was a little worried until i read your post. It's my first year with these peepers. Thank you.

i make sure they go to bed with full tummies and have plenty of water to drink.

 

[intownchickn]

new to backyard chickens. Getting 4 and building a 4x4 coop and run 64 square feet (max city ordnance will allow). I live Wisconsin I imagine we have similar winters. Just make sure the roof is vented for moisture to escape and they will be fine? And feed and water the hens outside of the coop during the day as well. Planning on covering the run and in winter construction plastic around 3 sides?

 

[Beekissed]

Welcome to the forum!

I don't imagine that will be near enough space for 4 chickens, especially in the winter months. They spend a lot of time in the coop come winter snows, so imagine four adult chickens crowded into a 4x4 space. Barely enough living room for one bird, let alone four. Results in a lot of fighting and feather picking.

If you can manage it, you might think about going a little bigger with the coop space or just keeping 2 chickens? It will prevent potential problems down the road and will give your chickens a better life the more space they have to live in.

 

[Phoenixxx]

If they have lots of vertical space they might be okay. My coop is only 6x8 but it's also 8' high with 4' of one wall all nesting shelves and the back 4x6 section is a network of criss-crossed roosts from 2' all the way up to the ceiling. I've had as many as 30 large breed chickens - always at least 2 of them roosters - in there with no problems because they can all find their own personal space to hang out in

 

[ChickNanny13]

Ok, don't make fun of me but we live in Hilo, HI - I was concerned about leaving my chickens out in their new Run at night, they spend their mornings in & I let them out in the afternoons to grub around the fenced yard. They were raised in the Patio Coop which they still come in at nights to sleep but it would be "easier" for Hubby to tend them if they spent the night in the Run when I'm doing my Grandma Summer Trips (3wks). He's not into daily cleaning In the mornings they walk with me to the Run where I feed them, it's got a dog house with shavings.

Heat & Rain are the concerns here, the Run is wired in with roofing, on two sides (right & back) I have shade cloth & the front I have shower curtains (EMT rod) which I currently leave open. On the left side there's a Samoan Coconut tree that provides some protection. However, with the idea of having them spend nights in there, I'm concerned about the "cold"...Ok don't laugh, I know it sounds funny reading all your temperatures. It hasn't been too cold but we do get the winds.

The corner where the roost is in the Run is "exposed" so I'm thinking of putting up (removable) shower curtains to cut the wind & since I'm doing that may as well put up on the back & right side too (removable)....Is it over kill? They're more Pets with Benefits than production

Enjoy the laugh & Thank you for your inputs...