How cold is too cold for chickens?

[Cloverr39]

I've heard chickens will be fine walking aoutside in -20°C weather, but what about at night? I only have a small wooden coop made out of pallets and one layer of styrofoam along the walls. The breeds I have are silkies, bantam brahmas and bantam cochins. Overall pretty small and compact breeds, so as long as the coop is well ventilated I shouldn't have to worry about frostbite.
What are the temperatures that are too cold for chickens? I really don't want to wake up one morning and see that my beloved pets have died from the cold. What's like the limit that u keep them outside for? Because last year in early spring I took my chickens in the garage at night. This will be my first winter though.

 

[azygous]

Temperature is not the issue. Chickens are well insulated from the cold. (Think how well down jackets work.) The issue is wetness in all forms.

Wet feet can turn into frostbite. Wet feathers can suck body heat out of a chicken. Humidity can cause condensation to settle on exposed tissue and cause frostbite. Cold drafts can also cause loss of body heat.

As long as chickens have a good diet with adequate calories, they will maintain normal body heat and not become cold. Having a dry coop, well ventilated so condensation can't occur, they shouldn't get frostbite. Proper winter ventilation is obtained by air flow, not drafts and breezes.

One of the most common sources of frostbite on chickens is poor winter water systems that leak onto feet or permit wattles to dip into the water and get wet and freeze.

 

[Cloverr39]

Temperature is not the issue. Chickens are well insulated from the cold. (Think how well down jackets work.) The issue is wetness in all forms.

Wet feet can turn into frostbite. Wet feathers can suck body heat out of a chicken. Humidity can cause condensation to settle on exposed tissue and cause frostbite. Cold drafts can also cause loss of body heat.

As long as chickens have a good diet with adequate calories, they will maintain normal body heat and not become cold. Having a dry coop, well ventilated so condensation can't occur, they shouldn't get frostbite. Proper winter ventilation is obtained by air flow, not drafts and breezes.

One of the most common sources of frostbite on chickens is poor winter water systems that leak onto feet or permit wattles to dip into the water and get wet and freeze.

What if there's snow outside and they walk around in snow or mud the whole day? Will their feet be wet even if there's dry straw at the bottom of the coop? Would the feet dry by the time they go to sleep?
What is the ideal water system for winter that doesn't get their feet or wattles wet?

 

[FC16]

Temperature is not the issue. Chickens are well insulated from the cold. (Think how well down jackets work.) The issue is wetness in all forms.

Wet feet can turn into frostbite. Wet feathers can suck body heat out of a chicken. Humidity can cause condensation to settle on exposed tissue and cause frostbite. Cold drafts can also cause loss of body heat.

As long as chickens have a good diet with adequate calories, they will maintain normal body heat and not become cold. Having a dry coop, well ventilated so condensation can't occur, they shouldn't get frostbite. Proper winter ventilation is obtained by air flow, not drafts and breezes.

One of the most common sources of frostbite on chickens is poor winter water systems that leak onto feet or permit wattles to dip into the water and get wet and freeze.

I agree it’s more drafts/wind that’s an issue and they’re far more tolerant than we think. Also make sure they’re roosting bars aren’t too thin so when they’re sleeping at night they can cover their feet

 

[azygous]

Usually, frostbite occurs when wet feet don't dry. Walking in the snow won't cause frostbite since the snow gets flung off as they walk about. Frostbite can occur if the chickens get wet feet before they roost and they haven't dried. Then that moisture can cause the tissue to freeze.

A big factor is wind. Wind chill lowers the air temperature. A draft in the run or coop hitting wet wattles or feet will cause the temperature to be below freezing and the tissue then freezes.

When there is improper air flow in a coop at night, the danger comes from the chickens' breath. As they exhale, moisture comes out with the air and can then settle on the combs and freeze. Unless air flow carries this moisture laden air up and away from the chickens, frostbite can occur.

There is really no such thing as an ideal winter waterer. If water spills or drips onto feet or wattles drag in the water, then frostbite can occur. As long as the chickens can stay dry, they will be fine.

 

[Cloverr39]

Also make sure they’re roosting bars aren’t too thin so when they’re sleeping at night they can cover their feet

Thank you! I think my roosting bars are good. I felt their feet when I closed the coop like 20 minutes ago and everyone's feet were warm. Their fingers go slightly over the bar, but they can cover that with feathers. Here's what my roosting bars are like

 

[K0k0shka]

Choose your run bedding wisely and you won't have to deal with mud and wetness. What do you currently have? I have a mix of wood chips, dry leaves, and various yard waste accumulated over the summer that I throw in there (grass clippings, spent garden plants, etc.) I bag and collect my fall leaves, and periodically dump a bag in the run. The result is a mix of different textures and size particles that drains very well and the surface dries very quickly, so it doesn't get muddy, doesn't form puddles, and the surface doesn't freeze solid. No slick ice skating rinks in there in winter (a common complaint a lot of people have). Even if the deeper layers freeze, the top stays dry and fluffy and the chickens can scratch through it to keep busy and to help it air out and dry even faster. My run isn't completely covered, so snow blows in when we have big storms. I shovel the bulk of it and cover the rest with a new bag of dry leaves. It gives the chickens something dry to put their feet on, and to scratch through as a boredom buster.

This system has been working out great for me. No mud, no puddles, no stink, and no frozen feet.

 

[Cloverr39]

Choose your run bedding wisely and you won't have to deal with mud and wetness. What do you currently have? I have a mix of wood chips, dry leaves, and various yard waste accumulated over the summer that I throw in there (grass clippings, spent garden plants, etc.) I bag and collect my fall leaves, and periodically dump a bag in the run. The result is a mix of different textures and size particles that drains very well and the surface dries very quickly, so it doesn't get muddy, doesn't form puddles, and the surface doesn't freeze solid. No slick ice skating rinks in there in winter (a common complaint a lot of people have). Even if the deeper layers freeze, the top stays dry and fluffy and the chickens can scratch through it to keep busy and to help it air out and dry even faster. My run isn't completely covered, so snow blows in when we have big storms. I shovel the bulk of it and cover the rest with a new bag of dry leaves. It gives the chickens something dry to put their feet on, and to scratch through as a boredom buster.

This system has been working out great for me. No mud, no puddles, no stink, and no frozen feet.

I don't really have run bedding at the moment. It's just plain dirt. I threw some fallen leaves in there and it stayed less muddy for about a week, but now the mud is back.

 

[K0k0shka]

I don't really have run bedding at the moment. It's just plain dirt. I threw some fallen leaves in there and it stayed less muddy for about a week, but now the mud is back.

That's not a good setup - both for mud/freezing, and for waste management purposes. The litter I describe forms a compost system with the poop and it breaks down into nice rich compost. That's why it doesn't smell. Bare dirt will compact over time, which makes draining difficult so it will form puddles on top, will get muddy, will freeze solid in winter and form a slippery sheet of ice... And the poop will have nowhere to go, it will just collect on top and stink. It needs carbon for the nitrogen in the poop to form a composting reaction, it won't compost on its own. You need to give it carbon in the form of plant matter. Otherwise you'd need to clean it out. I don't clean my run with the setup I have, and it doesn't look poopy or smell. Because there's a deep layer of loose litter material, the chickens scratch through it and mix the poop in with the litter, helping it break down. So for the purposes of poop management and avoiding mud and freezing, the run needs to have some kind of litter material on the ground, not just bare ground. Leaves are a good occasional addition, but like you've noticed, they don't last long, so they should either be replenished often, or be added to something else already there. They don't just disappear though - they turn into shredded plant material that will add up over time to build that rich layer of litter. You just need to add more to it - other plant material, and/or more leaves. I highly recommend wood chips being one of the ingredients. They take years to break down, so they'll provide drainage and texture for a long time, in addition to the other materials.

 

[3KillerBs]

I don't really have run bedding at the moment. It's just plain dirt. I threw some fallen leaves in there and it stayed less muddy for about a week, but now the mud is back.

If you've got mud you need to have some kind of litter in the run.

Where, in general, are you? Some materials are locally abundant but unknown in other areas -- such as the pine straw I use here in the US Southeast.

Any dry organic material can be used, but the gold standard for the control of mud and odor is coarse wood chips -- the sort you'd get from a tree-trimming service. Chunky, undyed mulch is probably next best.

Straw is traditional, but needs some management to keep it from packing, matting, and forming anaerobic pockets. Wood shavings are usually too fine for controlling mud but are otherwise useful. Fall leaves and similar yard waste can be very useful.

I generally prefer a mix of materials over one material alone.