How cold is too cold?

[09northernchick]

We have a well insulated coop. I have not been using a heat lamp as the lowest it has gotten in the coop is about -4C. This week has been very cold and the coop has been down to -9C. I have been leaving the main door closed but leaving the pop door open so they can get to the run if they want to.

My husband just came in to tell me that some of the girls have black spots on their combs So now I'm thinking frostbite. So, here are my questions.

Should I be leaving the pop door closed and not letting them out in the run at all?

Is -9C too cold for the girls and should I turn on the heat lamp?

I have read about using vaseline on their combs to prevent frostbrite. So I should apply that once a day to keep them protected?

I'm on my way out now to take a look at their combs. I hope it isn't what I think it is

 

[patandchickens]

First, make sure it's not boo-boos from them pecking each others' combs, nor flecks of blood from pecking each other (inspect everyone's vent area!) or suchlike.

If it *is* frostbite -- which would show up as black on the tips of some comb points or on the edges of the comb, not as black 'freckles' on the main body of the comb -- then -9 C is not particularly cold for typical chicken breeds as long as the air is dryish. So I would be concerned that perhaps your air is too humid, if you really are getting frostbite at those temperatures. Solutions would include more/better ventilation, finding and fixing any waterer leaks, and reviewing the sanitation situation. It might also be worth considering running a (SAFELY RIGGED) source of heat for the chickens to get under if they wish, as already-frostbit tissue makes them more sensitive to cold til it heals.

Good luck, hope it's just some specks of dirt or something,

Pat

 

[CityChook]

Northern, what did you find upon further inspection?

I always get confused when doing the C to F conversion... but wouldn't -9C be the same as 16F?

You've got a pretty good sized coop. But without heat and with the pop door open, it might be getting too cold inside. Nine chickens won't really heat up a space that size easily with just their body heat, even with insulation and the window for sunlight. I'll probably take some criticism for this, but I'm a believer in providing heat. It helps me sleep at night...

Pat's advice is, as always, excellent. If it is frostbite, there's not much you can do at this point. I'd put a little vaseline on them, not just to guard against any additional frostbite, but also for comfort. It hurts.

Just for reference sake, I open my pop door every day that it's 10F. It does get closed up at night. If it's colder than 10F, I don't open the door because it makes it too hard to reheat the coop in time for the dramatic drop in temps at night. And I have a ceramic heat emitter over the roost that is on 24/7 from November through April. Still, my coop averages about 15F.

Hope this helps you. BTW, I think your coop is lovely.

 

[Keri78]

woops!

 

[Keri78]

I read somewhere on here that even a standard lightbulb would increase your temp(10-20degrees)...not sure where I read it? I would close the door at night. Load it with hay so they can snuggle..if it makes you feel better glob some vasaline on thier combs and stick a light bulb in there! HTH!!!Blessings, Keri

PS...Pretty Coop!!!

 

[Manok-Tao]

Quote:
You mentioned the ceramic heat emitter over the roost. Please give more info, size, wattage, how far from birds when on the roost? If I'm looking at going with heat lamp style bulbs how far away from the roost should they be?

That's an awesome set up your birds have there!

 

[Organics North]

Hi,
I have 12 pullets in a 7x7 coop. 1 100W ceramic heat emitter above the roost. 100W does not put out much heat, I would say mine is at least 1.5 feet from the birds. (On a thermo cube..on 35F off 45F) I have some ceiling venting at all times. I have lots of windows, I have old shipping blankets hung as thermal curtains that get closed at night. Coop is tight, R38 ceiling and R19 walls.

It was 28F inside when it was -25 outside. Most nights with our common -10F outside temps the coop stays above freezing. I close the pop door at night. Like CityChook, I would say 10F for a high day temp is near cut off for opening the pop door, for more than an hour or so....
Humidity when it is near 20F outside is around 50% when it is -15 or colder humidity inside is higher say 75% (Condensation and freezing on doors and windows like mad!) The results of closing to many vents. I am going for letting it freeze inside the coop and keeping humidity lower than 75%.
Hope this helps
ON

 

[CityChook]

Quote:
Thank you.

250 watt ceramic heat emitter bulb in an exterior metal lamp base, hardwired (with a switch) on the wall 30 inches above the roost (so probably 18-20 inches or so above the birds). This is "radiant heat" meaning that it heats surfaces, not air. I find that it *does* actually heat up the air *slightly* but the intent is to provide comfort while up on the roost, primarily at night, secondarily during daylight hours. There is no light, so it is not disruptive for their natural sleep patterns. I bought it last winter on ebay for about $25, which is about 50% retail. Some pet stores carry these bulbs in the reptile section, but not often at this wattage. Now that I have used it for two winters, I feel that I have gotten my money's worth.

I would not put a regular red heat bulb this close to the roost. I think it would be too close - too hot - and too dangerous. Infrared bulbs seem better equipped to heat up the air inside the coop, but I found that having the red light on 24/7 made my chickens aggressive with each other. Regardless, when temps go below -10F, I turn on a secondary heat source (a 250 watt infrared bulb) to heat up the air and keep the coop above 0.

There is much information on this heat source in the coop forum. Do a search in the blue bar above.

 

[Manok-Tao]

Appreciate the detailed answer.
I'll figure out what works here in NC