- Apr 18, 2014
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I'm adding artificial light now as I live in northern mn. If you search my previous posts there is a post on lighting and heating. I just changed my "on time " on my light timer to 4am today. My girls are roosting by 7:00 pm now as it is dark by 7:30. Your breeds are hearty and do well in cold weather. Ventilation is more important than the temp. If your coop is small and produces allot of moisture in the winter months that will be more of a problem than cooler temps. I don't plan on using any heat source unless it gets really brutal cold. Once snow falls my chickens will be cooped in the insulted coop and their run will be inside the barn so that won't be exposed to frozen ground or snow at all. Their combs and feet can easily get frost bite. Short of that they are winter hearty. I have set up a fodder system so they will have no need to forage outside once the temps deep below freezing.