It's 13 degrees outside...And I am worried

[The Meadow]

I live in the Ottawa region of Ontario, Canada. Our winter temperatures range from -5'C (23'F) to -35'C (-31'F). The craziness of these last few winters has meant wild swings of temperature. We had 74 freeze thaw cycles last winter. I think that made it quite difficult for the chickens. They loved the thaws ... but then the freeze ups were so sudden. We had major flooding - followed by flash freezes that even locked our cars in ice. We had to have a tow truck 'pop' them out. My flock includes red sex links, marans and a few 'barnyard mixed breeds'. I've built them a winter run that is covered in with tarps except for a south wall of windows. The sides are all lined with straw bales. There isn't a square corner in the works ... all pretty much 'organic' as in shaped however I could manage around trees and their indoor quarters. They love it in there. I did have a heat lamp on for part of yesterday as we hit -30'C with no sunshine. Using the lamp seems to keep the run at about -15'C. They were fine.

 

[The Meadow]

Here is an inside shot of what we call 'The Palace'. I had our neighbours collect their fall leaves in two large feed bags. On really cold or snowy days I bring in a big bin of them and the chickens have a great time searching for bugs and digging through them all. I scatter some chicken scratch with them to add a little corn to their diet on those days as well.

 

[BDutch]

Maybe nice to know?
Chickens adapt to their climate in a couple/several generations. So if you buy chickens from an 'neighbour' who has local chickens for many years or breed you own chickens for a long time without heating, the chickens should stand the cold period where ever you live.

(Its a theory I once read. Not my personal experiance)

 

[aart]

We had 74 freeze thaw cycles last winter.

Really!? Above freezing for a full day thaws?
I hate the thaws here because the humidity just soars!

 

[cmom]

My brother lives in Northern Michigan and has chickens. They have a small coop. He divided the property of their old farm and sold the property and bought another farm but they have horses too. I have not been to their new place. They do have a heat lamp in their small coop.

 

[NHMountainMan]

It got down to -1F last night. It's up to a balmy 9 right now in NH. The inside of the coop, without heat, is 13. When I went out this a.m. to replace the block of ice in the run with fresh water, and fill up the outdoor feeder - all were inside the coop - no one came out (they have food and a heated waterer from Premier1 inside the coop.) It's the coldest day that my little flock has experienced. I left the food and water, collected eggs and then left to run errands.
With wind chill, it's about -18 right now (wind steady round 25mph, gusts to 45) - and when I returned home I was shocked to see the entire flock outside in their run, eating. The run has wind blocks, but some exposed areas. Some of them were actually perched above the wind block and taking in the sun, ignoring the wind.

Though I have little experience, its clear to me that the advice I've had on BYC is spot on - don't worry, as long as they're dry they can handle the cold. Their down coat will keep them warm.

 

[Zach123]

The adaptation theory only holds water if there is some kind of selection pressure on the animals, either natural or artificial. Either you allow the weather to naturally remove the indeviduals from the flock that are the least hardy or you only selectively breed the most hardy members every year. If you are providing conditions that allow all indeviduals to survive and breed, you are promoting both less hardy and more hardy genetics and gaining nothing in subsequent generations.

 

[Manhen]

The adaptation theory only holds water if there is some kind of selection pressure on the animals, either natural or artificial. Either you allow the weather to naturally remove the indeviduals from the flock that are the least hardy or you only selectively breed the most hardy members every year. If you are providing conditions that allow all indeviduals to survive and breed, you are promoting both less hardy and more hardy genetics and gaining nothing in subsequent generations.

I think it may only take one generation because as the newborn chicks grow in the climate, they will adapt, thickness of skin on their feet, "smarts" about where is warm enough, and so on.

 

[Birdsong 82]

My chickens took awhile to get used to try to sleep in the run on top of the small end of coop in temps close to zero! Never a problem. First winter I worried myself silly but realize now I Worry more about heat than cold

 

[kcan2]

It got down to -1F last night. It's up to a balmy 9 right now in NH. The inside of the coop, without heat, is 13. When I went out this a.m. to replace the block of ice in the run with fresh water, and fill up the outdoor feeder - all were inside the coop - no one came out (they have food and a heated waterer from Premier1 inside the coop.) It's the coldest day that my little flock has experienced. I left the food and water, collected eggs and then left to run errands.
With wind chill, it's about -18 right now (wind steady round 25mph, gusts to 45) - and when I returned home I was shocked to see the entire flock outside in their run, eating. The run has wind blocks, but some exposed areas. Some of them were actually perched above the wind block and taking in the sun, ignoring the wind.

Though I have little experience, its clear to me that the advice I've had on BYC is spot on - don't worry, as long as they're dry they can handle the cold. Their down coat will keep them warm.

@NHMountainMan , is this the waterer you have?