REALLY cold weather

[queenofrichmond]

Venting is most important. We bought a book on open air cooping. We have lots of ventilation. Just came out of the worst winter with no problem (Wisconsin).

Find breeds that are winter hardy and have little comb (Easter egger, any pea comb type). My girls did quite well in the cold with no heat at all..

 

[RedMeadowFarm]

I'm in Northern MN and made an air heater (got idea from builditsolar.com) that uses metal window screen to pull air from outside and pass it through the heated screen before entering coop near ceiling. On a sunny day it warms ventilation air by 40-60 degrees. The natural heat rising properties does a good job of creating air movement without need for a powered fan and introduces fresh air to coop. Did a great job of reducing moisture this last winter.

Also, made a roll away nest box system where the eggs rest on a plant seed heater to keep them from freezing while I'm at work.

 

[Naturegirl44]

Hi. We are half hour from you in Chisholm ON and we just got 4 inches of snow as well yesterday and its still snowing lol what a long cold winter!!

Our coop is not insulated. We put a small heater in for the really cold part of winter and it warmed it up to -10ish inside the coop but it created extra moisture and some of our girl got some frostbite it was our first winter with the chickens. This spring we are raising the roof 3 feet to make it easier to stand in and clean and we are adding small vents on both end directly across from each other at the highest point in the new area. We are also going to insulate it this year as well. Once this is done we shouldn't have to worry about the girls suffering in -35c for a month and hopefully it will be enough that we don't have to add a little heat to help them through the coldest times.

I was really nervous this winter as the windows were frosting up and i knew it was too moist inside the coop. My poor girls. Next winter, after we renovate the girls domain, i will be super vigilant about the moisture content inside and when they sleep, go in and put Vaseline on them all. Some of our girls have little black spots on their combs now and i don't know what to do about it any suggestions?


you can see the frost on the windows Our coop was our sons old playhouse. under the eaves where the walls meet the roof its all open screened for ventilation. BUT ....

the 6x8 section we added at the back of the coop for more room does not have vents. its only 3 feet high at the back wall. So the roofs are coming off and we are adding 3 feet to the height. We will put vents right about where you see the stick roost, at the roof line, once we raise it, and another directly across from it. Then we are moving the main 2x4 roost to the back wall away from them. Hopefully this, and adding the insulation will solve the problem.

 

[SandLNelson]

Dandkadams...we are in Chalk!! We have our birds ordered but haven't built a coop yet. I've been trying to figure out this whole weather thing too. On my parents farm the chickens would just snuggle in with the sheep. Although our neighbours will forgive us for having chickens, I am not certain I could convince them a sheep is good too. Where did you get all your supplies from?

 

[dandkadams]

Hey SandLNelson, thimgs got crazy and we're just getting things going! Msg me, I would love to see what someone else is doing!

 

[awesome124]

Make sure your chickens have a lot of fluffy feathers. If not then you must use a heating lamp set at low or medium. For healthy plumage, feed them black oil sunflower seeds for protein and oyster shell for calcium. Also, you can make a warm treat by cooking lentils or split peas which will spoil them. But most importantly give them warm water, free range time and lots of love!

 

[Cindy in PA]

You do not need heating lamps for chickens, in fact they are a fire hazard.

 

[ten chicks]

Often chickens do require additional heat,it all depends on climate,how many birds you have and breed of bird. I do heat my coops b/c i am subjected to severe cold(-42C w wind chill -53C)my birds would be deader than dead without additional heat.

 

[nmdmarchiola]

I'm new to the cold with chickens had them back in the day when I lived in warm weather This is my 1st year living in Idaho and not sure about the water thing here I have a big chicken coop and getting chicken to put into it (not chicks) I'm ok on the summer with them but the thing about the jug of water do you put your water feeder next to the boiled water? and what would you say is the best for cold weather chickens?

 

[RedMeadowFarm]

I am in North Minnesota with over -40f last winter. We used a 60watt bulb in a cinder block with water over that. Except for extreme days kept water from fully freezing and block acted as a radient heater for the birds.