This is a good article,but I disagree STRONGLY on the matter of supplemental heat in severely cold winters! I live in a state that can get down to-20 or colder--but there is also ANOTHER factor not mentioned here--WIND CHILL. The wind out here tends to blow FIERCELY(what do you think drives the temps down?),making the final temperature UNBEARABLY and DANGEROUSLY COLD! NO animal can survive in that for long! My babies are in a room up in my barn,with an electric wall heater,off the floor,so NOTHING flammable gets near it--the elemenys are hidden way inside,so it's safe.Even in that heated room,a few of my rooster "boys" got some frostbite on the tips of their combs,when the temps PLUNGED,with the wind blowing outside--driving the INDOR temps BELOW freezing! Without any heat--everyone would have DIED,due to prolonged exposure.In Summer,when the temps get near triple digits,I have a room air conditioner to remove not only heat,but excessive humidity,which can be FAR WORSE than the heat alone.OK,you might say my babies are ''pampered''--but,maybe that's WHY the AVERAGE lifespan of mine is about 10-13 years,my oldest who just died of old age,was 16!
