Cold Weather Advisory: A Detailed Look at the Question of Supplemental Heat

I so wish these articles could be printed. I need this reminder. I am one of those people that "want to offer heat the minute it drops to 32 degrees" for no other reason than anthropomorphizing. This was a good reminder article for me to "let go, they are fine." This is a well-written and resourced article with useful links and references.

Well written article. Factual and well referenced.

Well written article.

Excellent article with solid facts and information. Very thorough.

As a first-time chicken owner I worry a little about the coming New England winter, and this article appeared just as I was mulling over winter preparations. We did run an outdoor electrical cord to the coop in case we wanted to use a heat lamp or heated waterer. After reading this article I’m determined we will not be using supplemental heat. I felt the heat lamp was safe enough to use above the brooder box (separated from the chicks by a hardware cloth lid) but this article makes it very clear how unsafe it would be in a coop. Also how in most climates it isn’t even necessary and may interfere with the chickens’ natural winter adaptation. Also I appreciated learning more about the different kinds of feathers on a chicken and what function they serve; and about the way their body regulates heat. Super interesting and reassuring!

Thank you for your in-depth article about heat in the coop. It has clarified a lot of points for me, a first time chicken tender. I am looking at my first winter with my flock of 6. I have been back and forth with heat//no heat and have decided that no heat is the better route to go. The coop is well ventilated, and not insulated but my winters are relatively mild. I live in S.C. where the temps can get to the 30's but not for long. I have also decided that the risk of fire, which you so clearly explained, outweighed the benefit of heat. I do have a thermometer posted in the coop and can keep an eye on the weather. Thank you Thank you for my peace of mind.

Nice information ,I like the comment about letting the Chickens get acclimated to the cold , the thing is to prevent wind Chill as this does not make temps colder it just makes the Object transfer the heat faster (turning to the wind slows this down) one thing I did not see or missed is the "Deep Liter Method" does anyone have comments on this Method I currently have 8 inches of pine shavings and will add another 2 inches each month as the weather drops and keep monitor the Humidity of the air and moisture of this bedding Thanks to all

This article is comprehensive and exhaustive, and it provides the information any chicken keeper is searching for in their first year, but often cannot find on the web due to the many opinions on bird comfort and the wide range of temperatures. I especially applaud the relevant photos and the details on chickens' adaptations to cold. I live in zone 3a and believe in the importance of allowing chickens to rest from egg production and use this energy for feathering and acclimatizing themselves to winter rather than heating and lighting the coop.

I thought this was a very good article. So many questions on the boards as winter approaches and most could be answered by reading this.
Despite the length of the article I didn’t find my attention wandered so I think it’s well written. I’ve got comparatively few articles in my must read list and this is going to join them.

thank you for this. this has helped ease the mind of a newbie greatly.

Love the way things have been presented. Helping me learn.

Very informative. Thank you for writing this, it will help a ton of BYC members who live in chilly places.

This article is well written and very informative. Thank you for taking the time to write it! I know it will come in handy for sharing with others here in a few months.

This article is detailed, articulate, and explains th author’s opinion thoroughly. Great resource for new chicken owners.

There is no judgement here. Just facts providing pros and cons to supplemental heating.

Providing information on chicken and feather anatomy helps explain how and why chickens fare in cold temperatures.

Incredibly well written.

Additional links are provided to help answer any further questions, but I believe all answers were provided.