1st winter - Success!

[ams3651]

With all the cold weather some of us are having real problems with the coop. I just wanted to say this morning it was 7* with winds since last night so strong Im very suprised my house is still here. (Maybe I should go out and look for a pair of red shoes

) SO I go out to get the girls and Don some warm oatmeal and warm water. My heat lamp is on the water but it still froze. Its a comfortable 18* in there. Not to bad I think. My son went out and closed the pop door last night and its really pretty nice in there. Im leaving the door closed till maybe later and see what the temps are.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Sounds like you did a good job with your coop! Congrats.

 

[bigredfeather]

I'm in Ohio and the artic air is here as well. All the water was frozen in my coop as well, but like yours, all the chickens were comfy and awaiting their morning wheat sprouts. This cold weather sure does make raising chickens more difficult. Luckily there were seven eggs waiting to be collected this morning. I guess that makes all of it worthwhile. It's supposed to be in the 50's by Wednesday. I will have to let them out for some fresh air and sunshine then. Way too cold now.

 

[vtchickenlady]

Its 8 here this morning and 26 in the coop. Its insulated and I had a 100 watt flood light on so I'm happy with those results, even tho the water did freeze. I also kept the pop door open. Just cracked open enough for them to squeeze through with a plastic curtain on the inside opening. We had winds last night up to 40 mph and it got down to around 0.

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

I was tickled pink to find Old One-Eyed Calico Jack and his two ladies alive and well this morning. We had sustained 20-40 mile and hour wind and it was -20 wind chill and it managed to stay about 18 degrees inside their north end of the coop. I had a heat lamp on the water but it of course froze solid. But everyone seemed to be doing okay.

 

[vtchickenlady]

Don't know what the wind chill got down to but with 40 mph winds and 0 temp it must have been -30. Woo-hoo!!!

 

[cluckychick]

I don't know how cold it got in our uninsulated coop but it is single digits outside and the wind was blowing as well. I left a light on and when I got up this morning they are in the run looking for breakfast. Our waterer is a heated bowl that kicks on when temps reach below 40. Its getting a work out.

I Dislike Winter very much

 

[Windy Ridge]

It was six degrees here this morning (BRRR!), with winds gusting up to 30 mph.

I thought I'd just drop a note here, too: my coop is not heated and all my chickens are doing quite well (although they were very happy when I brought in fresh water!). I don't know that it is much warmer inside the coop than out, but of course the air is dry and still in there.

I don't use any supplemental light, but I collected 7 eggs so far this morning. I have sixteen hens right now, but one is brooding a couple chicks (inside the house), another one is broody and two are molting.

So... 7 eggs from 12 layers, and I may have a couple more by the end of the day, as it's early yet. I've been getting up to 10 eggs, but usually half a dozen or so.

I have added heat to the coop before, though, when we were expecting a sudden drop to below zero temperatures plus winds. I just have a fear that the girls would get used to the heat and then we'd lose power (which we do up here a lot). A sudden drop in temperatures from a power outage would be worse!

Just wanted to let everyone know that they can do well without heat, too. I don't have breeds that are particularly "designed" for cold hardiness, either (like Buckeyes or Chanteclers). I have some Faverolles, RIR, Wheaten Ameraucanas, Speckled Sussex, Marans and Silkies (the Silkies are the broody ones that aren't laying, though...)