-35 below zero tomorrow night...Break down and put up heat lamp?

[NorthChicken]

Thanks for all the replies! I was busy stuffing hay in the coop and in the run today, I think I might try to tack up some old blankets inside the coop and stuffing straw or hay in between the wall and blanket for some extra insulation. If I could raise the temp inside the coop to at least 0, I'd feel better! I have a thermostat inside the coop and run, and there is no difference in temp from outside to inside the coop. It was -25F this AM, and was -25F in the coop. :-( I hope the girls will be alright tonight, looking more like it's heading to -40F below zero according to the weatherman!

 

[cary 1973]

with only having 6 birds can you bring them indoors and put them in a bathroom or wash room. I have 4 birds and when we hit freezing (live in las vegas so this weather is rare for us and birds not used to that kind of cold esp when it happens over night) I bring my girls in and put then in a dog create they seem very happy only thing is trying to convince them to go out side in the am is a whole other story.

I worry about heat lamps and extension cords it seems like daily you hear of coops burning down and taking what ever is around with them. the birds will prob survive the cold but not a fire

 

[cary 1973]

you might try at night getting some rocks or bricks putting them in oven and heating them up then putting them in the coop in a container to help keep them warm

 

[Ciqala]

you might try at night getting some rocks or bricks putting them in oven and heating them up then putting them in the coop in a container to help keep them warm

That's a great idea, thanks for sharing.

 

[rcanz01]

I am so glad you asked this. It is supposed to be -25 here in southeast Wisconsin tonight and I have not used a lamp yet and they have been OK... maybe a few little spots of frostbite on the combs. I can't do a ton at this point to make the coop warmer but the brick in the oven thing sounds appealing. Any idea how long it lasts? Will they be colder once the heat is gone? I'll beef up the bedding. It has been regularly in the teens below zero. I'll add cat food to. Any oither diet additions to help?

 

[humphrey farms]

I am so glad you asked this. It is supposed to be -25 here in southeast Wisconsin tonight and I have not used a lamp yet and they have been OK... maybe a few little spots of frostbite on the combs. I can't do a ton at this point to make the coop warmer but the brick in the oven thing sounds appealing. Any idea how long it lasts? Will they be colder once the heat is gone? I'll beef up the bedding. It has been regularly in the teens below zero. I'll add cat food to. Any oither diet additions to help?

One morning recently it was about -25 here in Western Maine. My chickens really felt the cold through the night and didn't seem to want to get up to feed. I cooked up in the microwave 10 cups of white/brown rice w/butter and took it out to them. They gobbled it down so quickly even though the bowl of rice was steaming hot. Well, that seemed to do the trick. I believe like us when cold the hot food plus being a simple carb helped warm them up.
In the winter I feed them extra sunflower seeds(high in fat) also. I also offer them warm water especially first thing in the morning.
Deep bedding helps. Good luck this winter.

 

[humphrey farms]

Thanks for all the replies! I was busy stuffing hay in the coop and in the run today, I think I might try to tack up some old blankets inside the coop and stuffing straw or hay in between the wall and blanket for some extra insulation. If I could raise the temp inside the coop to at least 0, I'd feel better! I have a thermostat inside the coop and run, and there is no difference in temp from outside to inside the coop. It was -25F this AM, and was -25F in the coop. :-( I hope the girls will be alright tonight, looking more like it's heading to -40F below zero according to the weatherman!

remember all this snow accumulated around your coop makes for an insulation too. Just keep ventilation in mind if you tack anything against your walls. Cold moisture from them breathing is worse!!!

 

[bobbi-j]

It is 10:40 am. The current temperature is -15. It was -20 at 8 am. I look out my window, and I have birds at my birdfeeder, sitting on my deck rail, perching in the Christmas tree that I put on the deck after it started dropping needles. I have Chickadees, Downy and Hairy woodpeckers, Nuthatches, and Goldfinches. If these little birds can survive outside in this cold weather with no heat and no insulated house, my chickens will be just fine in their nice dry windproof coop.

 

[delisha]

Chickens come with there own natural way to keep warm..you need to keep them dry, draft free and with plenty of water. It sounds like you are doing every thing you should be doing. I would not put anything in the coop that would trap moisture (blanket). I have used old feed bags tacked up on the walls. Chickens give off a ton of humidity by breathing and they do not need additional humidity. The stacked straw is a great idea and works as great insulation with out adding moisture. I live in Wisconsin and my chickens have survived some horrific temperatures. I try not to keep water in the coops and encourage them to go outdoors to eat and drink if the weather cooperates. Water stays thawed out longer when buried in a snow bank. They suffer more from humidity issues than from cold.

If you have chicks (I do) I invert a box and place a Brinsea inside. The hole is small and only allows small birds to enter and exit. I have 4 week old chicks out in this -20 degree weather. I just plan for the weather to be bad and make sure I have back ups. I do not have chickens in my house.

 

[Ciqala]

I am so glad you asked this. It is supposed to be -25 here in southeast Wisconsin tonight and I have not used a lamp yet and they have been OK... maybe a few little spots of frostbite on the combs. I can't do a ton at this point to make the coop warmer but the brick in the oven thing sounds appealing. Any idea how long it lasts? Will they be colder once the heat is gone? I'll beef up the bedding. It has been regularly in the teens below zero. I'll add cat food to. Any oither diet additions to help?

This is my first time trying the heated brick. I heated up two, wrapped them in towels and put them in their coop. We're going down to -30 tonight and the winds are suppose to get much stronger {and the snow heavier, urgh}. This isn't something I plan to do regularly, but we don't get too many nights like this so what the heck, why not. Not to mention, the heating them up in the oven helped heat the house too