Advice greatly needed temps gonna be very low tonight

[ChickenGrandma2202]

This is our first year with chickens. Our coop is quite large & is inside our garage. We use dlm with a combination of straw & pine shavings. We have 24 birds of varying ages (none are below 3 months old & all are fully feathered). We do not heat the coop other than a single heat bulb on there water. Here is my question tonight's temps are suppose to be pretty low for our area. Is there any thing extra we should do to keep them safe tonight. Pic is what our town posted I am located at the lower edge of the teal.

 

[Laodicia]

This is our first year with chickens. Our coop is quite large & is inside our garage. We use dlm with a combination of straw & pine shavings. We have 24 birds of varying ages (none are below 3 months old & all are fully feathered). We do not heat the coop other than a single heat bulb on there water. Here is my question tonight's temps are suppose to be pretty low for our area. Is there any thing extra we should do to keep them safe tonight. Pic is what our town posted I am located at the lower edge of the teal.

as long as they are inside the temp should be lowest at -5F for them. I would leave them. I didn't have any problem at that temp for my birds. it was when it get's to -22F that I start worrying about frost bite on their combs. (that's just my experience I only had chickens for 1 winter so it's limited experience.)

 

[ToniTalley]

As long as the chooks are out of the wind, have plenty of food and unfrozen water, and ventilation, they should be fine. Being inside the garage/barn should ensure that there is no wind. Their down undercoats should keep them warm. If you go in and peek at them in the night, I bet they will look twice their size on the roost as they puff up their feathers so that they are super-insulated.

 

[ChickenGrandma2202]

Thank you both. It hasn't been this cold here yet & we have been fighting frozen water. We did lose one bird but honestly don't think that was weather related. We just want to make very sure they are healthy, safe, & happy. I'm sure I'm being a worry wart for nothing lol

 

[ToniTalley]

If you don't have a heated waterer, you will have to go out several times a day to give them water. My heated waterer is the best thing ever! I also cut out several ventilation holes right above the waterer to make sure that moisture doesn't build up.