Baby it's COLD outside....

[TomZilla43]

Okay this is my 1st winter with chickens, it's not usually this cold here in TN for an extended amount of time. It's 12 degrees F here as I compose this, and it's only supposed to get colder over the next few days(going to be 4 degrees Tuesday morning) and remain really cold for the next 10 days plus. My girls have a coop and I made them a cookie tin heated waterer, my question is are they really going to be okay with this being such an abnormally cold time here? I've seen from the folks who live in the more northern climates that they don't provide heat for their chickens and they do fine. I'm just concerned that my southern belle chickens may not be ready for this stuff because they are certainly not used to it.

 

[sunflour]

Okay this is my 1st winter with chickens, it's not usually this cold here in TN for an extended amount of time. It's 12 degrees F here as I compose this, and it's only supposed to get colder over the next few days(going to be 4 degrees Tuesday morning) and remain really cold for the next 10 days plus. My girls have a coop and I made them a cookie tin heated waterer, my question is are they really going to be okay with this being such an abnormally cold time here? I've seen from the folks who live in the more northern climates that they don't provide heat for their chickens and they do fine. I'm just concerned that my southern belle chickens may not be ready for this stuff because they are certainly not used to it.

I'm in GA with nearly the same forecast...make sure their coop has no drafts, if your ventilation is adjustable then close those almost closed just when the temps go really low. I use a terra cotta pot sitter over a light in a cinder block - it works until we see low 20's. Don't know if the metal tin does better. Be ready to check their water frequently . They should do fine. We've had some already cold days so IMO they will be fine.

 

[TomZilla43]

Thanks Sunflour, I went out and checked their water situation just a few minutes ago and it's drinkable(with a lil ice in it here and there). And they seem to be doing fine, I let them out to forage around the yard before I have to put them back up and head to church. I just know how much I abhor this type of weather and can't help but think that my girls are thinking like me: Can we PLEASE fast forward to March???

 

[tigger19687]

There are a ton of posts in the Feeding and the Coop threads on this.
Most are for more North but all the items apply to cold.
Look through them, TONS of info like covering your coop, and as Tom said no drafts.

 

[jeria]

Mine seem to be doing ok in MO. My ventilation isn't adjustable but everything is buttoned up except the very top of the coop. We usually don't get extended cold either we have had near zero every night for awhile and the forecast continues it. Their fermented feed is freezing so back to mostly crumbles.

 

[centrarchid]

Temperatures here approaching 0 F. I am moving out door pens to fresh, dry grass and placing hay into others. Adding fresh water not being appreciated as they seem to prefer the ice and snow. Most birds after topping off crops are laying in weeds where sun also hit them. They are really partial to large particle foods. Tomorrow they will be getting soaked oats as a major water source until weather breaks.

 

[red horse ranch]

-10 here with wind chill -17. I envy your +12!
This too shall pass and our birds will survive. My birds complain less than I do!

 

[sunflour]

-10 here with wind chill -17. I envy your +12!
This too shall pass and our birds will survive. My birds complain less than I do!

Brrrr, too cold for me.

 

[GC-Raptor]

This is the second winter for my 21 month old girls. Last winter they survived -13F two nights with many nights around zero.
I use straw for bedding in their raised coop and under, where they hang out. I also have a 43 watt halogen bulb in the corner near the water under the coop. They can stand next to if they want.

. They have a rubber bowl for water, that I dump and refill up to 3 times a day. They also have a heated waterer upstairs in their coop. . And unlimited feed. .
I also toss some seeds under coop and outside after I shovel. .
I have ventilation at the roof eaves to prevent moisture buildup in coop. It was 3F this morning, 9 right now. GC