Bantam Chickens and Cold Weather

[Fencikboy]

Hello, We are new to this site and raising chickens. We have a larger sized hen and 2 bantam chickens. All are 5 weeks old and growing great. We live in Chicago and the weather can get be cold and windy during the winter months. Our question is...Do bantam chickens require a heat source during the cold winter months? If so, what type do you suggest? Thanks. The coop that we have is smaller in size. We were thinking of moving the coop into the garage with a heater. What do you think?

Thanks!!

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

They should be fiine with no heat if the coop is free of drafts and water leaks
Using a "cookie tin" heater for the water can add some additional heat to those small coops without overheating them

 

[ailurophile23]

And I agree with Bear Foot Farm - as long as the coop is without drafts, the chickens should be fine without heat. After all, they have down coats! So no need to move the coop into the garage.The bigger problem is making sure they have plenty of ventilation without having drafts - without good air flow, frost bite becomes an issue.