Be honest, what would YOU do? Vote.

[bobbi-j]

I have good ventilation I also have power to the coop if I needed to add some radiant heat and I also purchased cold weather Hardy Birds. But you're right we do have winter in Maryland.... We don't have snow on the ground too much it happens but it goes away pretty quick

I would search this before next winter comes but since we're already talkin At what point do you cut access off to the Run for the chickens? A certain temperature?

Rarely to never. They get to go outside whenever they want to. And they don't need heat. When allowed to acclimate naturally, they grow down under their feathers and POOF! They have a nice down coat to wear all winter long, inside and outside. I will close the pop door when it's double digits below zero (Like -15 or colder).

 

[morganalefae]

I have a 8'x4' chicken coop with 2 RIR's, 2 silkie x brahmas, 4 brahmas (including the roo) a lavender auracana and 5 medium hybrid egg layers and a smaller leghorn blue egger hybrid. Grant it they have my whole 40' x 18' garden to run around in (my gass is no longer as of 2 months ago cuz the chickens and bad weather lol) they stuff themselfs in the back part of the coop ( a 4'x4' space) no issues with them either. I think you could easily keep 10 if you could offer more of a free range run everday.

 

[Dani & Mikey]

I have good ventilation I also have power to the coop if I needed to add some radiant heat and I also purchased cold weather Hardy Birds. But you're right we do have winter in Maryland.... We don't have snow on the ground too much it happens but it goes away pretty quick

I would search this before next winter comes but since we're already talkin At what point do you cut access off to the Run for the chickens? A certain temperature?

I am a new chicken keeper, our coop is super similar to yours, and we are pretty close to your area, so I am interested in all the info coming from this thread!
Thanks again, guys!

 

[Living_Legend]

In Maryland I never see it go into the negatives... I have the chicken heater hooked up in there but you basically have to be next to it to feel the heat it won't heat up the coop I will only plug it in when it gets below freezing I know it's really not needed but I'm a nice guy

 

[bobbi-j]

In Maryland I never see it go into the negatives... I have the chicken heater hooked up in there but you basically have to be next to it to feel the heat it won't heat up the coop I will only plug it in when it gets below freezing I know it's really not needed but I'm a nice guy

Before you plug it in, I want you to do this: When it gets below freezing, put on all your winter gear. From hat to boots and everything in between. Once you're all bundled up, go outside for a good while. Long enough to at least start feeling cool, but not cold. You'll know when you need to go in. Once you come back in, leave ALL of your gear on for at least an hour. I'd say go for over night, but that's not realisitc for you as a person. Your chickens, however, have to leave their gear on. They're wearing their winter coats all day and all night, inside and out. They don't get to regulate like you do. When you're too hot you can take off your coat.

 

[Dani & Mikey]

Before you plug it in, I want you to do this: When it gets below freezing, put on all your winter gear. From hat to boots and everything in between. Once you're all bundled up, go outside for a good while. Long enough to at least start feeling cool, but not cold. You'll know when you need to go in. Once you come back in, leave ALL of your gear on for at least an hour. I'd say go for over night, but that's not realisitc for you as a person. Your chickens, however, have to leave their gear on. They're wearing their winter coats all day and all night, inside and out. They don't get to regulate like you do. When you're too hot you can take off your coat.

So, do you not suggest heating at all?

 

[Living_Legend]

Before you plug it in, I want you to do this: When it gets below freezing, put on all your winter gear. From hat to boots and everything in between. Once you're all bundled up, go outside for a good while. Long enough to at least start feeling cool, but not cold. You'll know when you need to go in. Once you come back in, leave ALL of your gear on for at least an hour. I'd say go for over night, but that's not realisitc for you as a person. Your chickens, however, have to leave their gear on. They're wearing their winter coats all day and all night, inside and out. They don't get to regulate like you do. When you're too hot you can take off your coat.

I'm not going to actually do this test but that was a very good example to make your point... It makes complete sense. My brother-in-law's chickens which you're not in As Nice of a coop or even taking care of properly in my opinion had frostbite issues this past winter so I'm on the fence about this coming from a guy that never raise chickens the heater I did get if you are not within 6in of it you're not going to feel the heat and it's completely in one corner of the coop away from roosting bars I honestly don't know just thought if a chicken did need to warm up it had that option these are all good discussion points I'm also the type of person that only seems to learn the hard way LOL

 

[Living_Legend]

Side note if I only use 3 out of the 5 nesting boxes that will add two more square feet to there coop space... I know that's nothing per chicken and I will consider that a wash won't come into play for my decision

 

[bobbi-j]

So, do you not suggest heating at all?

I don't heat at all. But I have standard sized, winter hardy, small-combed chickens. I had a couple of large-combed roosters last winter, and they did get frostbite from the cold, but it was also -25 for a number of days when that happened. They were fine, by the way. Just had smaller combs come spring.

I'm not going to actually do this test but that was a very good example to make your point... It makes complete sense. My brother-in-law's chickens which you're not in As Nice of a coop or even taking care of properly in my opinion had frostbite issues this past winter so I'm on the fence about this coming from a guy that never raise chickens the heater I did get if you are not within 6in of it you're not going to feel the heat and it's completely in one corner of the coop away from roosting bars I honestly don't know just thought if a chicken did need to warm up it had that option these are all good discussion points I'm also the type of person that only seems to learn the hard way LOL

See above about my frostbite issues a year ago. They may get frostbite here and there when it gets super cold like that. I used to lock my chickens in the coop with a heat lamp and no ventilation. The frostbite issues were far more common, and at warmer temperatures than I have experienced since I quit doing that.

We all have to do what we feel is best for our chickens, and for me not heating seems to be the way to go.

 

[bobbi-j]

Side note if I only use 3 out of the 5 nesting boxes that will add two more square feet to there coop space... I know that's nothing per chicken and I will consider that a wash won't come into play for my decision

Your chickens will probably all pile into the same nest box, no matter how many boxes you have. Kind of like ladies going to the bathroom - if one goes, more will follow.