Bitter Cold here in Wisconsin the next few days......

[mertzy1963]

It is bitter cold right now, my girls were a lil puffed up and slow to come out of the coop this morning, I don't have any type of heat in my coop but for the next few days I'm thinking of putting some sort of heat source in it and was wondering what kind of red light I should set up for them?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Don't use a red or any other kind of light. They need dark at night and any mishaps could break the bulbs or worse, start fire.
They are also not very energy efficient.
If you can't help yourself, use a small heater that will at least raise the interior temperature by a few degrees. Don't close off any openings. Fresh air and reducing humidity is much more important than warmth.
What if you have a power outage in the middle of the night while they are being kept cozy. The shock of the chickens coming out of a warm coop into icy morning temps is more stressful than staying cool around the clock.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Birds puff up for warmth. If they are accustomed to the temps, they should be fine.
From what I've read, just make sure there are no drafts and plenty of ventilation.
I make sure their bedding and coop is dry and clean so that there is as little moisture as possible.
We are experiencing bitter cold temps here as well. I've been keeping an eye on the chickens and making sure they have dry areas in their run as well.

 

[mertzy1963]

Don't use a red or any other kind of light. They need dark at night and any mishaps could break the bulbs or worse, start fire.
They are also not very energy efficient.
If you can't help yourself, use a small heater that will at least raise the interior temperature by a few degrees. Don't close off any openings. Fresh air and reducing humidity is much more important than warmth.
What if you have a power outage in the middle of the night while they are being kept cozy. The shock of the chickens coming out of a warm coop into icy morning temps is more stressful than staying cool around the clock.

Yes, I think I will just leave well enough alone cause I don't want anything bad to happen....just feel bad for them in this bitter cold.....it sure isn't stopping them from laying eggs!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There's your sign!

 

[GC-Raptor]

My girls survived two nights of -13F last winter with highs in the single digits without heat, and plenty of nights around zero.
So far this winter the same girls have survived nights near zero. Last night when I locked up the coop, all 5 hens were huddled together on the upper roost. This morning when I opened the coop it was 6 degrees. Today got up to 21 degrees and they were out scratching around a few minutes then back under the raised coop to warm their feet, then repeat. They don't like wind, so they huddle under the coop when the wind blows.

. I cover the hardware cloth with plastic during the winter.
So as long as they have a wind break outside, and no drafts in the coop, they'll be good. GC

 

[relizabethcole]

My chickens survived a few nights of -20 last winter. Their coop is unheated, uninsulated. It's not even really that tight. I give them oatmeal with whole fat yogurt in it in the mornings, which they love, and scratch before bed. They def stay inside more but don't seem that uncomfortable.

 

[aart]

First winter is hardest, you have to learn their behaviors.
It amazing what they can handle.
I use the 'treat test' during extreme temp events, hot or cold.
If I think a bird is acting too lethargic, I toss out some scratch and watch their mobility.
If they go for the treats, they're fine....if not, gotta look closer.

 

[Folly's place]

We are in the middle of a cold spell here too; don't love it!
Mary

 

[hillbillyreefer]

-35 here last night, birds are in an unheated coop with lots of bedding and shelves covered in bedding to roost on. They were fine this morning. They were really happy to be fed inside today, the coop was -12 when I was in there adding bedding around this afternoon.