BYC members in Massachusetts?

[SillyRooster]

Are those all Rhode Island Reds?

4 RI Reds, 4 Leghorns.

 

[ShrekDawg]

My parents keep pestering me about how cold it is and how its mean and theyre cold and everyone they talk to has chickens that didn't make it in the winter and the wind chill is gonna be really bad this weekend etc and i dont know, i think they're fine but i have noticed a lot of little gaps in the coop, not noticeable but gap between nest box roof and coop wall, tiny hole in side where flower pot shoud be, gap in thdoor etc, just tiny things like that, but it's not really noticeable and they all seem fine and i think the ventilation is more of drafty than this but idk. They usually huddle on the side away from stuff. They seem fine. Idk. Hopefully they will have a proper coop in the spring anyway as this one and the run is too small for them so them it won't be a concern

 

[kidfarmer]

I'm stuck between not putting a light in just for tonight and tomorrow night or not doing it at all. I was thinking maybe just putting either a 60 watt or 100 watt bulb in just for some added heat. Any thoughts??

 

[SillyRooster]

We use a heat lamp and heated water fount. We turn on the lamp when it drops to the 20's or lower. We turn on the heated fount when the temp drops to freezing. With the current temperatures at night, even with the heat lamp on, water will still freeze in the coops. But the coops aren't as cold as the outside.

 

[ShrekDawg]

My coop is pretty small for them and I also used MHP so they're not used to a heat lamp (though I did buy a bulb before I found out about MHP we still have) and I'd worry about fire and it bugging them. They get annoyed with the flashlight hah but my parents suggested putting their heating pad in there and I may oblige but I'm not sure that's the greatest either. It won't even give off heat unless they sit on it, right? But it's going to be so fridgid. But they lasted the few teen nights we had fine but the windchill is supposed to be terrible this weekend.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Apparently it's supposed to be -5 and like -30 degree wind chill and our contractor even said it's too cold for chickens and they'll die tonight if we don't do something so now I'm really worried

Maybe we should move them to the garage or add heat?? They're always been fine but only teens or ome or two single nights and it warms up during the day so I'm really scared. Especially with the tiny terrible TSC coop :/

 

[SillyRooster]

Our first coop is small. We have the same concern about fire. The heat lamps in both coops are proper heat lamps. Both mounted as out of the way a possible. With the cords secured and as best we can. They don't show any interest in the cords or lamp. The bulbs emit a red light. This doesn't seem to bother them that much. The lamps take the edge off the bitter cold. we see no adverse effects. Our hens continue to lay. We get eggs every day. Also they're not avoiding the cold outside. The coops are still cold just not as bitter cold as outside.

 

[SillyRooster]

Also on a side note we have kept a hen in our guest room. She had a wound that needed to heal. Moving them inside if needed doesn't do them any harm.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Maybe I should try a heat lamp then but I don't even know where I should put it, it's a TSC coop kit so i say it's really small, maybe 4x4 but i think even less, maybe more like 3x3 or something. I don't know. It's small enough I don't know where I'd put it and I'd worry about fire but maybe i could hang it up or possibly move them to the garage

 

[DemonicFowl]

Maybe I should try a heat lamp then but I don't even know where I should put it, it's a TSC coop kit so i say it's really small, maybe 4x4 but i think even less, maybe more like 3x3 or something. I don't know. It's small enough I don't know where I'd put it and I'd worry about fire but maybe i could hang it up or possibly move them to the garage

If you're really worried move them in the garage, its only one night or so. A -30 wind chill is a -30 draft. That's way to cold. A small coop is actually good for winter as the hens have less space to heat but drafts toss that plus out the window. Thanks for the heads up on the weather too, gonna have to keep an eye on my ducks tonight.