Chickens will be at -10 F Tonight

[elienar]

So far the coldest we've been here in Western Massachusetts with our two 3-year old Rhode Island reds is into the single digits, and they've done just fine in their coop, which does indeed feel warmer than outside. However, tomorrow night is supposed to get down to -10F and I worry it will be too cold for them.

Is there anything I might be able to do to temporarily boost the warmth inside the coop? I have a space heater but I am worried about fires. They do have a water heater. I plan to leave them shut inside and open no doors during the coldest time.

The floor is covered with hay layered with chicken droppings. There are no direct sources of wind, all entrances bend before entering the coop. The roof peak sits up from the metal roofing so there is air flow up there. The eave soffits have cracks that can let some air in and circulate.

 

[nuthatched]

Sounds like you have it well thought out, I wouldn't use a heater either, too much risk. They'll likely be fine but you can bring them into a garage or mudroom if you're really concerned.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Not sure if it's an option for you but it's an option anyway... I use insulation and therefore never need heaters. This stuff, I have it in the walls and floor now. Prior to insulating the walls, I'd just lean sections of it against the coop in really low temps (I had a stack of about 5 leftover from a build.) The stuff is amazing. My coop is cool in summer, warm in winter. It's 3inch Foam Board

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Not sure if it's an option for you but it's an option anyway... I use insulation and therefore never need heaters. This stuff, I have it in the walls and floor now. Prior to insulating the walls, I'd just lean sections of it against the coop in really low temps (I had a stack of about 5 leftover from a build.) The stuff is amazing. My coop is cool in summer, warm in winter. It's 3inch Foam Board View attachment 3393449

do you find they peck at it?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

do you find they peck at it?

Or if mice can get into the coop, do they tear it up and leave little foam balls all over the place?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Or if mice can get into the coop, do they tear it up and leave little foam balls all over the place?

It's in the walls, meaning it's got wood siding outside and osb inside covering it. I don't have mice because I have feral cats. Chickens for sure will peck at it, that's why prior to installing in the walls, I leaned it up against the coop outside and the piece they could get to in the run, I moved out of their reach in the morning.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

This is during my construction mess but you can see the purple sticking out of one wall. Through the window you can see it leaning up against the backside of the coop where chickens cant get to it. And then I painted (white,) an exposed piece they could get too and they did not peck it, but eventually I covered it with siding.

 

[elienar]

Not sure if it's an option for you but it's an option anyway... I use insulation and therefore never need heaters. This stuff, I have it in the walls and floor now. Prior to insulating the walls, I'd just lean sections of it against the coop in really low temps (I had a stack of about 5 leftover from a build.) The stuff is amazing. My coop is cool in summer, warm in winter. It's 3inch Foam Board View attachment 3393449

I read that i f you insulate a chicken house the moisture from their urine and sweat can't get out and condenses and causes mold growth - you haven't had this problem?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I read that i f you insulate a chicken house the moisture from their urine and sweat can't get out and condenses and causes mold growth - you haven't had this problem?

No, never. I have good ventilation in all sides (up in eve's between walls and roof) as well as 4 doors, 5 windows that open, 4 windows that dont open and optional artwork ventilation (a sun and moon,) in the main door corner. My coop is a 2 room, 120sq ft building with electricity. But that's because I've been improving it for 20years. It started as nothing but a wooden dog house and I worried when temps where really low....