Cold col, what is too cold

[WalkingOnSunshine]

When you comment on heating the barn so to speak, keep in mind that no one is installing a forced draft furnace here. You people act like we are going to install a nice cozy fireplace setting! Give me a temperature that the inside of the coop should be kept at and thats what I will make sure it stays at. At what temperature do chicken producers keep their housing at for maximum efficiency and guidelines all year long? I'm sure there is answer for that.

That's easy information to find--German research says 18 degrees C for optimum laying. Research out of Virginia Tech doesn't mention heating the barn at all. That's as far as I looked.

However--there's a big difference between a commercial poultry operation and a backyard flock. Our hens go outside. Hens in a closed, lighting controlled barn for their entire lives don't need to be acclimated to the cold. But when you have animals moving between the coop and the outside all day long, it's not good for them to change ambient temperature all the time.

No one is saying don't heat the coop when it's -20 and the wind is howling. What we are saying is that a well-insulated, draft free, dry hen house is all that is needed at normal winter temperatures for most of the lower 48. For most of us, the risks outweigh the benefits for supplemental heating, but if you're in South Dakota or northern Michigan and the wind is howling and it's -25 and the hens are freezing and you're getting frostbite, by all means, put a heat lamp in there!

 

[aoxa]

What are your highs during the summer months?

Wow that's cold.. I would not want to be doing chores in those temps!

A lot of 70's, some 80's, and occasionally in the 90's.

These temps can make it tough to get motivated, but once you are geared up and moving it is alright. The good thing is that -20 will to feel good now.

Wow.. You have about the same summertime heat as us. Usually it's high 70's early 80's in the summer.

Winter weather is usually no colder than -30C. So far this year we've been to -25 with windchill. (this fall - not thinking about early 2012).

 

[Rooster Rules]

Wow.. You have about the same summertime heat as us. Usually it's high 70's early 80's in the summer.
Winter weather is usually no colder than -30C. So far this year we've been to -25 with windchill. (this fall - not thinking about early 2012).

Southern Manitoba, summers 80s to 90s, humidexs over 100, humid summers, the Lakes and the Gulf air from the southern USA, is the reason. Winters lots of -10 to -25f, and some -30 to -40 f too, much harsher weather than Nova Scotia NB, PEI, southern Ontario.
After a bit of -30, -10 to -20 don't feel so bad....

 

[aoxa]

Wow.. You have about the same summertime heat as us. Usually it's high 70's early 80's in the summer.

Winter weather is usually no colder than -30C. So far this year we've been to -25 with windchill. (this fall - not thinking about early 2012).

Southern Manitoba, summers 80s to 90s, humidexs over 100, humid summers, the Lakes and the Gulf air from the southern USA, is the reason. Winters lots of -10 to -25f, and some -30 to -40 f too, much harsher weather than Nova Scotia NB, PEI, southern Ontario.
After a bit of -30, -10 to -20 don't feel so bad....

Agree on that!

Though NB is usually harsher in temps than PEI, NS & Ontario. PEI gets the most snow.

 

[Our Roost]

That was definitely a great reply to my irritated mind set in regards to the occaisional need for heat and if and when to use it if need be. You are definitely on point about commercial habitat and housing. But I do know that they maintain a very well monitored temperature control which was my point of concern. Currently I have an inside and outside thermometer. The key purpose is to make sure my inside coop temperature doesnt drop to the outside frostbite state that you have mentioned. Is 18 degrees C the lowest temp the Germans suggest you should let it drop to? I'm looking for a norm in coop temperature guidelines that people can work with in climates that have severe winter temperatures below freezing. Ventilation, humidity and bedding are all good tips, but not the complete answer.

 

[aoxa]

That was definitely a great reply to my irritated mind set in regards to the occaisional need for heat and if and when to use it if need be. You are definitely on point about commercial habitat and housing. But I do know that they maintain a very well monitored temperature control which was my point of concern. Currently I have an inside and outside thermometer. The key purpose is to make sure my inside coop temperature doesnt drop to the outside frostbite state that you have mentioned. Is 18 degrees C the lowest temp the Germans suggest you should let it drop to? I'm looking for a norm in coop temperature guidelines that people can work with in climates that have severe winter temperatures below freezing. Ventilation, humidity and bedding are all good tips, but not the complete answer.

18 degrees is crazy IMO. No need to have it that warm at all. That's just a bit lower than room temperature.

By watching my grown birds and their reactions to weather - I see 10C being where they are most comfortable - though they seem fine during really cold bouts as well - even if they do the flamingo often.

They definitely show the worst reactions to heat. Anything 28+ they are all panting. They seek shade until 3pm in the summers. They really don't like the sun, unless it's cold out!

 

[Rooster Rules]

18 degrees is crazy IMO. No need to have it that warm at all. That's just a bit lower than room temperature.
By watching my grown birds and their reactions to weather - I see 10C being where they are most comfortable - though they seem fine during really cold bouts as well - even if they do the flamingo often.
They definitely show the worst reactions to heat. Anything 28+ they are all panting. They seek shade until 3pm in the summers. They really don't like the sun, unless it's cold out!

Hi, 10c or 50f, sounds like a temp they would enjoy and may be the optimal, but surely they could thrive at lower temps, would it be dependent on shelter, fresh air, bird type/size.
28c or 82f, some may not be familiar with metric on this site, I am very familiar with both and was an adult when Canada went metirc, most of which I do not care for, to this day, I still convert celcius into imperial/US for temps.
I plan to have my new run, with coop in shaded, protected location, especially from the north and west, but will have morning sun from the east and some south sun in winter. Last summer there were times, it was very difficult to even sit in the shade around here, not every summer is like that, but many are.....RR

 

[aoxa]

18 degrees is crazy IMO. No need to have it that warm at all. That's just a bit lower than room temperature.

By watching my grown birds and their reactions to weather - I see 10C being where they are most comfortable - though they seem fine during really cold bouts as well - even if they do the flamingo often.

They definitely show the worst reactions to heat. Anything 28+ they are all panting. They seek shade until 3pm in the summers. They really don't like the sun, unless it's cold out!

Hi, 10c or 50f, sounds like a temp they would enjoy and may be the optimal, but surely they could thrive at lower temps, would it be dependent on shelter, fresh air, bird type/size.
28c or 82f, some may not be familiar with metric on this site, I am very familiar with both and was an adult when Canada went metirc, most of which I do not care for, to this day, I still convert celcius into imperial/US for temps.
I plan to have my new run, with coop in shaded, protected location, especially from the north and west, but will have morning sun from the east and some south sun in winter. Last summer there were times, it was very difficult to even sit in the shade around here, not every summer is like that, but many are.....RR

Oh for sure they can thrive in lower temps. I'm just saying that is what they seem to enjoy the most.

Anything over 20 they do not enjoy so much

I'm always converting Celsius into Fahrenheit for people on here. I need to use a calculator to do it.

Also, our summer this year was unbearable at times. I felt so bad for the birds! Didn't lose any though. I think the night time temps really helped them thrive during the hot days. The nights still cooled off quite a bit. Lots of airflow is key.

Last winter we had some cold nights and days in January and February. Nothing like -38, but we did have a few -25's with -40 windchill. They did fine.

 

[aoxa]

18 degrees is crazy IMO. No need to have it that warm at all. That's just a bit lower than room temperature.

By watching my grown birds and their reactions to weather - I see 10C being where they are most comfortable - though they seem fine during really cold bouts as well - even if they do the flamingo often.

They definitely show the worst reactions to heat. Anything 28+ they are all panting. They seek shade until 3pm in the summers. They really don't like the sun, unless it's cold out!

Hi, 10c or 50f, sounds like a temp they would enjoy and may be the optimal, but surely they could thrive at lower temps, would it be dependent on shelter, fresh air, bird type/size.
28c or 82f, some may not be familiar with metric on this site, I am very familiar with both and was an adult when Canada went metirc, most of which I do not care for, to this day, I still convert celcius into imperial/US for temps.
I plan to have my new run, with coop in shaded, protected location, especially from the north and west, but will have morning sun from the east and some south sun in winter. Last summer there were times, it was very difficult to even sit in the shade around here, not every summer is like that, but many are.....RR

Also, your weather seems to fluctuate a lot less than ours according to statistcis. Our records are much colder than yours. Though I'm looking at Winnipeg VS Moncton.

We vary day to day. Two days ago it was -25C (-13 F) Today it was +10C (50F).

It's no jacket weather!

 

[Smoochie]

Anyone got a pattern for a chicken sweater?? Just kidding! if my chickens are puffed up I usually do something to that the edge off. Temperatures vary a lot in my region and the winter has a different "cold" than most snowy locations in Canada. Anyhow.. There are just too many variables.. Like how your coop is constructed, how much open space, how many hens, where we live... It just goes on and on. ...