Cold col, what is too cold

[Chicks Galore3]

I see no reason to test how much a chicken can take of cold any more than I would do for a dog, child, etc. It's 22 below zero today and they have an Eco Heater on the wall with a thermostat which turns on at 35 and off around 40. Fourteen eggs from Fourteen young hens yesterday. The coop has ventilation, about five inches of opening at the top of two walls because it is humidity which is the problem in a winter coop. I change the straw on the floor almost weekly because it softens (getting moist). I could not live with myself if I thought that they were just surviving an ordeal I created for them. So rant away about how little combs freeze, how tough your birds are, how much electricity you save, but keeping a coop just above freezing is the way I do it - not every hen cuddles with another on the roost, not every hen is away from the vents all the time, not every hen likes to be at full fluff trying to survive.

I don't test them either, like above poster said. Now, not trying to argue with you, but be warned that most coop fires start with heating devices acting up or heat lamps dropping. I'd much rather have a fluffy chicken then a roasted chicken.

 

[Our Roost]

I am so much in agreement with Gingerpeach in her approach to modern day technology of supplying heat "as needed"in a professional and firesafe mentality. I get tired of braveheart stories on how well birds have survived over the years without heat and electricity before they were invented by our ancestors and such. I'm sure many of those birds didn't survive the winters and cold, in fact I know they didnt! Dont boast about how hardy you may think birds are without knowing all the facts. A person can erect the best chicken coop and follow all the guidelines and still have problems braving the elements of nature. I'm not a professional chicken breeder by any means but I do know that even they monitor the environment chickens are exposed to. The true answer of do I need heat or not is most likely based on your geographical location and how well your coop is set up with all the helpful tips provided! Analyze your own indivdual situation and make a rational decision on wether or not heat will be an asset to your birds. I think most would agree that you dont really need it, but I personaly feel that your birds will be more comfortable with some type of moderate heat than without it.

 

[aoxa]

[COLOR=008000]I see no reason to test how much a chicken can take of cold any more than I would do for a dog, child, etc. It's 22 below zero today and they have an Eco Heater on the wall with a thermostat which turns on at 35 and off around 40. Fourteen eggs from Fourteen young hens yesterday. The coop has ventilation, about five inches of opening at the top of two walls because it is humidity which is the problem in a winter coop. I change the straw on the floor almost weekly because it softens (getting moist). I could not live with myself if I thought that they were just surviving an ordeal I created for them. So rant away about how little combs freeze, how tough your birds are, how much electricity you save, but keeping a coop just above freezing is the way I do it - not every hen cuddles with another on the roost, not every hen is away from the vents all the time, not every hen likes to be at full fluff trying to survive.[/COLOR]

 

It's not that we're testing how cold our hens can take it, it's that for most people here--obvs. not the people in Manitoba, or Anchorage, or anywhere else it drops below -20 and stays there for the winter--it rarely gets lower than 10 below and the hens will be fine. For most animals, they are healthier if they have more ventilation and the barn isn't heated. We don't heat horse barns, or dog houses, or cattle barns, or pig barns either. In fact, closing up a horse barn or cattle barn tightly enough to heat it is a really good way to cause respiratory problems. The animals are in and out of the barn during the day and it's not good for them to go from a warm to a cold environment and back again. So we keep them out of the wind, we make sure that the area they live is insulated and well bedded and dry, and that's the best way to care for them. We're not sitting here laughing about what Iron Chickens we have--we know that making our hens dependent on supplementary heat in our environment will not be doing them any favors. If the temperature dipped below -20 at my place, yes, I'd hang a heat lamp above the perches to bring the temp up a couple of degrees. But for most winters here, we only get to -25 with wind chill, which is not a factor in my hen house.

Very well said

 

[Rooster Rules]

It's not that we're testing how cold our hens can take it, it's that for most people here--obvs. not the people in Manitoba, or Anchorage, or anywhere else it drops below -20 and stays there for the winter--it rarely gets lower than 10 below and the hens will be fine. For most animals, they are healthier if they have more ventilation and the barn isn't heated. We don't heat horse barns, or dog houses, or cattle barns, or pig barns either. In fact, closing up a horse barn or cattle barn tightly enough to heat it is a really good way to cause respiratory problems. The animals are in and out of the barn during the day and it's not good for them to go from a warm to a cold environment and back again. So we keep them out of the wind, we make sure that the area they live is insulated and well bedded and dry, and that's the best way to care for them. We're not sitting here laughing about what Iron Chickens we have--we know that making our hens dependent on supplementary heat in our environment will not be doing them any favors. If the temperature dipped below -20 at my place, yes, I'd hang a heat lamp above the perches to bring the temp up a couple of degrees. But for most winters here, we only get to -25 with wind chill, which is not a factor in my hen house.

Well stated, today it is 36f has just rained like crazy, 100% humidity, mist all over. Wind is now shifting to the northwest down to 10f tonight, sunny and 10f high tomorrow. My coop humidity level is higher from this weather, not liking that, no smell inside, birds are happy, can't wait for colder drier air.....RR normal low is 5f and high about 15-20f this time of year, but -10f can happen as well as 45f too. But once Jan and Feb rolls around, lots of -30 overnight lows

 

[Twister-n-Dos]

Yeah, I am putting some heat to the coop.

 

[aoxa]

Yeah, I am putting some heat to the coop.

What are your highs during the summer months?

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

 

[Atrayu]

I appreciate all the comments on this topic. It is good to see the varying views, opinions and experiences. I always seem to learn more ever time I get on here.

I am in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where winters can be super cold (not as bad as in Canada). We have a coop that is insulated and has flourescent lighting that goes off and on with a timer. I find that when there are cloudy days, the chickens sometimes stay hang out in the coop.

I use hay/straw on the sand floor of the coop and run This seems to help with the insulation. Some of my chickens sleep out in the run, so I have covered the walls and roof with a sturdy tarp to keep the wind and snow/rain out. I have two sides of the walls that get the most wind (north and west) lined with bales of hay. The chickens sometimes like to jump up on the hay bales and also nibble on it at times. I do have a small space heater secured on its on its own shelve in the run that only turns on when the temperature goes below 0 degrees. We found it helps lower the humidity and circulates the air (it swivels). It turns off and on every few minutes and is one of those that is supposed to be super safe. I find that when it is that really cold, most of the time my chickens stay inside the coop or find a warm spot near the barn or house especially if there is a lot of snow on the ground. There is good ventilation in both the coop and run. Our water dishes are also heated and we put fresh water in every day. Sometimes we add electrolytes tablets into the water to keep them from getting sick.

I know that I am doing more than needs to be done, but, my chickens seemed to have done well during the winter months.

 

[Twister-n-Dos]

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.

 

[Our Roost]

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.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Yeah, I am putting some heat to the coop.

I would add some sort of heat if it got THAT cold!!!!!!