My 8 month old mixed breed rooster seems to be cold intollerent. Around Thanksgiving we had a cold front move through, and I noticed he appeared to be shivering off and on. Later that night he got a full exam, from top of comb to bottom of feet. Nothing found. When the weather got warmer over the next few days I didn’t see any more shivering.
Now it’s gotten cold again (I’m near Buffalo, NY) and tonight when he went to roost I saw him shivering again. It’s 35 in the coop tonight but will be heading to the mid 20’s. An unseasonable cold front will be here in a few days where the highs will be in the mid teens and lows in the single digits- and that’s pretty much what mid January to end of February can be like, so if he doesn’t like mid 30’s he’s gonna hate the next 3 months.
He’s otherwise healthy, eats well, mates with the girls, crows, etc. The girls don’t seem to care about the weather. He’s a large, active bird who shows no other unusual signs. I have Musher’s Secret for his comb and wattles to avoid frostbite.
The coop has good ventilation (I’ve posted about it to confirm), no drafts, and is not heated. It’s big, especially for only 6 birds- about 8’x8’, cinder block floor and wood walls, metal roof over regular shingle roof, about 10’ from floor to ceiling. Using sand as litter, have double foil insulation around the walls (starting about 2’ above ground to about 6’ up wall), the 3 windows covered in plastic. I really didn’t want to heat the coop, but will get a flat panel radiant heater if I have to.
If he’s shivering from the cold now, shouldn’t I heat the coop? Or is it normal/ to be expected? The girls don’t seem cold. I’ve read a lot about heat vs no heat and didn’t plan on doing it, but I’m afraid months of this- and colder- will take their toll on him. Does anyone else’s chickens shiver all winter long??
Now it’s gotten cold again (I’m near Buffalo, NY) and tonight when he went to roost I saw him shivering again. It’s 35 in the coop tonight but will be heading to the mid 20’s. An unseasonable cold front will be here in a few days where the highs will be in the mid teens and lows in the single digits- and that’s pretty much what mid January to end of February can be like, so if he doesn’t like mid 30’s he’s gonna hate the next 3 months.
He’s otherwise healthy, eats well, mates with the girls, crows, etc. The girls don’t seem to care about the weather. He’s a large, active bird who shows no other unusual signs. I have Musher’s Secret for his comb and wattles to avoid frostbite.
The coop has good ventilation (I’ve posted about it to confirm), no drafts, and is not heated. It’s big, especially for only 6 birds- about 8’x8’, cinder block floor and wood walls, metal roof over regular shingle roof, about 10’ from floor to ceiling. Using sand as litter, have double foil insulation around the walls (starting about 2’ above ground to about 6’ up wall), the 3 windows covered in plastic. I really didn’t want to heat the coop, but will get a flat panel radiant heater if I have to.
If he’s shivering from the cold now, shouldn’t I heat the coop? Or is it normal/ to be expected? The girls don’t seem cold. I’ve read a lot about heat vs no heat and didn’t plan on doing it, but I’m afraid months of this- and colder- will take their toll on him. Does anyone else’s chickens shiver all winter long??
