Cold weather

[Toothpick]

Well it’s going to get down to -15 to -20 below freezing with the wind chill over the next couple days. I’m considering putting a heat lamp in the coop. I don’t know that the birds will be smart enough to get under it, or move closer to it though. The coop is a 8x10 shed and they don’t all roost together.

 

[DLA]

Ths


Thank you for your reply. Yes, they will be enclosed from the wind. I worry about their combs and wattles with frost bite.

I wouldn't worry about cold as long as you keep them out of the wind and wet.
I'm in western PA and we got a flash freeze yesterday. Dropped 40 degrees in about 4 1/2 hours. Temp during the day was down to -3 F with strong winds making windchill feel like -35 F. Stayed that cold overnight and into today (630am and it's still -1 F and still really windy). I have a temp sensor in the coop and it was 1 F inside coop overnight. I did put a little vaseline on combs, wattles and legs/feet. Other than that kept the coop doors closed (usually they are open for good ventilation but cleaning the poop catcher daily under roost so no smell building up). Blocked off opening in door to the covered run and had previously covered run in plastic. As you can see my 9 RIR 25 week old pullets are just fine this morning when woke them up and still even laying. No issues other than I have to keep checking and collecting eggs before they freeze. I have a warmer under the water to keep it from freezing and since days are so short have a light on for a little bit till the sun comes up. There is no extra heating. Deep litter with wood chips plus leaves and pine straw collected this fall (they love to scratch around in that!).
They are acting like it's just another day, meanwhile I'm in full winter gear and still cold. I wish I had feathers like my chickens. They're way hardier than most people think when given a dry place to shelter.