cold weather

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

just wondering about the cold weather. i just got my girls back in april so this is our first time with cold weather. it will be in the 30's tonight should i put a light out there in their coop with them? or will they be ok?

 

[petejd]

Since they are 7-8 months old they will be fine with no light. They just need a draft free place to sleep. They will be ok..

 

[sunnydalefarms]

Quote:
X2 They'll be fine.

 

[ozark_chickies]

Some of my girls are the same age as yours, and I have some that are 3 1/2 months old. My flock was fine the other night with no heat at 26 degrees.

 

[top of the hill]

Quote:
X2 They'll be fine.

X3
You should be using this time to get the used to the colder weather, don't worry, they'll be fine. They'll even grow in more feathers!
What breeds are they? I suppose that does make a difference, some chickens just aren't meant for cold.

I look at it this way: if the power goes out in the middle of winter I'd rather have chickens who can handle the cold than have to think about trying to heat them.

 

[simplynewt]

It will be getting down to the high twenties by Thursday and If I have learned anything from this site, it is the fact that the birds will be fine in the cold weather.

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

Quote:
X2 They'll be fine.

X3
You should be using this time to get the used to the colder weather, don't worry, they'll be fine. They'll even grow in more feathers!
What breeds are they? I suppose that does make a difference, some chickens just aren't meant for cold.

I look at it this way: if the power goes out in the middle of winter I'd rather have chickens who can handle the cold than have to think about trying to heat them.

yeah that is a good point. i remember here in alabama in april when we had the tornadoes come through. we were with out power for around 3 days or more. the girls were little then and it was hard trying to keep them warm. we used a coleman tank with the one eye burner in the bathroom. it was still chilled here then. i just have 3 one is a barred rock and the other 2 are buff orpingtons.

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

Quote:
BURRRR i must have missed that forecast.

 

[CheerioLounge]

This thread has a post by WyoDodge that pretty well sums up the cold weather question. Here is the thread..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=7738282#p7738282

And WyoDodges post...

wyododge wrote:
There is no place in the US (and that includes Alaska) that is too cold for chickens. Trust me when I say they do just fine with little shelter outside at -40.

Think wild birds, they are the same as chickens but have less food and water, only the shelter they find, which generally is a tree.

They adjust to their surroundings, adding heat or keeping them warm makes them reduce their 'coat' so they suffer more. The best thing you can do for them is to get them in a cold environment, and keep them in a cold environment. And no day time high temperatures will not affect this. they react to extreme lows and highs which do not happen at the same time.​