Cold weather

[LynneP]

I'm not heating. The coop is insulated though and well-vented. I want the hens to have a dense feather coat and to want to exercise in the snow even on cold days. I'm already feeding a little more.

 

[DaKid]

just a towel over the 18x18" chicken door.

and the chickens come in and out with the towel door I have to try that one​

 

[cajunlizz]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Quote:
Hey there!

another Alaskan!

Well, we dipped down to 5°F this morning (-14.4°C for anyone that can't convert quickly)... I still have 7 birds that prefer sleeping on outdoor perches of their own choosing. The coop is insulated, but I have a none-so-tight-fitting window, two cross vents up high, and just a towel over the 18x18" chicken door. There is a 40w bulb on their waterer to keep it from freezing... THAT'S IT. The chickens have been outside adjusting to the cool temperatures all Fall (and Summer, too, for that matter

) My LBs are 16 weeks old now, but they've been outside since 6 weeks. I have not put vaseline on anyone's combs, and they're doing fine. If you're in an area that gets to -20, -30°F routinely in Jan/Feb, you're just asking for a whopping electric bill...seriously. Ask my husband. Please learn from my mistakes... the chickens ARE covered in down, and as long as they are dry and have a draft-free place to get out of the elements, they will survive.

Why won't anyone believe me?

I think this is the 4th thread I've stated that in. I've had chickens for several years now, and I can truly say that not a one has died from the cold. I do have a rescue hen that is proof that if you DON'T give them shelter and let them sleep on ice that they will lose their toes to frostbite, but they do not need extra heat, and they don't need extra corn. I throw out a few handfuls of scratch as a treat, but I don't supplement with it. I just make sure I feed them 20% protein feed.




Because they to BUSY running at the mouth trying to convience themselves THEY NEED HEAT . When THEY DO NOT .​

 

[gritsar]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Why won't anyone believe me?

I think this is the 4th thread I've stated that in. I've had chickens for several years now, and I can truly say that not a one has died from the cold. I do have a rescue hen that is proof that if you DON'T give them shelter and let them sleep on ice that they will lose their toes to frostbite, but they do not need extra heat, and they don't need extra corn. I throw out a few handfuls of scratch as a treat, but I don't supplement with it. I just make sure I feed them 20% protein feed.

I believe you Mrs. AK! Our winters are nowhere near as bad as y'alls, but we do get lots of low temps and the winters here tend to be very wet.
Other than putting the shutters down over the coop windows when it dips down below 40 (I have 2 very large windows), I'm not doing anything else to prepare them for winter.
It kinda bothers me when I see people talking about heating their coops because the nighttime temps may get down to 40 or so. IMO, they're not doing their chickens any favors. What happens to those chickens that have not acclimated to the colder temps when your power goes out - as it's prone to do more in the wintertime?
Again, IMO it's best to provide them with a solidly built coop and let them adjust naturally to the change of seasons. Also, if you live in a colder climate having a breed that's suitable for that climate is not a bad idea.​

 

[Mrs MIA]

Shoot... I don't know HOW many times we've had to pull out a generator in the middle of the night when it was -20°F... last thing I want to worry about anymore is whether or not my girls can handle it if a winter storm takes out the power.

I can put a generator on the breeder's coop and take care of the smaller/younger birds, but the layer coop will not have extra heat this year other than the waterer.
Now, if your weather has a tendency to go from 70°F and overnight drop to 30°F and stay there... yeah, you might want to give them a little heat and slowly back it down like you do for newborn chicks. But I really don't think that's the case for anyone, is it? The temps slowly drop over the fall until they stabilize for the winter. The birds will acclimate during that time just fine.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Update:
Currently 0°F-17.7°C outside, and 5 girls are still sleeping outside. The 40w bulb couldn't handle the sudden drop in temps (that's 25-30° lower than yesterday), so I'll have to up the wattage to keep the waterer from freezing, but that's all they have so far.

 

[kinnip]

This is a really good thread on corn.

 

[Wildsky]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Update:
Currently 0°F-17.7°C outside, and 5 girls are still sleeping outside. The 40w bulb couldn't handle the sudden drop in temps (that's 25-30° lower than yesterday), so I'll have to up the wattage to keep the waterer from freezing, but that's all they have so far.

Chilly here today as well, went down to 14 right before the sun showed up.
Right now its 19 but with windchill its 11. MUCH better than yesterday - we had 50-60 MPH winds which took down a tree and a fence in the back yard, it was VERY cold yesterday​

 

[BeardedChick]

Why won't anyone believe me?

I believe you! It's been in the 20's here at night and I am still leaving their coop window cracked open at night when it's not windy out. Better to let them acclimate now while it's not very cold.​

 

[birdnutz]

There are states that do that. Yesterday it was 55,now its 15. The high today is supposed to be 60 with a low tonight of 20. Tommorrow calling for 70 with a low of 25. I LOVE fall.(not) My poor birds don't know what is going on. I've been providing some heat at night in the form of a wood burner.
I to have been throwing scratch at night. It does make sense on the high protien. thats the way I figure it with my horse. If the roughage and protien is lacking in the hay. I then feed alfalfa pellets to supplement. Corn is high in starch/suger which helps with heat. Thats why you get so much btu's out of it in a corn stove.