Colder days

[Mommaof384]

I live in central Illinois, still getting to be 70-80 during the day but sometimes getting into the 50s at night, when is it time to do a heat lamp for the chickens? We have 4 and they are 3 months old..and can u do u free range in the winter months? New chicken mom here

 

[rosemarythyme]

Unless you have birds that aren't suited for cold temps like Silkies and/or have sustained periods below -10 or so (real temp not wind chill) there shouldn't be a need to heat a coop. Every year folks lose coops to fires.

Some flocks have no issue free ranging in the snow, other birds may not like it and opt to stay inside for much of the time. Having ample climate protected space may help with flock harmony at those times.

 

[Knobby]

We live in Northeast Ohio, so very similar weather as you all. My coops are about 200 feet from the nearest outlet, so I have had to take other options to ensure that my flocks are protected from the cold elements. Around early to mid November, I begin to wrap each coop with heavy duty vinyl clear drop cloth/plastic...making sure to leave enough ventilation...and to prevent alot of the wind and gust from affecting the flock. Other than that, I really do not do anything else, except make sure they have enough fresh water. We currently have 4 coops with 58 birds.

 

[thecatumbrella]

No heat needed. You can add extra bedding to the coop floor as an insulator, and make sure to keep drafts/wind off them. Chickens don't seem to get uncomfortable until we hit the teens, but even then, they'll acclimate. If you get super cold winters and are concerned, look into something called a Sweeter Heater. You do need lots of head clearance over the roost, but it's meant to take the edge off for their combs (not heat the coop).

The only birds you need to be careful of free-ranging in winter are those with feathered feet. The feathers will get wet in the snow, then freeze overnight on their poor toes. You really don't want frost bite!

 

[AinaWGSD]

Hello and welcome to chickening! I'm also in central IL (about an hour south of Champaign-Urbana right off Lake Shelbyville) and I can assure you that by the time we get actual cold weather your chicks will be fine unless they're a breed known for being particularly sensitiveto the cold (like silkies or micro seramas). Feathers are amazing insulation after all.


When we got our first chickens we lived in Urbana and it was one of the very first years we experienced a polar vortex. One morning I thought to myself "it's way too cold, I won't let the chickens out today," only to be met at the gate by the whole flock! I had forgotten to close the pop door the night before and my girls had a very different opinion about what temps are "too cold" for chickens.

This is "the big coop" out at the farm, it's a woods style coop with an open front that faces east and a large window that faces south that are both open year round. We had chickens out there for 4 or 5 years before a bobcat wiped us out and never lost a chicken to temperature extremes. It's a little messy in this picture because after sitting empty for a few years we're getting up and running with a new flock to keep our freezers full with chicken and our extended family in eggs.

 

[AinaWGSD]

This is a thermal image of a chicken, dark blue is the coldest areas, then light blue, green, yellow, orange, red, and white is the hottest. That's how good feathers are at keeping heat from escaping into the air! I remember when I first started with chickens images like this really helped put my mind at ease on those cold days.