Coop Temperatures

[mattsanity]

This is going to be my first winter with chickens. I have what I'd like to think is a decent coop with adequate ventilation while eliminating drafts. I know chickens are fine in cold for the most part but I can't help being a numbers guy. Does anyone monitor the temp in their coop versus outside temperature and if so I'd be interested to know what kind of stats they get. My coop is largely uninsulated except for a little reflectix inside and construction plastic on the outside of the run. It's a raised 4x8 structure and I have 13 chickens in it. I'm finding it to be about 10 degrees warmer than outside temps at night. It's just beginning to get really cold at night here so that will probably change. I was wondering if that's a good result and what others have experienced as far as temperatures and tricks to keep them higher, short of supplemental heating. I'm in northern New England. Thanks in advance for anything you can share!

 

[iwiw60]

This is going to be my first winter with chickens. I have what I'd like to think is a decent coop with adequate ventilation while eliminating drafts. I know chickens are fine in cold for the most part but I can't help being a numbers guy. Does anyone monitor the temp in their coop versus outside temperature and if so I'd be interested to know what kind of stats they get. My coop is largely uninsulated except for a little reflectix inside and construction plastic on the outside of the run. It's a raised 4x8 structure and I have 13 chickens in it. I'm finding it to be about 10 degrees warmer than outside temps at night. It's just beginning to get really cold at night here so that will probably change. I was wondering if that's a good result and what others have experienced as far as temperatures and tricks to keep them higher, short of supplemental heating. I'm in northern New England. Thanks in advance for anything you can share!

I also live in snow country. I do not heat my coop. Just a few days ago the temp got down to minus 6 degrees and the inside of my coop was 32...my girls were just fine. Chickens, as a general rule, do fine with temperatures down as low as -20 degrees. It isn't the cold that will kill them...it's moist/humid conditions within the coop. Chickens exude a lot of body heat...they should be fine.

Visit this BYC thread...there is a ton of good advice for you regarding winterizing:

PREPARING YOUR FLOCK & COOP FOR WINTER

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/920320/preparing-your-flock-coop-for-winter

 

[Blooie]

I don't have near the fluctuation that iwiw has between his coop and outside. Sure wish I did. The temp in my coop runs just a couple of degrees warmer than the outside air.....for instance, the other night it was -14 ambient and -11 in the coop. But the girls are fine - and baby Scout is still in the house recovering from the frostbite he got from the waterer. Silly chick! But the chickens haven't show any signs of frostbite on their combs and wattles, so I'm happy about that.

Covering the run makes it warmer in there than anywhere else. I don't have a thermometer in the run, but you can feel the difference when you go from outside or from the coop into it. The girls spend most of their time out there except at roosting time.

 

[pigpen]

I think you'll be fine. We're in Maine and have a similar size coop with less birds. It's not the cold so much, as trapped humidity, that is a danger to your birds. Ventilation is the key. We're having nights in the teens right now, and have had nights below zero in past years with no problems.

 

[iwiw60]

I don't have near the fluctuation that iwiw has between his coop and outside.

Uh......."her" coop and outside.....

 

[Blooie]

Uh......."her" coop and outside.....

Ooops......boy, do I have a red face! Sorry!

 

[iwiw60]

Ooops......boy, do I have a red face! Sorry!

Awww, that's okay!!

 

[Blooie]

Well, either way my coop isn't nearly as much warmer as the outside air. But it's almost over - for this week.

 

[EagleEyes]

I ordered a wireless thermometer/humidity guage on 11/12 out of Cal. on ebay. I've gotten stuff faster from Hong Kong.
At least it left Illinois at noon today for here.
I can't wait to see what the temp and humidity is in the coop with the big window open and partially closed, compared to outside. (while sitting in my living room)

 

[mattsanity]

Ok I'm glad to hear that. I know they're more than likely fine but my mammal brain can't help but feel sorry for them. Also glad that not everyone has such a large spread between inside and outside coop temperatures. The coldest it's been here so far is 17 one night and the coop was 26 that same night. I was kind of getting envious of the 35-50 temps a lot of people seem to achieve in the chilly weather, even if it's the humidity that matters most. Thanks for all the replies guys (and gals)!