Do I need a heater?

[Bluegrasschicken]

I have 4 silkies, a d'uclle bantam, and a polish crested bantam. Next week our temps will be in the low single digits at night (3 degrees is the lowest). I was thinking of bringing them into my cement horse barn and putting them in a horse stall for some protection from wind and if it rains or snows. It would be nearly impossible for a predator to get in the barn or stall. Would that be a better idea than leaving them outside in a wood coop (I cover with horse blankets and shavings inside) with a run? I can't figure out how cold these breeds can handle.

Do I need a heater for either situation? I see the Cozy Coop heater and the Sweeter heater on My Pet Chicken and there is also a heated mat. Supposedly those options are pretty safe?

Thank you.

 

[Aapomp831]

Fully feathered out chickens don’t need supplemental heat; they need very good ventilation (esp in those temps) and to be kept out of the elements. If your wood coop is not a proper coop and cannot provide the ventilation, then moving them to the cement stalls would be good enough as long as they are out of the direct elements. No heat necessary - just draft, moisture and element free. A cold chicken keeps itself warm - a wet chicken is a frost bitten and dead chicken.

 

[Bluegrasschicken]

Fully feathered out chickens don’t need supplemental heat; they need very good ventilation (esp in those temps) and to be kept out of the elements. If your wood coop is not a proper coop and cannot provide the ventilation, then moving them to the cement stalls would be good enough as long as they are out of the direct elements. No heat necessary - just draft, moisture and element free. A cold chicken keeps itself warm - a wet chicken is a frost bitten and dead chicken.

I leave the little door open and there is also a screened small window directly opposite. Should I shut the door and keep them in the coop when temps are so low or let them come out in the morning? And yes I see that hawk lol. It’s the only picture of the coop I could find!

 

[Aapomp831]

If their roost is right in front of those openings, I would shut them or block them off, they need ventilation to be higher than where they roost so they don’t have a direct wind : draft blowing right on them. Ventilation should be higher than the roost so when they breath, the moisture from their breath can rise and escape instead of settling on their combs and freezing - which causes frostbite. It’s hard with the A frame coops to do that because of the slant, and holes drilled will let in water from rain. It might be worth your while to build a larger coop with a different roof where you can have higher up ventilation

 

[Mrs. K]

If that is your coop in the picture, I would move them to the barn. Much better air volume. In that small coop, they are going to be very close to the ceiling, or walls no matter where the roost is. Their breath will condense down on top of them, making them wet.

I vote for the barn - no need for heat. You need to think dry, not warm.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

If that is your coop in the picture, I would move them to the barn. Much better air volume. In that small coop, they are going to be very close to the ceiling, or walls no matter where the roost is. Their breath will condense down on top of them, making them wet.

I vote for the barn - no need for heat. You need to think dry, not warm.

Mrs K

Ditto Dat!!

 

[Bluegrasschicken]

Well that one cold night turned onto 10 nights of ice and snow! The horse stall worked so well!