Do I need to heat my coop?

[tellenberg]

HI All! Sorry - I didn't know where to post this question. I have 3, 7month old hens. It's starting to get colder in the evening (well.. I am in southeast Texas, so the term "cold" is debatable) - but wanting to know at what point (if any) do I need to add some heat to our coop? Currently, the ladies go up to their perches and sleep in an enclosed area with a small open door and a small window for ventilation. They are free range and come and go as they please.
Thank you all in advance ~ Tanya

 

[bobbi-j]

Living in Minnesota, I agree that we have different ideas of "cold". It can get into the teens and 20's below zero for days at a time sometimes in the winter. I do not heat my coop. I do, however make sure it's well ventilated. Not enough ventilation causes too much humidity, and that's where you start to see problems. I have heard of chickens getting frostbite in temperatures well above zero. That's what too humid conditions will do.

 

[apryl29]

Below are links to a few articles about cold weather & heating coops. I'm not an expert and don't pretend to be one, but I live in Ohio and I have yet to heat my coop. I use a heated waterer to keep their water from freezing and close up the coop door at night because we dip down in the the 20's now (less b/c of the temp & more b/c of the wind). Last Saturday it started to snow and I let my chickens free range while I was working on the coop. They ran out and were eating the snow. The cold doesn't seem to stop them from foraging. One cold night early on I went out worried that they were freezing. The next morning it was 38 degrees out and every single one was outside in the run digging around in the dirt. I stopped worrying so much after that. They will puff up their feathers and sit on their feet to keep warm.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...k-at-the-question-of-supplemental-heat.67147/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/fire-safety-in-the-coop-and-barn.72414/

 

[tellenberg]

Thank you both! I feel much better now and will make sure they have plenty of ventilation.

 

[Duckworth]

I used to live in the Golden Triangle. Humidity is a constant, year-round issue in that area. I didn't keep poultry when I lived there, but were I to go back there with poultry, I would be primarily concerned with having plenty of ventilation and having shelter from wind and rain always available, especially for their roosts. Rain blowing sideways into the coop, combined with cooler temperatures, could be problematic.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Chickens can get frostbite above zero Fahrenheit but not above freezing. In Southeast Texas you are not going to see much freezing. With good ventilation so the moisture from their breathing, their poop, and any thawed water can escape, they can handle temperatures well below zero without a danger of frostbite. Plenty of ventilation is the right move.

When I took this photo it was 4 degrees above zero Fahrenheit. I left the pop door open and let them decide what they wanted to do. The wind was not blowing so they wanted to go outside. They like a breeze when it is warmer but when it gets below freezing they sure do not. I don't either.

Where you are cold is not a problem, don't even worry about it. But do give them ventilation.

 

[RollTideChicken]

You need ventilation.
And as far as chickens and temperatures go, you should worry more about heat than cold. As long as they are out of the wind (when it's cold) they fare well.

 

[PirateGirl]

My chickens are the same age as yours. Where I am at it's already been down to the single digits at night, we've had 50mph + winds, and we've had snow on several occasions. I have not heated my coop. I have half inch foam insulation in the roof only, so I wouldn't say my coop is well insulated by any means, just plywood walls and floor. My girls have been fine. They come out every day. If they don't like the weather they go back inside for awhile after they eat and drink and will reemerge after it warms up a bit in the afternoon. Generally the weather gets colder for increasing lengths of time as we get further into winter. This gradual weather change allows our chickens to acclimate and get used to the cold. As long as they have somewhere to escape the elements, they are their own little space heaters. I have noticed at night the girls will be roosting so they are crouched down on their feet and usually the smallest are sandwiched between the largest birds. I hope this helps you feel better about leaving your chickens out in the cold. I too have been skeptical, and concerned friends keep asking what I will do with my chickens in winter, but honestly, now that the bad weather is here, the girls have proven to me that they will be fine and I have worried over nothing.

 

[cmom]

No need to heat your coop. Ventilation is most important but not drafty. The birds actually stay quite warm. The feathers insulate them very well. I have a friend that lives in Alaska. She does not heat her coop but does have it insulated.

 

[jreardon1918]

We are fairly new to chickens. The seven girls are all laying and are seven months old. We are located in Southeast Mass. No heat, no insulation. Ventilation with ridge vent, gable vents, and two windows that I anticipate staying open all winter. The coop has an overhang and a gutter, plus the run has a solid roof. So rain has not found its way inside the coop yet. Soon I will put plastic wrap on a couple of the run walls to create a wind block and to keep some of the snow out of the run. I will watch the humidity reading from inside the coop. It is likely I will add a couple rear windows to increase ventilation. These will need to be sheltered from rain and snow. We have had several nights around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. They charge out to eat each morning. Stay out all day. Seems heat is not needed.