Extreme cold

[Haeli]

We are gonna have temps down in the negative teens to negative 20’s this week. I’ve never used heating before, but do I need to for those temps?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

We are gonna have temps down in the negative teens to negative 20’s this week. I’ve never used heating before, but do I need to for those temps?

I’m in Alberta Canada
Our temps have been terrible already
I do put a little heater in when it hits - 20C but my friend doesn’t use heat in hers

 

[azygous]

Do you live where you have high humidity with a sub-zero storm? It makes a difference. You would need to prepare to ventilate your coop very seriously or heating could actually cause frostbite rather than prevent it.

Basically, all you need to do is add enough heat to keep it riding just above freezing. It's the chickens you need to heat with extra calories so their inner furnaces are all fired to the max. Their down and feathers are more than up to the job of keeping their body heat confined close to their skin so they will be plenty warm.

Just make sure no frigid drafts are blowing in that could result in even colder effects from wind chill. Be sure there is an vent high in the coop and a small crack left open at the pop hole so cold air can push warmer moist air from the chickens' respiration upward and carry it up and out before it can settle on exposed tissue and freeze.

 

[David61]

wind break.
Dry, out of the wind with fresh pine shavings on the floor. You want to heat something, heat the water. Do both, put the brooding lamp above the water.