Freezing temps - should I keep chickens in coop?

[bobbi-j]

am I correct that none of you in these cold temperatures are running heat lamps in the coop itself? I am also in New Hampshire and we're headed to below 0 temps tomorrow and tomorrow night but I'm just wondering if I should put a little extra heat in there for them on these evenings where it gets super cold? My flock have not had heat since they were checks in the spring as I wanted them to acclimate to the NH winters. I just don't know how cold is too cold. Thanks all!

If you have not used heat yet, don't. Your chickens acclimate by growing extra feathers and down. Just like other animals grow a thicker coat of hair for the winter. I live in MN, and the temps get down into the teens to twenty below, sometimes it will bottom out in the -30's. (Thankfully not for too many days in a row!) My chickens have survived it. Consistent temperatures, even if they are cold, are less stressful for your chickens to deal with. Try this: put on all your outdoor gear - coat, hat, mittens, scarf, snow pants and boots. Go outside for an hour. Half an hour if it's really cold. Now, come back in and leave your gear on in your nice warm house. Leave it on for at least an hour. Your chickens don't get to take off their coats. They are not feathered little humans. Another thing to think about - all the little songbirds that survive the winter without shelter or heat. They are equipped to do so, just like your chickens.

 

[yellowflower]

I'm in NH too and my bantams survived last winter which was brutal. I have a covered run with plastic around it to keep out the wind and snow. It warms up pretty good in there on a sunny day. I don't have a way to put heat out there so have never considered it. And they've done well. I have some that are 8+ yrs old and they tend to stay inside the coop on the really cold windy days. They are birds and we don't heat the ones flying around do we? Just my observation.

 

[beegirl4]

Does the light bother them when they are trying to sleep? I started using a heat lamp a few days ago since we are in the single digits, but I wonder if they prefer the dark? I'm wondering if I am doing the wrong thing.

 

[amythyst myst]

I am in Upstate New York and I have yet to heat the coop for my chickens. I have a English Blue Orpington Rooster, 3 Buff Orpington hens, and 3 Black Australorp hens in 4ft by 5ft coop. I do let them choose whether or not to go out unless the wind is awful. Of course this is my first go round with chickens. And yes I do worry a bit with the cold but I worry more about if I did have a heat source that they may not be able to tolerate the harsher temperatures.

 

[bobbi-j]

I am in Upstate New York and I have yet to heat the coop for my chickens. I have a English Blue Orpington Rooster, 3 Buff Orpington hens, and 3 Black Australorp hens in 4ft by 5ft coop. I do let them choose whether or not to go out unless the wind is awful. Of course this is my first go round with chickens. And yes I do worry a bit with the cold but I worry more about if I did have a heat source that they may not be able to tolerate the harsher temperatures.

You're doing a good job, keep it up!

 

[cafrhe]

I am worried about the winter as well...It will be single digits at night this week. I have 7 young chickens that I am more worried about than my older girls. They are 12-13 weeks old and in a separate smaller coop. I am trying to trust that if there are chicken folks in North Dakota dont insulate or heat their coops, my NJ chickens are all right...But I still worry!

 

[Shimmana]

I live in Southern Vermont and we are going down to 40 below tomorrow. My chickens have thee houses on wheels with run in between. I have heat lamps in two of the houses as well as heated water. I do not let them out in the fenced in are when it gets below 20 degrees. They don't have a lot of sense about getting in out of the cold. I also try to give them something warm to eat when it's very cold. This morning I gave them potatoes & sliced up cabbage cooked up in some warm scrabbled eggs and water. Made sure it wasn't too hot for them, and they ate it right up.

 

[RonP]

I have a heat source ready to use should my ambient coop temperature reach -30F, but not before.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I live in Chicago, and we are at 10 degrees with a wind chill advisory for tonight and tomorrow (they are talking -30 tomorrow). I built a coop in the garage in November because of some chicks I hatched out and decided to move my 3 older girls in the garage coop as well. (Easier to clean 1 coop instead of 2) I don't have a heated garage, nor do I heat their coop and they seem to be doing fine. The 3 older girls were hesitant to come out today but did venture out for a few minutes then came to the house door wanting to come in. 2 climbed into the dogs bed on the back porch and looked cold. I carried them to their coop door and set them down and they went back in. They didn't care for the snow at all. Hopefully, they will make it thru this cold snap ok. But on a good note, I got an egg from each of my laying hens today!

 

[Jaxdrisc]

Tonight I applied some Waxelene to their combs and wattles this evening because of the low temps expected. How often should I apply that? Every evening or every couple of days?? No one ever says..... Thanks!