Freezing temps - should I keep chickens in coop?

[bobbi-j]

I live in Minnesota where temperatures at this time of year can get down to -30 degrees Fahrenheit. I am going to get chickens in the spring and I was wondering if anyone takes their chickens inside when it gets too cold. Also do you recommend insulating or not insulating, I have some spare insulation, but I'm not sure if it is needed or not.

I live in MN, too. I don't insulate or heat my coops, and my chickens are doing just fine. They acclimate to the cold. They have their own down coats so to speak, that they can't take off when they go inside.

 

[gabs1477]

Thanks!

 

[gabs1477]

Thanks!

 

[EagleEyes]

Will stay below 0 today, and they are out in the run now, but it is protected for the winter.

 

[Pip4Chirp]

Lots of people mention that their chickens don't like to walk in the snow. My 3 wyandottes are the same but they definitely want to be out in their run, even when it's single digits. So I've been throwing tarps over the run so they have dry areas to play in and they're out every day.

Yesterday we had a bit of a thaw and some snow melted in the yard. They were running back and forth in front of the gate, begging to go out in the yard so of course we let them out. They did not take one step in the snow but stuck to the tiny melted patches. Today we're back to freezing drizzle and snow.......

 

[gusthebrowndog]

Inside or outside let then make up what they want to do. Keep then from the very cold wind by putting a wind break on the side where the wind is the worst. MY door was on the south side of the coop and the coops back was to the north. I am going the build again this Feb and will keep the north end of the coop covered by my porch. Photo to come about March 04-08 PP
I live in green county Mo.

 

[amythyst myst]

So today the chickens were out for awhile from 7am-2pm. It was windchill of -8 earlier and now it is -20. I told them to go in and they all did willingly, we have a windchill advisory from 5pm tonight till 10am tomorrow. The wind really picked up and I decided to send them in for fear of frostbite. Being a first time chicken owner I have a bit of a hard time letting them just be out in hellish weather.

 

[littleboots]

They are much hardier than you might imagine.
It's best to always give them a choice (in or out). If you absolutely insist to keep them in for the day, only do so if you have at least 3 square feet per bird.

It's the moisture that will hurt your bird, not necessarily the cold. Keep her dry and you should be golden. Here's some tips.

Here's some other winter management tips...

Water
- Make sure they always have it and it's always unfrozen.
- Empty the waterer at night or put it in the basement (they don't need it once they perch).
- Change it out during the really cold days to prevent freeze or get an electric water warmer

Food
- Food helps them stay warm. Try feeding them a little extra before they perch at night to fill their crops.

Housing
- Make sure there's lot of ventilation above their roosts
- If possible have openings, windows, doors etc... open to the sunny side and everything closed elsewhere to protect from wind.
- Deep litter the floor. At least 4" of "brown" carbon material like straw, hay, wood chips, shavings etc... Ad more material as needed to cover manure and keep the smell down. Harvest the bottom layers in the spring for compost.
- Make sure it stays dry. Keep the waterer outside if possible, cover manure daily (manure is 85% moisture)
- Cover any windy side slits in the coop

For more on raising chickens with nature check out http://www.abundantpermaculture.com.

 

[cstronks]

In NJ it is about 20 degrees today without wind. I have an enclosed chicken run that the chickens can go into when they please. Most of my birds are outside, but I stood outside (bundled up) for about 20 minutes and I noticed that they frequent inside and outside. A few of my hens have simply decided to stay inside and perch themselves on the roost bars infront of the windows to catch the warmth of the sun, but most of them have been in and out during the day. All came out for treats and hot water (I change my waterers twice a day in the morning and afternoon to ensure the birds have warm water to drink) and they all ate and drank which is great. My birds will generally always come out if I'm around because they are spoiled and expect something. Just some pointers however, as many in this thread are first timers:

-Chickens are well equipped for cold, seeing that they have down feathers and thick skin. They aren't anywhere near as cold as we are when we go out. There is currently snow in my run, and the birds walk through it and don't mind. The lack of greens is really the issue with letting them out in the winter. I know they don't mind coming out, but there is extremely little to forage with snow on the ground or with the ground itself being frozen.
-Birds with large combs should be given special attention. Some say vaseline, others have home remedies, but large combs are prone to frostbite. If there is moisture, combs can get frostbite (sometimes minor, sometimes major), but again, this will take high moisture levels. Ensuring a dry indoor environment in the coop, or one above freezing, can prevent this.
-Change the feeding schedule. Chickens can bulk up in the winter to help them with the cold. I feed cracked corn/scratch grains in the afternoon because they will help the chickens add a little extra fat and keep them warmer. Generally stick to fruits and vegetables from the garden in the summer and then switch to corn in the winter for a treat. It has multiple advantages, but none better than corn when it comes to price and warmth.
-Lastly, the best (and safest) generator of heat in the coop is the chicken itself. I forget the comparison, and it varies every time I read it, but a chicken generates as much warmth as a 75 watt light bulb. I have 14 of them, so even in 15-20 degree weather the night time interior temperature of my coop remains at about 40 degrees. My coop is insulated and does take advantage of daytime solar heat via windows, but the chickens help to keep that night temperature high. If you have a small flock, take additional measures for heat if you wish like boarding up or heat bulbs, however the more chickens you have, the more heat the birds themselves generate.
-Last two ideas - deep litter method if possible. Continue to add shavings rather than clean them out. The breakdown of waste generates heat and the increase in shavings lowers the total area inside the coop by raising the floor. This means more heat in less space. Also, make sure that roost bars are of ample width so that they birds toes are not exposed. 2x3 or 2x4 studs get the job done quite well because the chickens can stand directly atop them and sit on their toes. If the birds feet are not exposed, the chances of frostbite on feet drastically drop.

I hope this info helps! Remember, while they don't appear it, chickens are very hardy. Don't doubt their natural abilities to keep warm and survive freezing temps. As long as you have some or all of the points above covered, you should be just fine for the winter!

 

[darina]

And I believe the internal temperature of an adult build is somewhere around 102 degrees. I once heard someone describe them as little furnaces with down coats!