Frost bite

[jatsma]

I am having a problem with frost bite, very early stages but I can see it forming on all my hens. It is -25 but with -40 windchill. The whole inside of the coop is starting to freeze over. I have 15 hens in a 10x10 coop and a 10x10 run, it has ventilation at the top, up above the roosts and the coop door is open during the day, right now ive been blocking it off with a old jacket, which still lets in a bit of air for ventilation at night that I take on and off. The heat lamp(yes I know they are dangerous)is only on from 5 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon, just to give them a little heat and light. I do keep the water inside the coop but I will be putting it outside soon. How do I stop them from being so cold!!!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We are experiencing the same temperatures and only a single large combed rooster is showing a slight dark spot of frostbite. I would think your heat lamp is doing more harm than good as I've never had frostbite on my hens. My shed has an open doorway and is quite large.

Using a heat lamp doesn't allow them to acclimate. It also is probably causing their combs to stay enlarged. Normally combs shrink back during the winter a bit. A heat lamp used during the day but off at night is probably keeping too much blood supply in the comb. Either provide heat or don't, but turning it off during the coldest part of the day doesn't make sense. One of the many reasons I never provide any heat.