Harsh MN Winter and Keeping My Chickens Warm

[MN Chicken Mom]

Hi there!
I'm brand new to posting on this website but have found information to be very helpful in raising my chickens so thought I'd post to obtain some help. We live in MN and currently, the temps are very cold (below zero with windchill -30). I have covered one side of their run to block the incoming wind but left some space on top for ventilation. Our coop is not insulated but I have a panel wall heater on their coop door. We have a roosting bar inside the coop and I've covered their windows with plastic as well. They have some ventilation on the coop (3 sides up top) but am worried it's not enough as 2 of my hens are exhibiting beginning frostbite on their waddles, possibly 2nd degree (discoloration-whitish/gray- and hard to the touch). Here's pictures of our coop. I would love some feedback in regards to ventilation, heat source, and treating frostbite.

Thank you so much!

 

[WindingRoad]

Hi there!
I'm brand new to posting on this website but have found information to be very helpful in raising my chickens so thought I'd post to obtain some help. We live in MN and currently, the temps are very cold (below zero with windchill -30). I have covered one side of their run to block the incoming wind but left some space on top for ventilation. Our coop is not insulated but I have a panel wall heater on their coop door. We have a roosting bar inside the coop and I've covered their windows with plastic as well. They have some ventilation on the coop (3 sides up top) but am worried it's not enough as 2 of my hens are exhibiting beginning frostbite on their waddles, possibly 2nd degree (discoloration-whitish/gray- and hard to the touch). Here's pictures of our coop. I would love some feedback in regards to ventilation, heat source, and treating frostbite.

Thank you so much!

Ever notice in the summer when it's hot you sweat. You need ventilation in your coop. If your ceiling or walls are frosty or wet you don't have enough ventilation. Chickens wear a down coat. They roost at night and cover their feet. Their body temp is around 106-107F They are hardy. Check the walls of your coop. DRY chickens are warm chickens. Wet one of your hands leave the other dry now go out side and see how quickly that wet hand get very cold. Ventilation is your and your chicken friend.

ETA: I'd cover that lower part of your hen house below the coop with a tarp. Draft could be coming up through there. Ventilation is different than draft. Good luck. Button up in the right places.

 

[WindingRoad]

Hi there!
I'm brand new to posting on this website but have found information to be very helpful in raising my chickens so thought I'd post to obtain some help. We live in MN and currently, the temps are very cold (below zero with windchill -30). I have covered one side of their run to block the incoming wind but left some space on top for ventilation. Our coop is not insulated but I have a panel wall heater on their coop door. We have a roosting bar inside the coop and I've covered their windows with plastic as well. They have some ventilation on the coop (3 sides up top) but am worried it's not enough as 2 of my hens are exhibiting beginning frostbite on their waddles, possibly 2nd degree (discoloration-whitish/gray- and hard to the touch). Here's pictures of our coop. I would love some feedback in regards to ventilation, heat source, and treating frostbite.

Thank you so much!

As for a heat source I'm against that. All those electric wires scare me and they are not even near my hen house. I hadn't looked at your run until now. Get some tarp around that run too. I got a nice clear tarp on Amazon. It's nice because the sun can come in on sunny days and warm the run for FREE. If you have enough snow bank that coop up snow is a good insulator. Again FREE. Also, I'd get that snow off both roofs. I don't like snow on the roofs worry about collapse. Feed some high protein at bed time. scratch and mealworms a full crop helps to keep them warm all that work digesting over night. For now if you suspect frostbite leave it alone. That skin is very fragile you'll make things worse. Now get to work. LOL. Not being mean just want you to know the things that will help you. Don't even want to mention predators. eeeekkkk

 

[MN Chicken Mom]

Ever notice in the summer when it's hot you sweat. You need ventilation in your coop. If your ceiling or walls are frosty or wet you don't have enough ventilation. Chickens wear a down coat. They roost at night and cover their feet. Their body temp is around 106-107F They are hardy. Check the walls of your coop. DRY chickens are warm chickens. Wet one of your hands leave the other dry now go out side and see how quickly that wet hand get very cold. Ventilation is your and your chicken friend.

ETA: I'd cover that lower part of your hen house below the coop with a tarp. Draft could be coming up through there. Ventilation is different than draft. Good luck. Button up in the right places.

Thank you so much for your feedback! I will cover that part up! Good point about the hands!

 

[MN Chicken Mom]

As for a heat source I'm against that. All those electric wires scare me and they are not even near my hen house. I hadn't looked at your run until now. Get some tarp around that run too. I got a nice clear tarp on Amazon. It's nice because the sun can come in on sunny days and warm the run for FREE. If you have enough snow bank that coop up snow is a good insulator. Again FREE. Also, I'd get that snow off both roofs. I don't like snow on the roofs worry about collapse. Feed some high protein at bed time. scratch and mealworms a full crop helps to keep them warm all that work digesting over night. For now if you suspect frostbite leave it alone. That skin is very fragile you'll make things worse. Now get to work. LOL. Not being mean just want you to know the things that will help you. Don't even want to mention predators. eeeekkkk

Thanks for this feedback as well! Would you put tarp all the way around it? (both sides)

 

[WindingRoad]

Cover the run too. And if you have enough snow bank. That clear tarp from Amazon is a life savor IMHO. Your chickens are hardy just keep repeating that to yourself. I live in Maine. It's been below 0F many nights this FALL and winter. My birds have been fine. I have a pre fab coop BOOOO HIIISSS and they've made it so far. We had daytime temps near 50F yesterday. But rain. Today in the hight 30's. and sun so the coop got warmed up. Another thing I just thought of have lots of bedding on the floor of your coop. That helps too. And no electricity needed.

 

[WindingRoad]

Thanks for this feedback as well! Would you put tarp all the way around it? (both sides)

YES. My henhouse is totally covered. Except for the coop part. The coop is "upstairs" When it's sunny and my run is warm the water in the coop ( a pint jar) doesn't freeze for 3-4 hours. I am retired so I can go out as often as I want. Chickens are a lot of work but once you get the tarp on and bank if you can that's a lot down. What happens when you lose your power all that electric is useless. Don't forget the bedding.

 

[Noreaster Egger]

Good luck and be prepared. Those of you in the upper midwest will have some of your coldest weather in years coming next week as the polar vortex dives out of Canada. Everyone from ND down to the OH valley needs to be ready.

 

[aart]

Would you put tarp all the way around it? (both sides)

Leave some(~6") open at the top for ventilation.
Coop needs ventilation too.

 

[Joyze172]

Hi there!
I'm brand new to posting on this website but have found information to be very helpful in raising my chickens so thought I'd post to obtain some help. We live in MN and currently, the temps are very cold (below zero with windchill -30). I have covered one side of their run to block the incoming wind but left some space on top for ventilation. Our coop is not insulated but I have a panel wall heater on their coop door. We have a roosting bar inside the coop and I've covered their windows with plastic as well. They have some ventilation on the coop (3 sides up top) but am worried it's not enough as 2 of my hens are exhibiting beginning frostbite on their waddles, possibly 2nd degree (discoloration-whitish/gray- and hard to the touch). Here's pictures of our coop. I would love some feedback in regards to ventilation, heat source, and treating frostbite.

Thank you so much!

Just like you my flock is experiencing the same weather here in central Wisconsin. It has been getting quite cold. Tonight it is expected to get -15 and next week -22 to -25 those are ambient temps without wind chill.

I have a coop similar to yours but slightly bigger. I have 7 chickens in it right now.

Under the coop I am lucky if its 3.5 feet high, it has clear polycarbonate panels ( got them from Menards or Home Depot) that come off in the spring and store very easy by stacking. If you don't have time to make modifications some straw bales make for a quick easy under coop insulator/weather barrier if stacked around the bottom part (I use this in the greenhouse run part). My flock spends the whole day under there on these freezing days like today, never got above -1. The below pic was taken when it was -10.


Last year I also experienced frostbite on combs on all but my rooster. I used vaseline everyday on all but a couple hens. I found the ones I put vaseline on had more frostbite then the ones I didn't. Someone told me that vaseline can freeze (someone more experienced can add to this if I am wrong). I was advised to just leave them be and they all healed up nicely after a few months. Don't be surprised if the areas turn black, it will heal with time. This year I am not using vaseline, so far so good.

I do use a 100W ceramic heat Emitter on a timer at night only in the top part of the coop when its predicted to plummet below -15 ( so far only used it 3 nights this winter) to take the chill off and for a couple of my hens that are in full molt (1/2 feathered other 1/2 pins). They sit right below it ( 3 feet between them and the Emitter). For safety I have a "chicken cam" with an alarm.

The 4 Wyandotte hens are cozy just out of view of the camera on the bottom.

If you can keep the wind/weather from under your coop and in your run it may help keep things less drafty and help your chickens withstand the temps mother nature is throwing at them. It is trial and error in these harsh temps to find what works with your set up.

It will be warming up again soon.