Heat in the coop..

[carlyt]

Prairies of central Alberta. My coop is quite old, my great uncles farmyard. I started it back up last year. There's a small pipe going up the very top to vent out, 8 circular plexiglass to let sunlight in at the top of the walls. Last year some of my birds got frostbite on their combs. I do deep littler method with straw, tried to keep the water out of the coop, but there were some cold cold days that wasn't possible. Last year during the cold -35 degree (-31F) days and colder i filled 3 water jugs with hot water, put a blanket around them out in the coop with the straw piled up around them. That seemed to help a bit. This year - I'm pregnant and do not have the energy to do that. The coop is filled with bedding on the floor then 10 in-tact square bales to fill up some space and to block any cold air/wind from the auto chicken door. In our last cold snap the roosters got frost bite.. What are my options/what should I do? I do not have electricity anywhere near the coop. Do I need to bring in another 10 (or however many more) bales of straw? I was recommended to get a hot air blower for outside the coop with a hole to blow air inside. What are your suggestions.. I need to do something, I'm sick of worrying and feel so bad for them.

 

[BDutch]

Maybe you find a few answers in this topic?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...hicken-keeping-for-you-during-winter.1649510/

There is an article about this subject too.

 

[McChooky]

My rooster has a little frost bite on the tip of his comb now.This usually happens when he dips his comb in ice cold water to take a drink but they have a heated water bowl. Sometimes even your best efforts to avoid frost bite won't prevent it. The cockerel in the photo didn't get frost bite last week and neither did his brother.

 

[McChooky]

In years past I've used a black ceramic heat emitter to dry the hens feathers in case they get wet. I'm afraid to use it with the roosters.
Their tail feathers require me to hang it much higher which makes it virtually useless as a heater to dry their feathers.