heat problem

[Zay]

Lately my chicken have been dropping like flies from getting to cold. Is there any thing I can do to heat my coop and block the harsh wind better?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A closed up coop is a breeding ground for disease and fungus.
Through respiration, defecation and the presence of water, chickens rapidly raise the humidity in a building unless there is rapid air exchange. I'll be if you put a hygrometer in your coop, it will be at least 40% higher in the coop than the ambient air.
The warmer, moist environment nurtures bacterial, viral and fungal disease. Also, humidity is the true source of frostbite - not cold alone.
Give those tiny respiratory systems what they really need - oxygen, not warmth.

We've been down to 10F so far this fall and it has approached -20F in previous seasons. Never lost a bird to cold. However, most of the buildings have huge openings on opposite sides. One building only has a ridge vent and a smaller window. I keep a box fan on the window sill blowing fresh air in year round.
One summer, highs stayed over 100F and up to 112 for over 2 weeks. I lost a nice Welsummer hen that summer to the heat.
Cold is not your birds' enemy.

 

[imnukensc]

We have a 10/20/8 sized coop

You don't have a 10/20/8 coop. You have a 10x20x8 run. Your coops are the structures inside the run and it appears that at least one (two?) of them do not have anywhere near enough ventilation. Actually, looks like they have no ventilation.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Lately my chicken have been dropping like flies from getting to cold. Is there any thing I can do to heat my coop and block the harsh wind better?

How cold are you talking about? What breeds are dying?
I think your blaming the temperature drop on chicken deaths is misguided.
Chickens don't drop dead from cold, but they will from excessive heat.
People in Alaska, all over Canada, Minnesota, Siberia and every other cold place you can imagine keep chickens and they don't drop dead from cold.

I will lay odds they are dropping dead because in trying to keep them warm, you have deprived them of adequate fresh air exchange and the oxygen they need.
I bet if you send your most recently deceased to this poultry lab you'll find the true cause of death and I'll also wager it is from one of the effects of inadequate ventilation.
New Mexico Department of Agriculture Veterinary Diagnostic Services Veterinary Diagnostic Services 1101 Camino de Salud NE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102-4519 Phone: 505-383-9299

 

[aart]

Don't think Poultry Protector will kill an infestation of lice or mites.
Are you sure the bugs are gone?
Best to get some Permethrin.
...and.....

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[aart]

I never thought something else could be a problem

There could be a plethora of problems.
Tell us about your coop and run, with dimensions and pics.
What all and how exactly are you feeding?
How old are your birds and how long have you had them?

 

[Cazook]

seconding ventilation... those coops on left look like they have none at all. what is the humidity percentage inside?

 

[Zay]

I never thought something else could be a problem... I’ll definitely look unto it. I’m not shure what all of my breeds are that are dying, I know for shure silkies.

 

[Cazook]

how cold? chickens can handle quite low temperatures as long as they are acclimitised slowly and fully feathered. but it is important for their air inside the coop to be dry.

more info would be useful.

 

[Zay]

We were planning on getting rid of all of those coops to build a better one to keep them warmer. The problem its been too cold to finish it. We still need to make windows and paint the inside.