Heating it's going to be in the teens this week.

[Ohmyheart]

So as the title says it will be getting cold here in central Arkansas.

It's dropping down to the teens. Here's a pic of the coop the ceiling is open mostly. I did put some bristle-board on the roosting area to cut down on wind. The bottom vents are closed for the winter. Windows are also closed.

The girls huddle up real close, 10 on the one side pretty much all squeezed on the top roost, and 10 on the other side. Should I add a heat source? So far they have had no heat but it has not been this cold yet. I have 2 silkies in that group too should I worry about them?

 

[lazy gardener]

It routinely gets below 0*F here, and I am not providing heat.

 

[junebuggena]

How much ventilation is there? Can't see much aside from those low vents.

 

[Ohmyheart]

The whole ceiling is hardware cloth. 16' x 4' metal roof about 4 inches to maybe 6 inches

 

[aart]

The whole ceiling is hardware cloth. 16' x 4' metal roof about 4 inches to maybe 6 inches

Are the eaves open to the outside...gable vents, ridge vent???
Are those low vents still wide open?
Silkies should be fine, @oldhenlikesdogs keeps them without heat(I think)

 

[Ohmyheart]

Are the eaves open to the outside...gable vents, ridge vent???
Are those low vents still wide open?
Silkies should be fine, @oldhenlikesdogs keeps them without heat(I think)

Yes the eaves are open to the outside. The sides are closed but the front and back are open.
I'm going out there now maybe I can get some more pictures if it's not too dark.

 

[junebuggena]

The whole ceiling is hardware cloth. 16' x 4' metal roof about 4 inches to maybe 6 inches

An open ceiling is not ventilation. What is the ventilation like along the roofline? Eave vents? Gable vents? Peak vents? Completely closed up? I don't think you really understand what ventilation is and why it is so important.

 

[Hokum Coco]

s dropping down to the teens

Just in case you are curious I have 68 trips around the sun been raising chickens for decades.

I live in Canada subject to -40º no light no heat no problems.

 

[Ohmyheart]

An open ceiling is not ventilation. What is the ventilation like along the roofline? Eave vents? Gable vents? Peak vents? Completely closed up? I don't think you really understand what ventilation is and why it is so important.

See if that helps. I'm not good at explaining myself. This is the front of the coop 8 inches in the front 4 inches in the back. the whole length of the coop.

 

[aart]

See if that helps. I'm not good at explaining myself. This is the front of the coop 8 inches in the front 4 inches in the back. the whole length of the coop.

Better to take pics from inside and out during the day to show vent openings.
What about those low vents...they might cause too much draft, especially near the roosts.