Hey Northerners: What is the absolute coldest air temps your chickens have experienced happily!

[itlog]

Also in Chicago, and last night was -2F. I have 3 Easter egger bantams who have never had any eggs yet, they are about 6months old now. No heat in my plywood coop. Just pine shavings and hay. Heated dog waterer was able to keep water unfrozen all night. I left the coop windows cracked open for ventilation. Give my chickens extra mealworms and scratch before bed. This morning I opened the coop door and they were alive standing on their roost. They seemed OK. Hope it gets warmer though, I know they have been spending most of the day inside the coop even though their run has hay and clear tarps for wind blocks.

 

[pearl1]

Hi all,

I keep a heat lamp on at night inside of my barn durning winter months where my chickens sleep at night. I would rather be wrong than assume they don't mind the cold. I get upset that they are too cold if it goes below 30 degrees even with the heat lamp. Luckily where I live it doesn't get colder than that, except for the last week or so it has dropped to the 20s.
It's back up in the 30s now and I sleep better at night. I know, you're all thinking "what a softie!" Yes, it's true! Happy chickening!

 

[bdjh]

Winnipeg, here - we got cold a little sooner than usual this year - we've been well into the -20's for a few weeks. With the wind chill, it's been below -40 several times.

The chickens are not pleased.

They were very used to being outside all day. -10C (that's about 10F) seems to be their cut-off point where they stop going outside. They also seem to HATE stepping on the snow.

They've been cooped up (literally) for this whole time. Egg production has dropped from 6-7 per day, to 2 eggs per day for our 7 birds.

I have a heated waterer and a small space heater in the coop, mostly to keep the air moving to ensure decent ventilation. It seems to keep the coop somewhere in the -10C range.

They are eating HUGE amounts of food, to keep warm I suppose.

 

[escape]

I'm in Northern Illinois. Temps have been in the single digits with an occasional dip below zero.

When the cold weather got here, I blocked off one corner of my horse riding arena and moved the coop and small run into that corner. At night, the arena gets as cold as the outside temp, but there is no wind. During the day, the arena runs about 10º - 15º above the outside temp.

In the afternoon (after I've ridden my horse) I let the chickens roam the arena and do "mouse patrol" in the hayloft. Most evenings I leave the door to the stable cracked for about an hour so they can wander in while I do chores. They seem happy and healthy, but I still feel bad that the horses have a heated stable (about 35º -to 40º) and the chickens have to live in the cold.

 

[bobbi-j]

Winnipeg, here - we got cold a little sooner than usual this year - we've been well into the -20's for a few weeks. With the wind chill, it's been below -40 several times.

The chickens are not pleased.

They were very used to being outside all day. -10C (that's about 10F) seems to be their cut-off point where they stop going outside. They also seem to HATE stepping on the snow.

They've been cooped up (literally) for this whole time. Egg production has dropped from 6-7 per day, to 2 eggs per day for our 7 birds.

I have a heated waterer and a small space heater in the coop, mostly to keep the air moving to ensure decent ventilation. It seems to keep the coop somewhere in the -10C range.

They are eating HUGE amounts of food, to keep warm I suppose.

You might want to read this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/841376/warning-about-heating-coop There are better ways to ventilate your coop and keep air moving. Like making vent openings, cracking a window open, opening the pop door.... You're gonna do what you're gonna do, but I'd hate to read about your coop burning down, losing your chickens, and whatever other buildings may be close to your coop.

 

[birdiepearl]

I am a new chicken owner as of July. I live in west-central Minnesota. It is colder here in certain snaps than ANYwhere else in the lower 48, I tell you.

There is an exchange student here from Norway, who lives in the COLDest part - Artic circle material - who is so very sad and disappointed that here, in MN, it is COLDER than where she is from.

We live in a very special cold and windchill blessed area of the country, I tell you. Again.

I hate being cold. With every fiber of my 41 year old, nerve damaged, arthritic piano playing hands/fiber of my being.....I long for warm Colorado sunny winters. Although I grew up in MN, I miss you, CO!!! I'm coming back!!

My chickens are in a backyard coop in town. A Rhode Island, an Australorp, and 2 Silver laced Wyandottes. The coop is not insulated. 4x5 run underneath coop and south facing 'chicken porch'. It's been -20 or more for a week.

I am a softie because I don't like cold. But I know the chickens can handle more than I can. I have compromised and purchased a ceramic flat panel heater. Plugged in to a regulated thermostat, it goes on when outdoor temps reach 0, and off soon after. The chickens go into the run voluntarily all day when it's been -10 to -20....as long as they are out of the wind they seem to be fine. Cranky and bored at times, but JUST fine. ALL day. At -10 to -20.....out of the wind.

So the ceramic heater is just a stress reliever. I have less stress worrying about 1) cold chickens and 2) my first egg yet to be seen!
Also, no concerns about fire at ALL. Have vents and windows open to keep temps hovering around 0 degrees in the coop.

Many weeks ago my oldest hen (RIR) started 'chatting/squaking' at and with me. Non stop. Like my teenage twin daughters. Then, the Australorp started caaaaawwwawaww -ing at me.

THEN, yesterday, I got the submissive squat. From Kevin the Australorp. THEN....I got the squat from the RIR. SOOOO exciting! First eggs coming right up, first eggs EVER!!! Wheee!

Hooray for the flat panel heater to reduce stress!

peace and blessings to you and your chickens.....

 

[Pete J]

Chickens can handle the cold but frostbite on their combs happens easily (depending on the breed) when it gets in the single digits!

 

[lalaland]

Chickens can handle the cold but frostbite on their combs happens easily (depending on the breed) when it gets in the single digits!

Hey Pete J, welcome to BYC! and congrats on your first post too.

I have a rooster with a very badly frostbitten comb and can't figure out anything to do but wait til it warms up. (its the cold, not the moisture in the coop as it is well ventilated) We are finally above zero during the day. Do you have any experience with frostbitten combs? Not sure if there is anything I can do for the poor roo.

 

[bobbi-j]

I am a new chicken owner as of July. I live in west-central Minnesota. It is colder here in certain snaps than ANYwhere else in the lower 48, I tell you.

There is an exchange student here from Norway, who lives in the COLDest part - Artic circle material - who is so very sad and disappointed that here, in MN, it is COLDER than where she is from.

We live in a very special cold and windchill blessed area of the country, I tell you. Again.

I hate being cold. With every fiber of my 41 year old, nerve damaged, arthritic piano playing hands/fiber of my being.....I long for warm Colorado sunny winters. Although I grew up in MN, I miss you, CO!!! I'm coming back!!

My chickens are in a backyard coop in town. A Rhode Island, an Australorp, and 2 Silver laced Wyandottes. The coop is not insulated. 4x5 run underneath coop and south facing 'chicken porch'. It's been -20 or more for a week.

I am a softie because I don't like cold. But I know the chickens can handle more than I can. I have compromised and purchased a ceramic flat panel heater. Plugged in to a regulated thermostat, it goes on when outdoor temps reach 0, and off soon after. The chickens go into the run voluntarily all day when it's been -10 to -20....as long as they are out of the wind they seem to be fine. Cranky and bored at times, but JUST fine. ALL day. At -10 to -20.....out of the wind.

So the ceramic heater is just a stress reliever. I have less stress worrying about 1) cold chickens and 2) my first egg yet to be seen!
Also, no concerns about fire at ALL. Have vents and windows open to keep temps hovering around 0 degrees in the coop.

Many weeks ago my oldest hen (RIR) started 'chatting/squaking' at and with me. Non stop. Like my teenage twin daughters. Then, the Australorp started caaaaawwwawaww -ing at me.

THEN, yesterday, I got the submissive squat. From Kevin the Australorp. THEN....I got the squat from the RIR. SOOOO exciting! First eggs coming right up, first eggs EVER!!! Wheee!

Hooray for the flat panel heater to reduce stress!

peace and blessings to you and your chickens.....

Welcome to BYC! I also live in MN, right on the western border. You are right about the temps last week - it was COLD! It's uncommon, though, for it to get this cold this early. I have a friend that lives in Alaska who told me earlier this week, "It's kind of chilly today. This morning it was -3." I told her, "We finally warmed up to -3 today!" During the coldest weather last week, it was 42* colder here than there. We have no insulation in our 8x16 coop, and they are only getting an hour or so of supplemental light. I've gotten an egg a day this week from one of my two pullets hatched in May. Your chickens aren't as fussy as mine. Mine haven't left the coop since it snowed, but there is plenty of room and fresh straw for them to scratch around in out there.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Hey Pete J, welcome to BYC! and congrats on your first post too.

I have a rooster with a very badly frostbitten comb and can't figure out anything to do but wait til it warms up. (its the cold, not the moisture in the coop as it is well ventilated) We are finally above zero during the day. Do you have any experience with frostbitten combs? Not sure if there is anything I can do for the poor roo.

Hi lalaland: I have a large combed rooster that lost about 2/3 of his comb and wattles last winter. You can look at my thread Freezer Camp in my Minnesota Coop. Frostbitten comb. Or something like that. I was the OP anyways. It kind of walks you through what to expect. Etc. Might give you a sense of timing for things to fall off or what they look like in the process of healing.