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

[capow21]

Now where do I get me one of these???

:

I found the bonnet in a Mother Earth News article. Google "chicken sweater." Those are cute too. I think someone does (or did) sell the sweaters on Etsy.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I just checked on them. As usual, one of them (Molly) is sleeping outside on a roost. I've only seen her go inside when it's super windy or rainy. She likes the outside. The other 7 have various spots in the coop.

 

[birdiepearl]

This is VERY helpful, thanks especially for the MN comments! I'm in west Central Minnesota. First winter with chickens. Don't want to stress them (or myself!) out too badly, especially cause I'm still waiting for my first egg! I decided to put a heat lamp in the far upper corner when it gets to about 0 degrees, only at night. The windchill doesn't matter to them in the coop, I know, but somehow it makes ME think they need warmth! You MN people know what I'm talking about. It's awful.

I have ordered a ceramic flat panel heater for this reason - WAY safer and no light to affect their sleep. Phew. I will sleep better!

Our coop is about 5x5, with ventilation under the eaves on the east and west side. Porch off the front, and run directly underneath. Pop door open all night, water on tin heater in run below.

My concern is humidity. I bought a weather station and put the sensor in the coop at roost level. I'm doing everything as 'right' as I can, as far as I know. BUT, my Rhode Island Red has a black frostbite tip on her comb!

Humidity levels in the coop have ranged in the past 3 days from 51% - 67%. Is there a certain percentage maximum that should not be exceeded in the coop? MN winters are pretty humid at times; the past few days with the big wet heavy snowstorm we had gave outdoor humidity a range of 70% - 90%.

Thoughts? Am I micro managing, or is there something else I could be doing?
Thanks!

A pic from the Tuesday storm beginnings:

 

[YourEggs]

I live in Eastern Colorado and we are in a decent cold snap right now, 0-10 degrees with wind chills in the negatives.

Last year I provided heat for my girls and roo but after reading about the downside of providing heat I decided not to do it this year. I do have a 60 watt clip lamp that I leave on to encourage laying. Their coop is staying between 15 & 20 degrees and I do not let them outside (not that they want to anyway) especially if the winds are blowing. I hope to let them out for a bit tomorrow if there is no wind.

My Polish Roo is in a "open air coop" under the barn. The bottom part of the coop is wood panels and the top is chicken wire backed 3/4 with tarp. He does have a heat lamp to keep his coop temps above zero.

They all seem to be doing good and that is good since it looks like the temps are not going up anytime soon. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[birdiepearl]

I live in Eastern Colorado and we are in a decent cold snap right now, 0-10 degrees with wind chills in the negatives.

Last year I provided heat for my girls and roo but after reading about the downside of providing heat I decided not to do it this year. I do have a 60 watt clip lamp that I leave on to encourage laying. Their coop is staying between 15 & 20 degrees and I do not let them outside (not that they want to anyway) especially if the winds are blowing. I hope to let them out for a bit tomorrow if there is no wind.

My Polish Roo is in a "open air coop" under the barn. The bottom part of the coop is wood panels and the top is chicken wire backed 3/4 with tarp. He does have a heat lamp to keep his coop temps above zero.

They all seem to be doing good and that is good since it looks like the temps are not going up anytime soon. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I lived in Fort Collins/Windsor area for 10 years, starting in 2001. That IS cold for you guys! Good luck....tell the mountains hello!

 

[YourEggs]

I lived in Fort Collins/Windsor area for 10 years, starting in 2001. That IS cold for you guys! Good luck....tell the mountains hello!

Thanks and they say Rocky Mountain Hi, back!

 

[CuteChick369]

Birdiepearl, I have read that you can put Vaseline on their combs and wattles to help prevent frost bite. Also, just today I saw the COOLEST chicken hat (it fit right on the comb) on Facebook. It was on Bob The Chicken's facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/bobthewryneckchicken

I've also read that you can keep the water out of the coop to help lower the humidity. I'd just do this at night when it gets the coldest and you know they don't need to drink water.

Good luck! I know MN winters are rough!!

 

[YourEggs]

This is VERY helpful, thanks especially for the MN comments! I'm in west Central Minnesota. First winter with chickens. Don't want to stress them (or myself!) out too badly, especially cause I'm still waiting for my first egg! I decided to put a heat lamp in the far upper corner when it gets to about 0 degrees, only at night. The windchill doesn't matter to them in the coop, I know, but somehow it makes ME think they need warmth! You MN people know what I'm talking about. It's awful. I have ordered a ceramic flat panel heater for this reason - WAY safer and no light to affect their sleep. Phew. I will sleep better! Our coop is about 5x5, with ventilation under the eaves on the east and west side. Porch off the front, and run directly underneath. Pop door open all night, water on tin heater in run below. My concern is humidity. I bought a weather station and put the sensor in the coop at roost level. I'm doing everything as 'right' as I can, as far as I know. BUT, my Rhode Island Red has a black frostbite tip on her comb! Humidity levels in the coop have ranged in the past 3 days from 51% - 67%. Is there a certain percentage maximum that should not be exceeded in the coop? MN winters are pretty humid at times; the past few days with the big wet heavy snowstorm we had gave outdoor humidity a range of 70% - 90%. Thoughts? Am I micro managing, or is there something else I could be doing? Thanks! A pic from the Tuesday storm beginnings:

That is quite the lovely villa!

 

[4citychix]

This is my first winter with my 4 girls and i have installed a 125watt heat lamp at night since it has now dropped to below 0. My rule of thumb had been anything below 10 degrees to give them heat at night. However my concern is that their sleeping pattern is off. Last night was the first night with their heat lamp, and today I noticed they spent the majority of time in their house - which I thought was because we are experiencing a cold snap. However tonight when I went to check on them I noticed they were wide-awake with the heat lamp on, so now I am wondering if they were actually sleeping today during the day while their house was darker and they're staying awake at night with the light on. Also we did not get any eggs today which was unusual as well so I'm wondering if their sleeping pattern is getting really messed up with the heat lamp on at night..... Any thoughts? Will messing with their sleeping pattern for a month or so impact their health?

 

[Brookliner]

This is my first winter with my 4 girls and i have installed a 125watt heat lamp at night since it has now dropped to below 0. My rule of thumb had been anything below 10 degrees to give them heat at night. However my concern is that their sleeping pattern is off. Last night was the first night with their heat lamp, and today I noticed they spent the majority of time in their house - which I thought was because we are experiencing a cold snap. However tonight when I went to check on them I noticed they were wide-awake with the heat lamp on, so now I am wondering if they were actually sleeping today during the day while their house was darker and they're staying awake at night with the light on. Also we did not get any eggs today which was unusual as well so I'm wondering if their sleeping pattern is getting really messed up with the heat lamp on at night..... Any thoughts? Will messing with their sleeping pattern for a month or so impact their health?

I use a 100 watt ceramic reptile bulb no light only heat for my special needs hens in the winter pluged into a thermo cube (turns on at 35 deg & off at 45 deg). It is screwed into a metal reflector like you would use with a heat bulb. It is working well. My main coop is insulated with good ventilation but no heat.