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

[bobbi-j]

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 don't know if messing with their sleeping pattern will impact their health, but keeping a heat lamp on for a month or so could. What happens when you take the heat away and they haven't had a chance to grow the extra feathers they need to keep warm? Or if your power goes out and suddenly they go from a warm coop to a cold one? They will be just fine without supplemental heat. If the light is a new thing, it could have caused the lack of eggs, or it may have just been an off day for them. Do your chickens a favor and get rid of the heat lamp. I do know what I'm talking about - I live in MN, and it gets into the -20's and -30's here in the winter and my chickens have survived just fine.

 

[birdiepearl]

That is quite the lovely villa!

Thank you! 'Chicken math' doesn't always mean 'I didn't know I'd want more birds'. It also means.....'oh! we should do THIS to the coop! Oh! we need to change/tweak THIS! Oh - I need christmas lights and a cute sign!'

Where in CO are you, might I ask?

 

[birdiepearl]

Thank you! Yep, all those things are good. Sometimes just hard to know which one to do more or less of. Just got back in from -25 degree night after doing the ole' vaseline application.

Best wishes!

 

[birdiepearl]

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!!

I meant that last post for you, CuteChick369. Thanks for the tips and I will TOTALLY check out the chicken hat. Love me a good hat.
peace.

 

[ArtGirl]

Last night it was -13 and it's still getting colder. One year it was -26. VVVVVEEEERRRRRRYYYYY CCCCCOOOOLLLLDDDD !!!!!

 

[Sandywitch]

I've read somewhere they're better off not getting used to any sort of artificial heat supply. If your power goes out, then they're suddenly cold and not used to it, and could all be dead by morning. If they get used to it, it's not a problem for them. The same with solar heat. If the sun doesn't shine for days, and they no longer have the coop heat they're used to all of a sudden, that could be bad. I don't even have one chicken yet! LOL!!! But I've been reading a lot. When we do make a coop.....BEFORE we buy any chicks...........I hope to insulate it, ventilate it, and use the "deep litter" method on the floor. That will produce heat naturally and a power outage or lack of sun won't make any difference (hopefully). I can hardly wait to get started! Once hubby retires, in two weeks, I'll have all sorts of projects for him to keep busy, and a coop will be one of the first!

 

[hollymh]

I have some young'uns so when it gets below 30-ish I will pop a bulb in for some added heat, they don't seem to phased by todays ice though, were all happily pecking about but didn't argue with me closing the coop up an hour earlier. Its only going to be in the low 20's today and in the low teens tonight... We'll see what they think about that soon enough!

 

[YourEggs]

Thank you! 'Chicken math' doesn't always mean 'I didn't know I'd want more birds'. It also means.....'oh! we should do THIS to the coop! Oh! we need to change/tweak THIS! Oh - I need christmas lights and a cute sign!'

Where in CO are you, might I ask?

East of Colorado Springs near the town of Calhan.

You can always add on. I think it is a pretty amazing setup!

 

[Scrambles55]

A little off topic, but.... how do you guys make those awesome emoticons?

I live in San Joaquin Valley and all this week we are going to have freezing temperatures (NOT usual) until Sunday lowest temps will range from lows 20's to 28 degrees.

 

[Pancholoco]

Screambles55

They are all over the web.

Sorry but I can't quote you from my mobile.

Thanks and I'll PM you a web page full of emotions.