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

[Egghead_Jr]

I need to show this thread to my wife. She's worried for the girls. This is our first winter with them and it's gonna be 32˚ tonight. I keep telling her that our winter isn't the issue for chickens, it's the summer that we need to be concerned about. They did fine this summer, but we did lots of extra things to keep them cool.

For tonight, I closed the windows on the coop. Thats it.

You need to ensure they've plenty of ventilation. If your window is your only source of air exchange don't close it. Moisture in coop from waste and their breathing will freeze and cause frostbite. Ventilation is to keep your coop dry and to exchange ammonia air out. Cold is not a problem but humidity and cold is.

 

[beverly evans]

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.

You live in Sinaloa Mexico? I thought the San Joaquin Valley was in California??

 

[armorfirelady]

Last year we had temps below zero and they were fine. No insulation in coop and no heat. I don't want them to rely on heat since what are they going to do if you lose power? Nope they need to be hardy for my area

This year they are in hoop coop and still doing fine in single digit temps. They just huddle together more at roosting time toasty feet and bodies

 

[beverly evans]

I need to show this thread to my wife. She's worried for the girls. This is our first winter with them and it's gonna be 32˚ tonight. I keep telling her that our winter isn't the issue for chickens, it's the summer that we need to be concerned about. They did fine this summer, but we did lots of extra things to keep them cool.

For tonight, I closed the windows on the coop. Thats it.

Hey Baggins, I live in central Texas so the heat is a big problem for mine too. Just curious what you do to keep them cool. (the wrong subject for this thread, what?) I keep a fan on low right where they like to lay in the shade in the hottest part of the day as well as an oil collection pan (for changing the oil in one's car) full of cool water for them to stand in to cool their feet and I spray down the grass and tree branches over this spot to create a kinda swamp cooler effect for them, once or twice a day. Also I make a point of not owning any large or overly fluffy breeds. What things do you do for your girls that I may not have thought of?? THX and I hope my ideas help you.

 

[chickiegrrl]

nice to have girls that will go out! this is the first time I've had to shoo girls out, not sure why, but things have changed since the new chicks last spring. Hate them being inside pooping all day, it gets nasty so much gfaster even though its deep litter.

We have a covered run, so they go out there. They will NOT go into the snow. Today Buffy was leaning on the run door. When I opened it, she fell into the snow. She was so mad! I snickered under my breath.

 

[MaddBaggins]

You need to ensure they've plenty of ventilation. If your window is your only source of air exchange don't close it. Moisture in coop from waste and their breathing will freeze and cause frostbite. Ventilation is to keep your coop dry and to exchange ammonia air out. Cold is not a problem but humidity and cold is.

No worries there. The coop has plenty of ventilation holes for that. Closing the windows is just to stop a major gust from blowing straight thru the coop.

 

[MaddBaggins]

Hey Baggins,  I live in central Texas so the heat is a big problem for mine too.  Just curious what you do to keep them cool. (the wrong subject for this thread, what?)  I keep a fan on low right where they like to lay in the shade in the hottest part of the day as well as an oil collection pan  (for changing the oil in one's car)  full of cool water for them to stand in to cool their feet and  I spray down the grass and tree branches over this spot to create a kinda swamp cooler effect for them, once or twice a day.  Also I make a point of not owning any large or overly fluffy breeds.  What things do you do for your girls that I may not have thought of??  THX and I hope my ideas help you.  

I have large planter saucer that I fill with fresh water every morning. They stand in it to cool down. My daughter puts ice in it when she comes home from school and gives them frozen grapes or watermelon. I also installed a mister system that sprays part of the run and the whole thing is under a tree and in the shade until about 2pm.

 

[beverly evans]

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 one beautiful coop! They should be snug as bugs in a rug in there.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

X 2. That is a beautiful coop and so charming.

But-- of course this is my only my prevention side rearing it's ugly head--

The Wildbird feeder next to the coop would make me leary for Northern Fowl Mite exposure. Sorry.....LOL.

 

[BadgerHill]

Happily?? I am not sure. We have experienced temps as low as -50 but that was many many years ago. Just last night it was -24 at my house. I went out at 1am to check on the girls. They were all seemingly comfortable. I have a large coop, wired for electricity, but I don't heat it. I only heat the water. I do feed them warm grain in the morning and evening. Never lost a bird, we have had some comb damage, usually at -30 and under. They are amazingly hardy birds.