How can I keep my chickens warm this winter?

[centrarchid]

Block direct north wind. Make so feet are dry at least while on roost. Protecting from direct precipitation, especially wind is not bad. Make certain they go to roost with full crop when conditions harsh. Also make to they can stand on wood rather than metal or concrete since wood does not conduct heat out of the bird's feet as bad.

To give feel for cold tolerance of most standard sized birds as adults, some of my birds in central Missouri roost in trees lacking leaves throughout most of winter. When wind chill gets extreme they may move to a more protected location. Blizzard conditions they can tolerate with respect to staying warm. Weakness of greatest important is in respect to food. When it gets really cold, they need more food to keep "furnace stoked".


Some birds during periods of extreme cold, some birds will come down off roost and wedge themselves in tight places that are nest like.

 

[toomanydogs]

What part of Tn are you in? I'm in west Tn and what we do is close coop windows and doors, stack bales of straw against the sides that face north and add more shavings to the floors.


Lisa

 

[The Hen]

my first winter here in michigan w/ chickens. We have an old shed turned coop. It is not sealed tight so hoping they will do alright as far as drafts. i use, can't remember if it is, cedar shavings, but i buy it at our local elevator. I plan on putting some more of that down. I have nest boxes that at least 2 can fit in. i plan on putting in a red light for egg laying. other than that, when i talk to friends with chickens they say that's all you need to do and not worry about them they will make it. I also feel that birds live in the trees in nests that are open and they do just fine. going to be an interesting winter for me this year. Hoping it will be as good as last year, not very cold and lots of good warm days. Good Luck to you!

 

[douglas08]

Lisa, I live in East Tennessee. Thirty five miles north of Knoxville. Thanks everyone for the advice. You have been so helpful. I think I am starting to get this under control. I told my wife that the first cold night we had I was going to stay in the coop with them to see if it got cold. Now she really does think I'm crazy. LOL. Thanks everyone.

 

[zakaslam]

well i use a lamp , but i also wake up in the early morning and give my chickens warm food when its really cold , so they have a warm stomach first thing in the morning lastnight it was -4 below freezing i was panicking even with the lamp on , so i gave my chicken nice micro waved hottish rice and potatoe left overs first thing in the morning ! They just perch on the wooden stick no straw just the lamp keeping them warm so far they doing great ! No drafts in my chicken coop but well ventilated , also boil some chiken eggs great source for protien and energy ,

 

[thebanthams]

Last night it was 19 degrees where I live, two of my baby chickies that are 1 month old, didnt go to their coop last night.(got out of the fence) The managed to live through the cold and coyotes or stray dogs!

 

[zakaslam]

well i think this idea chickens will freeze to death if the temperature drops to much is rubbish , because like you said 19 degrees which is -7 your chicks survived , well 2 days ago my heating bulb expired and for 2 nights the temperature was -4 about 16 degrees below freezing Yet my chickens were still alive in the roosting box , i put my hand fearing they were going to die and i could feel the warmth of their bodies on my skin , so far i can find no case on the internet where chickens have died to to freezing weather .

 

[cary 1973]

i was told one of the safer ways to add hit is you put a brick in the oven heat it up then put it is like a ash holder then put in the coop and it will heat the coop all night long. I my self have not tried it yet as just found out about it yesterday

 

[The Hen]

I feel bad that my ladies have to sleep out in a cold coop, but i also think about the birds at night that have no coverage over them and they survive. I too have put my hands on my ladies and underneath them and they are very warm. They also will pile on top of each other in one nest box.

 

[LiLChicken]

The best way to keep them warm is let them get used to being out in it and like what has been said already a little extra food before bed time

A clean coop is a big deal in winter and even more so if they are not free range

I am a little north of the 43rd parallel and a week ago one of my girls thought it would be a good time to molt and I felt bad for her but she is doing good.