How cold is TOO cold for a chicken?

[RaeRae2]

We have been hitting -20 below zero up here at night with 0 during the day for 2 months in a row and I know plenty of people that are losing chickens left and right. Lots of flock mortality My flock was getting frostbite on combs and feet so I gave them a space heater. Their house is now heated to 35 degrees. They had quit eating and drinking completely. Without a heater they would be dead. I have 23 chickens of many different breeds.

 

[jjthink]

Each of our birds is unique and has their own specific tolerances/intolerances to heat, cold, humidity etc. My roo was heat tolerant but not cold tolerant. His dear lady buddy was and is the opposite. I regulated temperature to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. Heating in winter and cooling in summer, so that everyone could be comfortable. I learned to have a keen eye for recognizing discomfort. JJ

 

[bobbi-j]

We have been hitting -20 below zero up here at night with 0 during the day for 2 months in a row and I know plenty of people that are losing chickens left and right. Lots of flock mortality

My flock was getting frostbite on combs and feet so I gave them a space heater. Their house is now heated to 35 degrees. They had quit eating and drinking completely. Without a heater they would be dead. I have 23 chickens of many different breeds.

Where do you live that it's continually that cold? We've had similar temps. How is the ventilation in your coop? I understand your wanting to give them a heater, but with that much difference in temps from inside to outside, I have one question - what happens if you lose electricity? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm just wondering if you have a plan for that. Do your chickens go outside during the day? Do you have any source of fresh air coming into your coop? I'm baffled by the loss of chickens left and right...

 

[mithious]

I too have battled with this years cold temps. I don't heat my coop...usually...but we have been having some polar clippers, one after the other, so I did add ONE heat lamp, to help them through the tough spots. It's still cold in the coop, just not AS cold as outside.

Another issue I have faced,this year,is high outside humidity. Whatever the outside humidity is, that is what you will have INSIDE the coop also...NO amount of ventilation will change the fact that 104% outside humidity, will miraculously change, the INSIDE humidity by opening up more ventilation. Of course there needs to be some form of air exchange, but for those of us that have faced, this year, frigid cold with very high humidity, well it has been a challenge, to say the least.

I gave up on the deep litter mostly, and have been taking the top off of it and adding more dry shavings as needed also. That also seems to be helping keep things dryer.

My flock will NOT go outside in these frigid temps, but I chose a breed that is cold tolerant and takes confinement well. I have production barred rocks...for now...

The Heritage birds will be coming this spring.

There ARE basic "rules" that most people can follow, but there are also winters like this year, where the rules have gone out the window and it has been tricky to find the right balance of ventilation and heat. I don't advocate heating a coop. It is dangerous and fires can and do happen, if you are not careful. I have wired up a heat lamp so that, Lord willing, it can not fall and attached it to a rood rafter with chain and locking hooks also. I still worry about fire though and only use it when it drops down into the -15 to -20 degrees temps.

I live in far northern New Hampshire, at the top of a mountain. We haven't had this kind of cold since I was a kid...a very long time ago, so again, the "rules" have changed this year for us. Nor have I seen these kinds of high humidity for as long either.

I raised these birds from chicks, so know when they are struggling...

Also, I am using a red heat lamp on these frigid weeks. If it was only going to be for one night...I wouldn't bother with the heat lamp but week upon week...the chickens DO struggle with the cold and humidity, so have changed my mind, to some extent, on the heat.

I have read the Alaska thread, but remember, their cold is dry..that is a huge difference and needs adjusting for.

Just my humble two cents and what I have done this year/winter. Hope my experiences this year helps and please, if you do heat your coop, please be VERY careful how you do it!

Oh, one more thing...we had some tremendous heat jumps. We had a January thaw that saw 40-50 degree temps, then back down to -20 or more and I had not yet added heat and the birds did ok with the huge change in temp. I no longer am worried that vast temp changes will kill the chickens. They weren't happy about it though. So that also helped in my decision to add a little bit of heat. I WAS worried about losing the electric but no so much any more.

They built a VERY heavy feathering, early this fall...which I believe is why they took longer to lay..as eggs and feathers are both from protein...between their feathering and the Farmers Almanac, I knew it was going to be a tough year for cold and snow this year!

ETA...my coop is NOT heated to 35 degrees. The poop on the poop board still freezes and takes a putty knife to "scrape" off...the birds just have the option of standing under the heat lamp for a bit of relief and is making a huge difference. I snuck out at night and watched them. One would get down and go under the lamp, then back on the roost, and another would jump down, and so forth.

 

[mithious]

I'm continually amazed by how many people keep insisting on heat lamps, despite constant assurances on the lack of need. When people from Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas and the like are not using them, that should tell you right there!

When you have cold hardy breeds, you have nothing to worry about. These birds are considerably tougher than you could ever imagine, and they know how to survive and adapt. When they've been raised all through the year, nature sets them up for survival, if they're healthy.

I live in Gaylord, MI. Lots of snow, lots of cold, lots of wind. This is my first year of chickens, and this site, along with constant observation and interaction, has taught me lots of information. I haven't had a single problem with my birds yet. Two have been moulting, and even on the -25 base temps days; not a problem. They'll eat snow, huddle together and generally just do what they need to, in order to satisfy their needs.

Please don't take this the wrong way, nor view me as a know-it-all. Far from any of that. I just really paid attention and go by what my birds tell me. I've also read and read and read about chickens. I'm quite satisfied by what I've learned and gained since March of this past year. Next year, will be even better for my girls. Enjoy your birds everyone!

I just wanted to remind everyone, that not all states, or climates are the same. The Mid-West is much dryer as is Alaska than the Northern East Coast. We get the lake affect, as well as the weather off the ocean and have had VERY high humidity this year. It is NOT the cold that can hurt or kill them, it is the humidity. When the outside humidity is as high, or higher, than inside the coop, there are problems...we have had both this year. High High humidity and the frigid cold. I lived in MN for years, and even though it is colder than here, it was dryer and didn't feel as cold. Had I had chickens in MN, even when it was MUCH colder than here, I doubt I would have needed to add any heat. With the darn high humidity this year, even though we are only getting -20 pretty consistently and some -30 degree temps, combined with the 104% humidity, well, I put in a heat lamp. The birds were not comfortable and with the prolonged frigid temps and high humidity, I have changed my outlook on adding heat. Not above freezing...see my above post...but there are areas, in the county, that if we followed the "rules" we WOULD be losing birds. I have read of people losing birds around here also this winter. One person lost their whole flock. They went out in the morning and the flock was frozen, literally.

Yes, birds can take low temps, and temp extremes ok, but add that humidity and there is trouble.



I don't heat the coop unless the humidity AND the cold are going to be extreme. The birds tell me, very vocally, that they are not happy nor comfortable. I also don't advocate heating a coop above freezing, in the colder climates, BUT...if the birds are suffering, and like me, you are fighting a losing battle with the humidity outside the coop, it's time to rethink the "rules".

 

[featherz]

So far so good here in upstate NY. Down to minus 20 and been minus single digits for a while now.. four coops and no losses. One leghorn has a bit of frostbite on her comb, but oddly enough the other nine do not. I think she's the one who insists on roosting in the rafters. I have never used a heat lamp and don't intend to...

(but I would also love some of those rose combed leghorns!! want want!!)

 

[bobbi-j]

I just wanted to remind everyone, that not all states, or climates are the same. The Mid-West is much dryer as is Alaska than the Northern East Coast. We get the lake affect, as well as the weather off the ocean and have had VERY high humidity this year. It is NOT the cold that can hurt or kill them, it is the humidity. When the outside humidity is as high, or higher, than inside the coop, there are problems...we have had both this year. High High humidity and the frigid cold. I lived in MN for years, and even though it is colder than here, it was dryer and didn't feel as cold. Had I had chickens in MN, even when it was MUCH colder than here, I doubt I would have needed to add any heat. With the darn high humidity this year, even though we are only getting -20 pretty consistently and some -30 degree temps, combined with the 104% humidity, well, I put in a heat lamp. The birds were not comfortable and with the prolonged frigid temps and high humidity, I have changed my outlook on adding heat. Not above freezing...see my above post...but there are areas, in the county, that if we followed the "rules" we WOULD be losing birds. I have read of people losing birds around here also this winter. One person lost their whole flock. They went out in the morning and the flock was frozen, literally.

Yes, birds can take low temps, and temp extremes ok, but add that humidity and there is trouble.



I don't heat the coop unless the humidity AND the cold are going to be extreme. The birds tell me, very vocally, that they are not happy nor comfortable. I also don't advocate heating a coop above freezing, in the colder climates, BUT...if the birds are suffering, and like me, you are fighting a losing battle with the humidity outside the coop, it's time to rethink the "rules".

You are right - we all have different climates and can't all fit into the same box. I am concerned, though, about the poster who has outside temps ranging from 0 to -20 and has her coop heated to 35*. I don't see a problem with one heat lamp providing some relief if necessary. Your birds are acclimated, and wouldn't suffer terribly if that lamp burned out or you lost electricity. I think it's safe to say that heating the coop is problematic when the coops are so very much warmer inside than outside.

 

[chicken8]

Coastal Alaska is extremely humid.

 

[featherz]

We've had 80-100% humidity here in NY and my birds are running around outside.. in the snow.. no heat lamp. Leghorns, bantams, etc.. I probably overfeed them so they are nice and fat LOL. They all seem happy - they ran after me when it was about 8 below the other day when I had some extra scratch for 'em.. I do use heated waterers to make sure they always have water.

 

[mithious]

You are right - we all have different climates and can't all fit into the same box. I am concerned, though, about the poster who has outside temps ranging from 0 to -20 and has her coop heated to 35*. I don't see a problem with one heat lamp providing some relief if necessary. Your birds are acclimated, and wouldn't suffer terribly if that lamp burned out or you lost electricity. I think it's safe to say that heating the coop is problematic when the coops are so very much warmer inside than outside.

I agree!!! The temporary temp fluctuations are one thing and don't need to be addressed with heating either...even if they are 80-100 degrees of frost. The birds, if acclimated will do ok, a bit uncomfortable, but will live through it. I would never advocate heating a coop, without a back up generator, above freezing, on a consistent basis in terribly cold climates. Like I said, this year has been so different that I have rethought my position on never ever adding heat to a coop. This is the very first year I have done so and only part time, on a temporary basis. I believe, that if I were going to propagate these production birds, a few gen's out, I would have no problems and would not even need to add the one heat lamp..I just wanted to remind everyone that climates vary, depending on the area of the country we are in. I have traveled a fair amount and have had the opportunity to experience and sometimes live in various parts of the country.

Yes on Anchorage also...I was up there a few years ago for the start of the Iditarod. Although even Anchorage didn't feel quite as wet cold as here. It was absolutely gorgeous though! Even the snow was dryer than here. It was kinda weird. One of my son's was stationed in Fairbanks. Now that is some cold there. Yet, the snow doesn't get you drenched...like here. I couldn't wear mukluks here, like I could there. They would be soaked through in minutes! I got to ride up the coast and see the frozen sea ice....amazing! Still, being a retired Registered Maine Guide, and driving dogs for a living on long camping trips, we had to dress quite different here, than I did for even Anchorage...to protect from getting wet here.

Thus my point on the humidity combined with the cold.

This is from personal experience, not from what someone has told me also.