How do I keep my flocks warm in really cold weather without electricity?

[Quacking ducks]

We have an upcoming cold spell. Low teens for highs, single digits for overnight lows. This will be a first for my 5 pullets. The other birds have been through temps like these before.

If I see that nobody is leaving the coop to drink water (I keep no water in the coop), I'll get them a dish of snow for them to peck at and put it in the coop. They love to peck at snow. There is one bowl of feed in the coop, two in the run.

At 10 degrees, or 15 with a north wind, I keep the people door shut. It's usually open for light, since it's so gloomy time time of year.

At 5 degrees, I shut the pop door, and put an extra bowl of feed in the coop.

My ventilatioin openings are all covered with a polyester filter material. Warm, moist air and ammonia rise and pass through, but it cuts the wind to almost nothing.

Right now, I have to go into the coop to gather eggs, so I am in there several times a day. I'll be able to tell if any of them has a problem.

Good idea with the polyester filter material

 

[Roosterinthecity]

All the room and they decide to huddle.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think they might be trying to get away from your heat lamp?

 

[Roosterinthecity]

Heat lamp isn’t on. No need for it. It’s only 40 degrees here. What you see is the flashlight I’m using. I only use the floodlight to check on them once in a while

 

[Mrs. K]

Oh good!