How do you keep a non-cold hardy chicken from freezing?

[Chicken Whisperers]

I haven't thought about this until now. We have a silver laced polish that's a month and a week old. I know that she is not cold hardy, but with the hard winters in Idaho, I am worried something will happen because I have no idea what to do. Yes, it's the middle of summer, but better safe than sorry. I would rather learn now than in the worst of winter when she gets sick. Will she be big enough come winter to withstand the cold? And if not, will she die, get frostbite, or freeze? Please help, I have no clue what to do to help her for the cold season coming!

 

[wamtazlady]

I had also read the Polish are not cold hardy. Had a buff laced Polish rooster. He handled the -22 F temps just fine. I would think he just cuddled up between the hens. I live in NW Montana.

 

[Chicken Whisperers]

-22?! Wow. It's only gotten that cold here probably once. I bet she could just cuddle up in between mama Daisy and Peaches, her sister, which are both Ameraucanas. And ameraucanas are really fluffy, so I guess I was just freaking out over nothing. I just want Pepper to be safe from the cold. Thank you for the advice on it!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

In my experience there are no full sized chickens that are not cold hardy except maybe for strains or breeds that have large straight combs which are subject to frostbite. I hardly think that a silver-laced Polish would qualify as a full or standard size chicken.

Neither do I think that feather footed breeds would do well in Idaho, especially if they are being forced to tramp through slush and show and having it freeze or cake to the feathers on their feet.

 

[Chicken Whisperers]

I have a brahma who does just fine in the snow. She is really big, but I think most of it is feathers

 

[TheTwoRoos]

If you have more birds and right ventilation,she should be fine.If your worrying just add a heat lamp.

 

[aart]

@oldhenlikesdogs has polish(I think) in a cold climate.

 

[MoparGirl89]

I had 2 silver Phoenix chickens that made it through the winter and we were in the negatives for a week straight. They huddled with the bigger chickens ( i have brahamas and cochins) we also keep a heat lamp up high in their coop.

 

[MotherHen1234]

I have a scilian buttercup hen, her name is Adeline. She is not cold hardy but, she always hudles up right in the middle of the others (I have a flock of 5 hens). She does fine. Sometimes I will throw a little straw in the coop Incase she wanted to hunker down in it for some extra warmth.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I haven't thought about this until now. We have a silver laced polish that's a month and a week old. I know that she is not cold hardy, but with the hard winters in Idaho, I am worried something will happen because I have no idea what to do. Yes, it's the middle of summer, but better safe than sorry. I would rather learn now than in the worst of winter when she gets sick. Will she be big enough come winter to withstand the cold? And if not, will she die, get frostbite, or freeze? Please help, I have no clue what to do to help her for the cold season coming!

Where did you hear they aren't cold hearty? They are perfectly adapted for cold winters. They barely have any comb or wattles, plus they are already wearing a nice winter hat.

We can brutal here and I never worry about my polish, they do fine. The only time I d need to worry about my polish is during the molt because they sometimes need help with those crest feathers.

I actually haven't found any breed of chicken to not be hardy at least to our zone 4 winters where we get weeks of -20's plus and have had wind chills into the -60' but generally they don't go below -40 Fahrenheit.


Do you have other chickens? When it gets really cold chickens will sit closer together on the roosts at night.

Oh and I would avoid a heat lamp like the fire producers they are in a coop full of birds. They do sell heated roosts and wall plates that can provide a bit of extra heat, but I'm a firm believer in letting them acclimate. Extra heat can affect how thick of a down coat they grow, than they are at the mercy of the weather.