How do you keep your Chickens warm in the winter? No elec/insulation

[toletiquesbysam]

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Yes they are all winter hardy. Supplying them with fresh water daily and making sure they have enough food. I kept them inside when the "blizzard" conditions or windchill was bad. I also close my windows, and leave the vents I have at the top of the coop open. The chickens aren't crazy about snow but I do leave my pop door open as much as possible to let them have the option of going in or out.

If you do use supplement heating and then remove it or lose power, they are not acclimated to the winter conditions then and can freeze!

 

[trilyn]

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Actually that is a fairly common *result* of heating a coop -- partly b/c the heat increases the humidity, and partly because people tend to shut down the ventilation too much 'to keep the heat in'. It can be difficult to decide what to do, I know, but heating is often not as straightforward a "plus" as is often thought.

Just sayin',

Pat

Hi Pat....you helped me out with these questions months back. We actually tried to go without heat from the start, but in only a day or two, the roo already had white tips on combs and then below the tips they were dark blue. Heat is very drying? Not sure how that inceasing humidity? Seems like a total no-win situation. We have plenty of ventilation with no direct drafts at the roost and he still was freezing? Without the heat, the hens also started to get white tips, but with the heat, their color came back.....I'm clueless!

Cat

I know you asked Pat, but I'm gonna chime in anyways!!

I'm new to this whole thing also and this was my first winter. We didn't have a heated coop either, and my birds combs looked the same way. I was pretty much having a nervous breakdown, but couldn't put heat in the coop. I decided to just double up my insulation over the windows and make sure I had plenty of ventilation. Apparently what looked like frostbite wasn't and my birds all have healthy red combs/wattles. I think it was just that powdery white stuff that is common on their wattles/combs. I have single combed birds too, rir, comets, and orpingtons, br. Thank goodness it wasn't! Just a newbie overreaction apparently. lol

 

[NonnasBabies]

I just ran an extension cord from my porch to my coop!! Had it like that all winter!! Worked out good!!

Missi

 

[LittleMamaBigPapa]

trilyn wrote:

I know you asked Pat, but I'm gonna chime in anyways!!

I'm new to this whole thing also and this was my first winter. We didn't have a heated coop either, and my birds combs looked the same way. I was pretty much having a nervous breakdown, but couldn't put heat in the coop. I decided to just double up my insulation over the windows and make sure I had plenty of ventilation. Apparently what looked like frostbite wasn't and my birds all have healthy red combs/wattles. I think it was just that powdery white stuff that is common on their wattles/combs. I have single combed birds too, rir, comets, and orpingtons, br. Thank goodness it wasn't! Just a newbie overreaction apparently. lol

Thanks for your post...I wish I could say I will give the "no heat" concept a try, but not sure.. my Roo DID have frost bite as his white tips turned black and fell off!! He actually still has one black tip that hasn't fallen off yet. It just breaks my heart!

 

[triggfamily5]

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Ditto here, except my coop is a throw together from an old horse shelter (osb board for roof and sides, no paint/insulation nothing). Snow even gets in it during a blizzard. I keep the pop door closed when snow is a flying or just bad windchill. All does fine. Been doing it that way for 4 years. Going to build a bigger insulated coop this year, will probably have problems next winter

 

[the Precious Ladies]

Hi
I am new to chikens (mine are still babies, 3 weeks old) But my concern with heating is increasing the humidity, and the heat lamp falling over and catching the wood chips on fire (even witha a metal safe guard) but that just be my little fear- Our house caught on fire that day after Christmas, The house is fine though- just smelled life smoke for 2 weeks or so. Well, Im finished with my babblin, but hear is what ive heard;
Hardy breeds can do fine in cold weather- even below 30 degress (farenheight) IF there is good ventilation and the coop is dry.
Good luck with the inspector person

 

[patandchickens]

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Heat increases evaporation of water from the bedding. Thus, unless you are heating the whole coop to approx. freezing or higher, it CAN increase humidity.

But yes, sometimes what with one thing and another, you do find that the reality of your situation is that the breed you have chosen, in your real-life coop conditions, requires some heat

Pat

 

[trilyn]

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Thanks for your post...I wish I could say I will give the "no heat" concept a try, but not sure.. my Roo DID have frost bite as his white tips turned black and fell off!! He actually still has one black tip that hasn't fallen off yet. It just breaks my heart!

Oh, I'm so sorry, that's awful!!

 

[teach1rusl]

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This will come up a LOT come December again...heat lamp issues. Hang heatlamps from metal cable or chain, never the clip that comes with it, and always use a back-up wire (so it's hanging from two separate sources). That's your best bet. Some folks have gone with the flat panel heaters like the sweeter heater and such. I'm sure your house catching fire really does make you think about safety issues all around. Glad things worked out and nobody was hurt.

 

[nancypo]

I have winter hardy breeds and will add extra straw and keep an eye on them. In Boise, it gets pretty cold, we had 2 weeks between 0 and 10 degrees this winter. I can add a heat bulb if needed. It's my first coop so will see. Why do they care? Trying to generate $$$ for the city or? Tell them, extra insulation...