How to deal with the cold?

[bobbi-j]

The biggest problem with adding heat, is the tendency to try and keep the heat in the coop. People tend to close up the coop to keep it warm. I did myself in the beginning. It just seemed so cold.

Chickens NEED that ventilation much more than they need the heat. They need a place to get rid of the moisture in the coop. It is much, much more important to keep chickens dry and out of the wind, than it is to keep them warm. Until I quit trying to keep chickens warm, and started keeping chickens dry, they suffered some frostbite.

Mrs K

I did the same. Locked the coop up tight and put in a heat lamp. Every year I had unhealthy chickens by spring. Frostbite and respiratory issues were the biggest problems. When I quit trying to keep them warm and started keeping them dry, my flock has been much healthier.

I wouldn't feel as if I had to if it weren't raining. If we open up the coop then they get wet, but if we don't then they get upset. With that, we have a hen who is still molting, and she has looked pitiful all day. I just want to give them some heat to get them through the night, I won't leave it on all night either.

It is currently 20* here with a light breeze. I have 9 half-naked chickens running around because they’re molting. They are outside, hunting and pecking and doing chickeny things just like always. They were fine. Seriously - this is bothering you far more than it is your chickens.

How is your coop set up that they get wet inside when you open it up? Pics and measurements of your coop could help us help you create a nice dry environment for them so they can be comfortable this winter.

 

[Phantom_k9]

I did the same. Locked the coop up tight and put in a heat lamp. Every year I had unhealthy chickens by spring. Frostbite and respiratory issues were the biggest problems. When I quit trying to keep them warm and started keeping them dry, my flock has been much healthier.

It is currently 20* here with a light breeze. I have 9 half-naked chickens running around because they’re molting. They are outside, hunting and pecking and doing chickeny things just like always. They were fine. Seriously - this is bothering you far more than it is your chickens.

How is your coop set up that they get wet inside when you open it up? Pics and measurements of your coop could help us help you create a nice dry environment for them so they can be comfortable this winter.

Sorry, I don't mean they get wet when they are in the coop, they go outside and get wet. I'll go turn off the heater, but I am still unsure given how they all acted today.

 

[bobbi-j]

Sorry, I don't mean they get wet when they are in the coop, they go outside and get wet. I'll go turn off the heater, but I am still unsure given how they all acted today.

Are they shivering? Huddled in a corner and not moving? Not eating or drinking? I leave my pop door open until it’s below zero, giving them the option of being in or out. They can figure out if they are cold or not.

 

[Phantom_k9]

Are they shivering? Huddled in a corner and not moving? Not eating or drinking? I leave my pop door open until it’s below zero, giving them the option of being in or out. They can figure out if they are cold or not.

I don't know about shivering, but they were huddled together and staying still. Also don't know about eating or drinking. We also left our automatic doors open all day so they could decide. The adults went out, but our youngest didn't

 

[rosemarythyme]

we ended up not going with the heat lamp for a different kind of heater. We don't plan to keep it on 24/7, but we want to use it to try and cut the cold. We have it secured onto the wall, so it should be fine. I just want to have something out there for when it dips below ~35

Below 35F, not -35F? I know it must feel cold to you, but chickens do just fine down into freezing temperatures (and 35F is not freezing) as long as they have somewhere dry and draft free that they can use for shelter.

I wouldn't feel as if I had to if it weren't raining. If we open up the coop then they get wet, but if we don't then they get upset. With that, we have a hen who is still molting, and she has looked pitiful all day. I just want to give them some heat to get them through the night, I won't leave it on all night either.

I got rain for 60 days straight last year. The only time I locked them in the coop was when the yard was flooded some 2-4" deep, so that was for safety reasons. Otherwise they had access to my unroofed run all daylight hours, through rain and snow.

 

[aart]

Agrees with all the 'no heat' posts.
@Phantom_k9 is this your first winter?

 

[Phantom_k9]

Agrees with all the 'no heat' posts.
@Phantom_k9 is this your first winter?

Technically my second. The first one we still had our birds in our garage, since we hadn't built our coop yet. It got cold in there as well, but we also did give them a heater. In fairness, we only had it on at night. During the day (if it wasn't too cold for them) they would go outside and be just fine.
First winter that has hit so abruptly.

 

[Phantom_k9]

I should add, we aren't using the heater to make the coop "comfortable", we want to use it to cut the cold a bit. I know that it is "worse for me than it is for them" but I just can't feel good about letting them freeze out there. Even with the heater on, its not warm, its still very cold. We only have it on because we have a few birds who don't seem to be taking the cold so well. Just two days ago, it was 70-80 outside, so if anything I would argue they need a bit of help adjusting to the new brutal cold. It hasn't gone above 39 today, and for Texas that is VERY cold. Believe me, I know the safety risk, and I was extremely conflicted because of them. With that, I am being very cautious to not let it get too warm in the coop; if I don't need a jacket to be out there, its too hot. I only have the safety and well beaning of my birds in mind, and we have a few who just don't seem to be ready for the cold.

We did something similar last year (in fairness, I did not know that it could keep the birds from adjusting). However, they would still go outside, and we only kept it on when we felt like it was too cold, or during the night while they were asleep. Currently, our flock is divided. Our Rhode Island Red and our oldest Roo have one part of the coop; our second hen is alone on her own perch; the younger "three amigos" will all roost together; the two we hatched roost together; and we are still keeping our youngest two chicks inside when it gets too cold. If they were all one big happy family and huddled together when it got cold, I would be a lot less worried as well.

 

[bobbi-j]

If they were all one big happy family and huddled together when it got cold, I would be a lot less worried as well.

The thing is, they are built to keep the heat in, so huddling together really doesn’t spread their body heat among the others. They grow extra down (think dressing in layers) for insulation. The best analogy I can come up with is this - On the next cold day, put on all of your winter gear. Coat, hat, boots, gloves, scarf and snow pants if you have them. Go outside for an hour or two. It’s not too bad, is it? Now come in and leave all your gear on for as long as you can. I’d say at least an hour or two. Your chickens can’t get out of their winter gear. How comfortable are they if they can’t get out of the heat?