How to tell if a chicken is too cold?

[azygous]

Sounds like your chickens are good to go!

 

[greggooo]

Sounds like your chickens are good to go!

Oh I really really hope so. These are my first chickens and I have really gotten attached to them.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I agree...it sounds like you have done everything. Most importantly, you weaned them off heat and have acclimated them to the ambient temps before putting them out...they are telling you they are ready to go!

As to how hardy chickens are to cold, I'll post a photo below. I only use broody hens to hatch chicks after I burned the first coop down to the ground, ash pit style, with a flood lamp in the coop because I was afraid my pullets, at 18 weeks, weren't ready for a really cold front.

I then went to brooding with hens. My first broody momma was a Silkie who taught me what a brooding hen can do. She tried to go broody in November, but I didn't think a hen could brood in winter, so ignored her. She went broody again in January, and was so insistent that I caved and got some eggs for her from a friend (as I didn't have roosters then).

She hatched those chicks in freezing weather, tucked in a nice dry coop (as dry as Oregon ever gets). She and her little brood were out of the weather but not heated in any way. Well, those little fluff balls were up and running around in the cold by day 3. They only ran under momma for quick warm ups. By week 4, they were fully feathered and rarely snuggled with mom. By 6 weeks, they were independent. They were laying by 16 weeks (maturing with the lengthening daylight as they were winter hatches).

It totally changed my mind about chickens, chicks, and cold. They simply do NOT need the heat. I actually had more trouble with the heat lamp brooded chicks acclimating than I have ever had with my natural broody hatched chicks.

Since then, I've let hens hatch when they want to. Below, you can't see the little fluff balls well, but I can assure you that among my 3 momma bantams, there are 3 to 5 little fluffs running around at about day 4 in the photo.

Many broodies later, rain, or shine, or driven snow...they are better than the postman.

 

[Chickassan]

I figure if the chickens are saying bock instead of brrrrr they're warm enough. It's easy to worry about them,especially the first ones but don't worry! You've got a nice non drafty coop,the chickens will be just fine.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Some sure signs that your chickens are cold... They will not go outside. They will huddle together in piles, not breaking apart at times through the day (huddling together at night is fine). They will not eat or drink, they get frostbite on their combs, otherwise refuse to move, they are wet and it's very cold, they are out in harsh winds and it's very cold, they tuck their heads under their wings and lift a leg into their feathers like they are roosting but it's fully daytime.

If they are acting normally, eating, drinking, fussing about, scratching, etc. they are likely happy campers. Keep em dry and out of the wind and they should be just fine.

 

[greggooo]

I agree...it sounds like you have done everything. Most importantly, you weaned them off heat and have acclimated them to the ambient temps before putting them out...they are telling you they are ready to go!

As to how hardy chickens are to cold, I'll post a photo below. I only use broody hens to hatch chicks after I burned the first coop down to the ground, ash pit style, with a flood lamp in the coop because I was afraid my pullets, at 18 weeks, weren't ready for a really cold front.

I then went to brooding with hens. My first broody momma was a Silkie who taught me what a brooding hen can do. She tried to go broody in November, but I didn't think a hen could brood in winter, so ignored her. She went broody again in January, and was so insistent that I caved and got some eggs for her from a friend (as I didn't have roosters then).

She hatched those chicks in freezing weather, tucked in a nice dry coop (as dry as Oregon ever gets). She and her little brood were out of the weather but not heated in any way. Well, those little fluff balls were up and running around in the cold by day 3. They only ran under momma for quick warm ups. By week 4, they were fully feathered and rarely snuggled with mom. By 6 weeks, they were independent. They were laying by 16 weeks (maturing with the lengthening daylight as they were winter hatches).

It totally changed my mind about chickens, chicks, and cold. They simply do NOT need the heat. I actually had more trouble with the heat lamp brooded chicks acclimating than I have ever had with my natural broody hatched chicks.

Since then, I've let hens hatch when they want to. Below, you can't see the little fluff balls well, but I can assure you that among my 3 momma bantams, there are 3 to 5 little fluffs running around at about day 4 in the photo.

Many broodies later, rain, or shine, or driven snow...they are better than the postman.

View attachment 1183995

Lots of space, that looks great!

 

[peckpeckpeck]

I agree...it sounds like you have done everything. Most importantly, you weaned them off heat and have acclimated them to the ambient temps before putting them out...they are telling you they are ready to go!

As to how hardy chickens are to cold, I'll post a photo below. I only use broody hens to hatch chicks after I burned the first coop down to the ground, ash pit style, with a flood lamp in the coop because I was afraid my pullets, at 18 weeks, weren't ready for a really cold front.

I then went to brooding with hens. My first broody momma was a Silkie who taught me what a brooding hen can do. She tried to go broody in November, but I didn't think a hen could brood in winter, so ignored her. She went broody again in January, and was so insistent that I caved and got some eggs for her from a friend (as I didn't have roosters then).

She hatched those chicks in freezing weather, tucked in a nice dry coop (as dry as Oregon ever gets). She and her little brood were out of the weather but not heated in any way. Well, those little fluff balls were up and running around in the cold by day 3. They only ran under momma for quick warm ups. By week 4, they were fully feathered and rarely snuggled with mom. By 6 weeks, they were independent. They were laying by 16 weeks (maturing with the lengthening daylight as they were winter hatches).

It totally changed my mind about chickens, chicks, and cold. They simply do NOT need the heat. I actually had more trouble with the heat lamp brooded chicks acclimating than I have ever had with my natural broody hatched chicks.

Since then, I've let hens hatch when they want to. Below, you can't see the little fluff balls well, but I can assure you that among my 3 momma bantams, there are 3 to 5 little fluffs running around at about day 4 in the photo.

Many broodies later, rain, or shine, or driven snow...they are better than the postman.

View attachment 1183995

 

[Nekatlla]

I would take the heat out of there. What happens if they get used to the heated coop and the electric goes out? Don't close up the vents, Remove the thermometer, stop looking at it they will be fine they have cozy down coats on, they roost in trees....

Gary

All the more reason NOT to provide heat, they get used to it instead of the cold.

Gary

So these are meat chickens, in a tractor, we went from high 40's to 15 degrees with 20-35 mph wind with gusts to 50 didn't think a couple heat lamps for them was unwarranted, chicken tractors are quite drafty by design. Hopefully they are processed before they get used to heat lamps. The temps will be back to mid 40's Monday. also not a lot of time to acclimate. This was an extreme blast from the north we don't usually see until the end of this month to middle of December.

The laying hens did fine in their non drafty coop with no heat at all.

 

[greggooo]

Oooof. Brutal. That's way worse than ours last night. We only hit 20, was supposed to hit 17, but didn't make it thank goodness. Our hens did okay, though Beastie crowed a few times through the night. They wanted to free range again today when it was 28º, so I will hopefully start relaxing about their hardiness.

I put up a small partition on their roost bars. So they feel more enclosed. It has 1.5-2" clearance between it and the roof, so can still let air move to the vents in the coop. Added more vents today as well. They used to sleep 3 and 3 on separate roosts, now, they cuddle all in a row.

So these are meat chickens, in a tractor, we went from high 40's to 15 degrees with 20-35 mph wind with gusts to 50 didn't think a couple heat lamps for them was unwarranted, chicken tractors are quite drafty by design. Hopefully they are processed before they get used to heat lamps. The temps will be back to mid 40's Monday. also not a lot of time to acclimate. This was an extreme blast from the north we don't usually see until the end of this month to middle of December.

The laying hens did fine in their non drafty coop with no heat at all.

 

[greggooo]

Some sure signs that your chickens are cold... They will not go outside. They will huddle together in piles, not breaking apart at times through the day (huddling together at night is fine). They will not eat or drink, they get frostbite on their combs, otherwise refuse to move, they are wet and it's very cold, they are out in harsh winds and it's very cold, they tuck their heads under their wings and lift a leg into their feathers like they are roosting but it's fully daytime.

If they are acting normally, eating, drinking, fussing about, scratching, etc. they are likely happy campers. Keep em dry and out of the wind and they should be just fine.

They sure wanted to run around outside today, so they must not mind it too much. It was 28 outside. They do, however, sometimes sleep with their heads facing backwards like the exorcist. They did that as chicks in the brooder too.