How to warm the coop?

[tenderkat]

Well, I've been reading ALOT of posts lately on the cold temps, and how to protect my chickens. As this is my first winter with my girls, I am very grateful for the experience and expertise of other members. I have taken alot of steps over the last couple of weeks to keep them warm, but I have to say that I am absolutley AMAZED at how tough my chickens are!!! We have been dipping down into subzero temps, and they are MACHINES!! I go out there 7AM, freezing my tush off, and they all come scrambling towards me looking at me like I'm crazed, probably thinking, "Geez Mom, we're totally fine, this isn't even cold! Now, would you let us outside already?!"

I'm sure the breeds make a difference, but I have done as suggested in so many posts - provided a draft free roost area with enough ventilation up high, plenty of food, and warm water. My girls seem to be miraculously unfazed by the cold.


p.s. As far as using Kerosene heaters. We got really sick when we were kids when my Mom used these heaters to try and keep the house warmer one winter. Fire hazard aside, these things put out some pretty nasty fumes, and I'm sure chickens get headaches too!!

 

[gabriellebw]

Quote:
I thought they would be alright but two of my reds got frostbite on their combs! I know that the temp is really dropping in the coop at night because their water is freezing. We are a bit stuck. Everything that I have read about insulating the coop says that you should insulate from the inside but our coop is already built and very difficult to work on from the outside. Aside from buying a whole new coop I am at a loss about what to do...

 

[chookchick]

gabrielle--if you have a small coop, you can wrap insulation around the outside, then tarp over that. (I did that last year with my small coop and just 2 girls). Not ideal, but will help in a cold spell--be sure you leave vents uncovered. You could also put a sheet of foam insulation on the roof and weight it down. If you have problems with frostbite I suspect you have too much humidity, and not enough proper ventilation, as opposed to a "too cold" problem. In a small coop the humidity can build up really quickly. Do you have vents near the top of the coop? Also be sure and clean out poo often, and use stall dry. If you want to post some pics, we could give you more of an idea...

 

[Hens4Fun]

wow my california chickens are really big wimps. We've had night time temps in the low 40s and all 10 huddle together in a circle. I turned on a heat lamp, close the door and windows and they STILLLL huddle all together on the ground. The roosts would be up closer to the heat-source, but they just form a big ball of feathers on the ground... whatever would they do if it were REALLY cold?

 

[5 spoiled hens]

Here is a photo of our coop right after we got it. We no longer use the little run that came with the coop, it was great when they were small, but as they got bigger, I couldn't stand to see them in the little run.....so they now get 1/2 the yard until we get home from work and then they free range until it's time for bed.

We have 5 hens and they all huddle together in the coop on these cold nights.
I did install a heat lamp in the lower level hoping the heat will rise to the roosting area and take a little of the chill off.
But the mail reason was to keep the water from freezing. I think I only have 3 of the 5 laying right now. I get either 2 or 3 eggs a day. I was getting 4 prior too the cold weather. This is our first year with chickens - and Wow are we ever having a blast. They are sure a lot of fun. And the eggs are great too!

 

[lisebarb]

I have an A-frame coop much like the pic in 5 Spoiled Hen's post. Last fall I bought two half-inch sheets of 8X4' rigid styrofoam insulation (you know that sheets they use in house construction?) and leaned them over the sides of the coop. I weighted them with some planks of wood I have hanging around and these rigid sheets kept my 4 gals nice and warm.

The coop is attached to a run area in the lean-to behind my shed and I hang a heat lamp in there for them. I have the lamp on a timer so it comes on 2 hours before dawn and turns off just before supper. I find that around 5-6pm then climb up into the coop and huddle there for the night. I also keep a little thermometer inside their roosting area so I can keep an eye on the temp.

On really cold and windy days I cover the coop with thick clear plastic sheeting to create a wind/snow break (we are right off Lake Erie and it can get windy). I don't keep the plastic on all the time because I like to make sure the coop gets good ventilation. So the plastic comes off during the day unless it's stormy.

They did really well last winter (their first) so I don't expect any problems this winter.
Barbara
PS I have 4 Easter Eggers.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

I'm only about 30 minutes or so south of Portland, OR.
Even with brooder lamps in all three coops (all 3 with different style waterers, and different construction) all the water was frozen solid today, so I just re-directed the lamps to aim right at the waterers (but not too close for splashing, falling, etc) and the only other thing I've had to do is keep the bantams all locked up in the tractor house, or they would freeze to death on their perches outside, as they REFUSE to sleep inside left to their own devices! Big dummies! They even stay out there in the pouring down rain!