I know there's a section on prepping your coop for the cold, but...

[PopVultureATX]

I have a quick fix question. I live in Austin and we're about to get a big cold snap tomorrow, just for a night. I think it might get down to 36 at the lowest. I know this is above freezing, but is there anything special I should do? I wasn't expecting this, and being such short notice at all, I was wondering if I'll be ok just operating as normal. I have three full grown hens - one RIR, one Buff Orp, and one Barred Rock.

 

[hispoptart]

I wouldn't worry as long as there are no drafts. It was 16 here this morning and my chickens are in an uninsulated unheated coop and did just fine.

 

[rsarns]

.

 

[waterchicken]

They should be just fine!

Our coop is uninsulated and unheated too, and they even keep laying right up until the snow stays on the ground.

 

[happyhens120]

There's been lots of research on open air coops, and chickens do just fine in them. As long as they have protection from the elements, like a tarp or house or something, the cold shouldn't bother them. You don't want to lock it all up tight because there needs to be air flow to get that stagnant air out of there. My girls will have nothing special this winter... just their coop and run like normal. You should be fine.

ETA: My husband, the handy man and former professional insulator, said that we would not be insulating our coop. Since there is no main heat source inside our coop (besides the birds), insulating it would make it colder inside. Insulation only works when there is a heat source... it then helps to hold the heat in. But having no heat source means that it will also hold the cold in. Hope that helps.

 

[krcote]

Fret not. All will be well with your birds come morning

 

[karlamaria]

We have been down in the single digits and trapped the run, and the coop is insulated. My girls do fine.

 

[elmo]

Yup, as long as they have a dry, draft free place to roost, they'll be fine.

We're up in North Texas and getting a similar cold snap. We have a flock of tiny bantams and they're molting right now. Some of the hens even have bare spots.

Because they're pets, and because we do have facilities indoors in our bird room....well, we brought them indoors tonight because the temperature is dropping so suddenly. If they weren't molting, I wouldn't even consider doing this, and I know they don't really need it.

Last winter they handled the week of below freezing temps just fine. I did put an oil filled radiator inside the coop and turned it on at night, but I watched them during the day in the run and they hardly seemed to notice the cold. Of course, they had all their feathers then!

 

[linben]

I live in Austin too and will not be taking any precautions. They did just fine last winter when it got REAL cold. Now, my chicks are in the garage with heat source.