I'm worried about my hens in this weather! -20

[addiedunn]

So many good ideas and solutions!

Joe D!....You should change your avatar to Bill Nye, the Science guy.

I love that your posting your lab results, but I am a little worried about those silkies of yours. 0 is pretty cold...
I'm in central Indiana, also. I was pulling my hair out worrying about my 4 freezing to death. And reading all of the threads on keeping warm in the winter made me even crazier. Don't put the light in, do put the light in, the light bothers them, the light doesn't bother them. (Admittedly, most of that was on the egg-laying thread, but a light is a light).
I went with a brooder light hanging above their waterer. One consensus on the various threads was that the red light didn't bother them. Wouldn't you know--my roosters were jumping up on top of the waterer to roost under the heat of the brooder lamp. Neither of them have many tail feathers left due to singe.

So we had to move the water, which freezes now so I just change out my waterer in the morning.
My coop is pretty small, too, so it's easier to keep warm. It is 4'h x6'L x2'd.
I went out on the coldest morning this week, I think it was -4, and fed and changed their water. The sun was shining bright and they were standing at the slider door that opens to the run, like usual. So I opened it for them and two went out for about a minute and came right back in. They started looking at me and clucking and the rolling of the heads began and all manner of "chicken chat" started, looking like it was being directed at me. So I reached in and closed the slider and they stopped. I guess they wanted to see for themselves how cold it was.
Moral of the story: listen to your chickens...they'll tell you when they're cold!

Good thread.

 

[Beekissed]

I agree! Its now 0 here and my chickens are all out in the sunlight just pecking away at the ground.......for WHAT? What in the world could they have found to eat on this frozen landscape that they haven't already scavenged? I think they just like looking busy!

Whatever it is, they are going bonkers for it!

I've been bringing my waterer in at night also, as the little light that usually keeps it thawed is not up to par now. Mine ignore my light as its usually pressed right up against the waterer and has no room for roo butts!

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Addiedunn, there's no need to worry about those silkies, really. They're probably the warmest of any living species around, including me. They have a GE 60-watt black reptile heat bulb about 18 inches above them. It's so warm under there that they spend most of their time outside the perimeter of the light's spot.
That GE bulb is actually keeping the whole 4wx8lx8h coop about 14 degrees above the outside temperature.
I'm starting to realize that those less-expensive, 150-watt reptile heat bulbs don't do half the job that the GE 60-watt does; the GE 60w costs about twice as much as the 150w, but it seems to be putting out more than twice the heat of the 150w. I have to check it further to verify that, but so far on two different setups that's what appears to be correct, but there are some variables that could be giving the wrong results. I really need to buy one more thermometer and test for a few more days.

 

[addiedunn]

You may have to put your testing on hold until after this heat wave we're having.

 

[silkeysandra]

here in texas, we get chilly-down in the teens rarely. I let my girls decide if they want to go out. They mostly do, but I keep the door cracked so they can go back in if they want. When we had snow and sleet last year, they would not go out! ha! me neither!!! One thing I did do this year that they seemed to really like is a put a small piece of carpeting (maybe 6 x 8 inches in their 'house' (left over rabbit cages) that they settle down on for a nice cozy sleep. If they don't feel cold, they will get on their limb roost in their house, but when it is cold--I can only maintain 35-40 on our windy cold nights--they snuggle on their carpet pieces. I have two silkeys who sometimes room together on really cold nights. For them, they have a larger carpet piece.
I am just really glad I'm down here in cozy Texas where the cold will go away in a few days. I'm really awed by the pluckiness (no pun) of our northern chicken tenders (sorry, don't know what's wrong with me!) who've been doing this longer than us! We salute you alls!