Is a few degrees below zero in the coop too cold?

[Poultrybonkers]

Stuck a thermometer in my coop with the chicks first is the outside temp

and this is what it is in my coop with my 9 week old chicks

 

[wamtazlady]

I live in NW Montana where temperatures in the -20s are not unusual. Wind chill should not factor in on things as the birds should never be in a breeze. Anyway, at -26 my birds are out in their run, pecking, eating, drinking, scratching and being normal chickens. Run has a roof and is covered on 3 sides with clear vinyl shower curtains. Coop is uninsulated and has no source of heat. The main thing that keeps the chickens warm in winter are the 10 square feet of ventilation that is never closed so no humidity builds up in the coop. Ventilation is up high and roosts are down low so no breeze blows on the birds. A dry chicken is a warm chicken.

 

[DonyaQuick]

But they are all fluffed up so they are feeling the cold!

I'm the other side of Albany from you but (EDIT: I got OP & RoyalChick's locations mixed up, sorry! Temps are still similar) the temperatures have been similar in my area. It's my fist winter with chickens. My buff orpingtons turned into angry little orbs the first time it went below 20F and I got worried that they'd have issues later on, but it was -9F this morning and they were still pounding the door to be let out. It's only 1F now as I write this and they aren't even doing the orb thing anymore, so I think they got used to it. I did have some frostbite issues with a couple of their combs a week or so ago when it was actually quite a bit warmer, but I think it was down to a couple birds being careless drinkers and getting their faces wet (I have an open top water bowl). Haven't had any frostbite issues since that.

I've been using large flat boards held with rocs to block rain, snow, and wind. Not sure if your weather is doing the same thing as my immediate area but I've had to rotate the boards to the other side of the coop a couple times. It seems like the wind switches to completely the opposite direction each day which has been annoying.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I have read that to be true and my ladies are definitely dry. But they are all fluffed up so they are feeling the cold!

Fluffed up actually means they are keeping their bodies warm

 

[RoyalChick]

Fluffed up actually means they are keeping their bodies warm

Yes it is quite amazing - they are twice the size of normal - but they are out and about.
Normally I leave their pop door open (they have a secure covered run) but last night I closed it and this morning they rushed outside even though there is food and unfrozen water in the coop.
I was wondering whether to bring them into the garage tonight (it will be 4 degrees F) but you are all encouraging me to think I don't need to do that (they would hate it I know!).

 

[Mrs. K]

I did have some frostbite issues with a couple of their combs a week or so ago when it was actually quite a bit warmer,

When I have had trouble with frost bite is exactly what you describe.

I tend to get frostbite not in the bitter cold - then almost all moisture is frozen solid. When I get frostbite, is when it has been bitter cold, the manure has piled up, and then it gets warm enough to thaw, releasing dampness into the air. Then the temperature drops with the darkness, and that is when I get frostbite, especially if it is cold, clear and still with no wind.

Now if it has been bitter cold, and we get a fast warm up, I try to get that manure out of my coop and new dry bedding in there before dark. Sometimes I can, sometimes not so much. But ventilation and dryness are considerably more important than WARM.

Mrs K