it spose to get down to 34 degrees tongiht!

[gjoyner]

Will the chickens be ok? I have three, its not insulated, but it is a small coop with deep litter. I am new and worried that they will die. I have a lamp in there but the watts are 75 and dont think I should turn it on because it may get too hot!

 

[Mahonri]

If it's a small coop they can huddle and they should be plenty warm.

 

[Hoosiermomma]

They should be fine. It's supposed to get in the thirties here too and our coop isn't insulated either. We just have alot of straw and pine shavings in it and they do just fine. I start putting a heat lamp in ours when the temps get into the 20's.

 

[gjoyner]

the coop is three foot by four foot and there are three of them and they huddle up on the roost together. Is this small enough to conserve heat? i was hoping...

 

[Mahonri]

If they are fully feathered, they'll be fine.

 

[gjoyner]

they are. One just laid her first egg today!

 

[gjoyner]

wait you guys! its EXTREMLY windy out too!
can i sleep tonight or should i do somting else for them?

 

[nnbreeder]

I raise Naked Necks and have never had any problem with them even at temps of -20 with a fierce North wind blowing. The coop was not drafty and that is the important part but you don't want it sealed so tight that moisture can't escape either.

What are your roosts made of? I would recomend using a 2x4 with the 4in side flat. That way they can cover their feet with their breast and you won't get frozen toes.

But tonight they will be fine. If you are using another type of roost you can change it later.

 

[Chicky Mama]

We ended up at 23 degrees this morning at 6:45 totally snuck up on us.I put out boxes w/hay for my kooky birds that won't stay in the coop,had to repeatedly but em back into the box and an unbrella over the pen for the guys on the outside rack.The older birds sleep inside but these guys grew up thru the spring and summer outside in the upper then lower pen with a light until I could safley mix them in the main pen.Now when I try to put them inside they run right out,stupid birds.Much to my happiness they were all good this morning,it never got above the fifties today. It's a tad higher tonite but I wish they would go in,I feel bad that it just slammed them with cold instead of a slow adjustment like it should be.We even got a dusting of snow on Mt.Lassen lastnight. After I return from my weekend trip(Dad's chicken sittin 4 me)I'm gonna make 'em go in at nite.I guess it'll take about a week to get them to stay in there.We got this big empty coop and the olders all sleep in the far corner piled on the floor still like when they were chicks.A couple are starting to use the rack in there or the top of the nest box.I pray we don't get as much snow as last year,I don't want to lose any.Though has anyone watched "The natural history of chickens",the one ladies bird appears dead but is just frozen after a sudden snow storm and she brings her back to life. Check it out it's hecka funny!

 

[purpletree23]

I think they will be fine. If the roof is not too high maybe you can get some insulation (with the paper backing) and insulate the roof from the inside. I just cut some insulation and used a hand staple gun to attach the pieces to the roof. You can also use expanding foam insulation in a can to plug up cracks high in the coop. Don't use it where the chickens can reach it. They love to eat it.

If you are worried about it getting too hot in the coop get a cheap thermometer from Walmart.

Be very careful with the heat lamp. Make sure you use one with a plastic or wire cage. This past spring a BYCer had her coop burn down because of the heat lamp she had.