It's going to be in the 20's tonight, and I'm worried sick...

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Its going into the 20's here as well I was concerned about the chickens too. We put heat lights in the big coop and we also put up a big heat lamp in the banty coop There do not go indoors at all they roost up high on their perches I put the light on anyway as I figure that if they get too cold they can get under the light They have been OK so far but its colder tonight. Our smaller coop doesnt have electricity running into it. The chickens wer OK last year and it got down into the teens a couple times I worry more about our tom turkey he will not go inside he had a big house but never used it. We turned it into aduck house now he has a big dog house I put a light up for him too lets hope he will get in out of the cold.

 

[NurseNettie]

Quote:
We just moved here in March of this year (Northern Maine). The day we looked at our house, was 20 below zero and windy. Chickens in the barn were happy and running around having fun. The barn was actually pretty drafty and they had very little on the floors for insulation. I think you'll be all set- they'll snuggle up, go to sleep and get up refreshed in the morning.

 

[rooster-red]

Your chickens will be fine, BR's can handle REALLY cold weather.

None of my 3 coops are heated or insulated, and everyone has been just fine.

 

[BeardedChick]

I'd worry more about accidentally starting a fire with the blanket. I'm in Colorado w/ an unheated coop, BTW.

Someone mentioned clamplights from Walmart and heat lights... If you use them, just be darned sure the clamp lights are rated for that high wattage of lights. Big fire danger if those things overheat. You also need to be very sure one can't fall down into the litter area (yeah, fire danger). Those things scare me, and I'm a vol. firefighter.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
That's too warm!!!

And expensive, too, if it's electric, to maintain that. What happens if the power goes out?

 

[Momo]

I'm a volunteer firefighter too, and I think the chickens are in far more danger from clamp lamps etc than from the cold weather. They handle the cold much more easily than we do so we have to remember to judge their needs by their own standards, not by ours. And remember that they are wearing down jackets. If they have a wide perch so they can cover their toes, and tuck their heads under their wings, well that's like sleeping under a comfy down duvet!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Last night our temps reached a whole 5 degrees and I did have the heat lamp hung in the coop but I think they would have been fine without it. It was 32 in the coop when I woke up the next morning. So the heat lamp did it's job. And the water stayed thawed. My hubby figured out that running the heat lamp 24/7 in the coop would cost us an extra 20 bucks a month which is ok with me for warm chickens

 

[Mrs MIA]

Again I ask, what happens when the power goes out, either in the middle of the night or when you aren't home? Can your chickens handle it then?

 

[ebonykawai]

This is my first winter with chickens and I've been a little worried, too, I admit. Mine stayed in the coop yesterday because there was about 4 inches of snow and they've never seen it before. I think they were more nervous about the look of the new snow than being cold and wanting to be inside. I had the run door open but they chose to stay in the coop, didn't even come out to the run. Hopefully they'll get over it, LOL.

As for being warm enough, all my hens feet were hot yesterday when I checked on them, wayyyyy warmer than mine!! They are fine.

 

[SGM]

Mine all have faired just fine without any heaters. I worry too though. Especially about my chicks and younger birds.