Keeping chickens warm

[Poultryrgreat]

Hi does anyone know how to keep chickens warm in -40C this is my first year having chickens for the winter my coop is insulated and I have 2 heat lamps and feeding them corn but my chickens still seem to be having a hard time. Thanks

 

[aart]

Damn, that's cold!!
I don't deal with those type temps,
but found an electrolyte/vitamin boost helps tremendously.
Small batch recipe, and mixing with rolled oats, here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

Some pics of your coop, inside and out, might help here.
Plain corn just dilutes the nutrition of their regular feed.
What is their regular feed, brand/model/protein and calcium percentages?

 

[Poultryrgreat]

Damn, that's cold!!
I don't deal with those type temps,
but found an electrolyte/vitamin boost helps tremendously.
Small batch recipe, and mixing with rolled oats, here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

Some pics of your coop, inside and out, might help here.
Plain corn just dilutes the nutrition of their regular feed.
What is their regular feed, brand/model/protein and calcium percentages?

Ya it is freezing I will try the electrolytes I make my own feed I don’t exactly know the the nutrition levels it has 3 parts whole oats 1 part whole corn and 1 part black oil sunflower seed then kitchen scraps I will try to get pics yet

 

[aart]

I make my own feed I don’t exactly know the the nutrition levels it has 3 parts whole oats 1 part whole corn and 1 part black oil sunflower seed

No 'premix' added, with all the essential minerals/vitamins/amino acids?
That could be part of the problem, they need the best nutrition to stay healthy in extreme temps.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have no experience with chickens in those temperatures but this guy does.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

That is serious cold. I remember walking in -30 C and having to clear the ice out of my eyelashes every now and then so I could see. The mask and ski goggles directed my breath up there where the moisture froze.

 

[Poultryrgreat]

No 'premix' added, with all the essential minerals/vitamins/amino acids?
That could be part of the problem, they need the best nutrition to stay healthy in extreme temps.

Ok then maybe I will give them the boughten feed and just give what I make for treats and stuff I just bought electrolytes so see how it works

 

[Poultryrgreat]

I have no experience with chickens in those temperatures but this guy does.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

That is serious cold. I remember walking in -30 C and having to clear the ice out of my eyelashes every now and then so I could see. The mask and ski goggles directed my breath up there where the moisture froze.

Thanks for the info

 

[Folly's place]

@Alaskan could help you, and anyone in northern Canada.
PLEASE fix their diet!!! Malnutrition is not helpful at all. Buy an all-flock feed, and offer oyster shell in a separate feeder, making sure that the mill date on each bag of feed is within a month, if possible.
That's cold!
Mary

 

[Poultryrgreat]

@Alaskan could help you, and anyone in northern Canada.
PLEASE fix their diet!!! Malnutrition is not helpful at all. Buy an all-flock feed, and offer oyster shell in a separate feeder, making sure that the mill date on each bag of feed is within a month, if possible.
That's cold!
Mary

Ok they have oyster shells I will change their diet today someone on YouTube was feeding their chickens this stuff and was saying how healthy their chickens were but maybe not for chickens in cold climates. Thanks everyone so much for the info

 

[MissE]

We're heading for -30f or colder tonight, so not quite as cold as you, but waaaaay colder than I would like it to be. And likely won't get above 0f during the day until Wed or Thurs. I don't have any heat in their coop, but I gotta say I'm tempted to replace their LED light with a 75 watt bulb.

About an hour before they start roosting, I will scatter a couple cups of their normal feed (just switched to 20% chick starter because there is no all flock type here) around the floor of their coop. They think it's a treat when it isn't in their feeder. This encourages them to eat more before bed, which helps keep them warmer.