Keeping hens in freezing temperatures... advice for a newbie please!

[gratefulchick]

I live in the Rockies, too (9,200 feet, Bailey). I leave my red heat light on most of the time if it's under 32-I must be a wuss (sp?) and a softie. I open their door in the morning to let them in and out as they please. The biggest problem this year has been the wind so they've spent a lot of time inside and are doing fine.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

The biggest concern you'll have with chickens is frostbite on toes and combs. To combat frostbite on toes, make sure that their perches are at least 2" wide or so, so that they can sit on them and cover their toes. To combat frostbite on combs, and you'll only need to worry about this on large combed breeds, smear them with petroleum jelly.

As long as the birds are out of the wind, they'll be OK. I hang a single heat light in my 10X16' coop when the temperatures are below zero Fahrenheit, and this is to help keep the waterer and eggs from freezing. I have some single-combed breeds, and didn't get any frostbite this past winter. Mine get their door opened every day. They don't go out every day, though--they hate the snow!

Most chickens are hardy creatures. Some, like Silkies, do take a bit more coddling. In my experience, most animals are more harmed by a completely air-tight structure and a heat lamp than by a bit of cold air. The biggest thing that will harm your birds is a build-up of ammonia from wet bedding in a very air-tight space.

 

[natersmum]

I live in Northeastern Wisconsin. During the winter season I run a small thermostatically controlled utility/barn heater and water warmer - both on a timer. It turns on in the evening and off mid morning. During the -25 days I let it run all day. We also have a special 1 foot square door opening. Over the opening I place heavy clear vinyl/plastic with several vertical slits which are cut from the bottom almost to the top (kind of like the heavy clear plastic that is used on entries of walk in coolers and freezer at the grocery store). It seems to be working well. The chickens run in and out all day long and the warm air stays in the coop. This year I happened to have a large clear plastic bag that our new mattress was delivered in. I attached the clear plastic to the outside of the coop like an awning. The dirt underneath stayed fairly dry and snow free. Even on the snowy days the girls we able to dust bathe and scratch around. It wasn't pretty to look at, but it worked great!

 

[All about the EGG]

No heat in our little coop/playhouse. Coldest it got was -5 in there. But it was about -20 with -35 wind chill outside. They are sex links and they did just fine.

I think I worry more about the heat.

 

[CityChook]

Quote:
They don't really *need* that heat light at 16F. But if it makes you feel better, then leave it on. I don't think it hurts their laying cycle, to the contrary - mine laid better when I had a red light on them. However, they also tended to be a little more aggressive with each other. And yes, they will sleep - eventually - but having the red light on will allow them to stay up and party far later than they normally would. Like a little chicken rave. One time I actually went outside in a blizzard to turn their light off and make them go to bed - it was midnight and they were still up partying. Naughty.

Would opening a window/door cause cold air to blow directly on them? I left my pop door open this winter with very cold temps daily. But their roost is higher than the door and they could get out of the breeze. The girls didn't really go outside much (princesses), but they could have if they had wanted to. I may do the plastic slats over the door idea next winter... (ugh, let's not think about next winter y.e.t....)

Would you ever consider installing a window (with glass?) so that they could have natural light in the winter without having an open window?