My chickens seem cold- heater?

[ChickenCanoe]

A lot of people worry about cold and chickens - because the people think it is cold.
For all those people I recommend going to bed at night fully clothed with insulated overalls and a down coat on. That's what chickens do.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

A lot of people worry about cold and chickens - because the people think it is cold.
For all those people I recommend going to bed at night fully clothed with insulated overalls and a down coat on. That's what chickens do.

X2,

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yep, they don't switch to PJs at night.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Chickens deal with the cold much easier than high summer temperatures. As long as they can get out of the wind, they’re fine.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yes again. It has ranged from -19 F to 112 F here in the last few years. I've lost birds to heat but never to cold. Two of my buildings have very large windows on both east and west walls at roost height, winter wind blows right past them. Never a sniffle in the flocks.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I worry when people use extension cords in the winter to bring electricity to their coops. This is so dangerous and often ends tragically. If you can’t have the coop properly wired then figure out another way. As the cold weather approaches it’s important to make good choices to care for our flocks and keep the safe and healthy.

 

[MIchickenlady]

I have a radiant heat flat panel heater in my coop I only turn on when its below 0.
Sounds awful to us, but here in MI last night it was "feels like 13 degrees". Early this morn my girls are running around like its summer. The heat gets to them more than the cold.
Last winter a couple of my hens got frostbite on their combs. I will try using bag balm or vaseline on their combs when it gets super cold this winter. I use a heated poultry waterer from local farm store. Their perch/roost is a 2x4, so their feet stay warm under them. I also wrapped a heating pad around the perch last winter and wrapped an old towel and saran wrap over that. Some hens liked perching on the warmth some did not. Made me feel better knowing I at least provided a way for them to keep warm as I sit in my warm house knowing they are out there in the cold.

 

[RoosterML]

I turn heat lamp on when it drops into teens. I also have some birds with big combs. I am guessing you are dealing with the same winds as us today which would cause them to spend more time inside. Yes folks I have several heat lamps and I am not afraid to use them.

 

[JoeInPA]

I worry when people use extension cords in the winter to bring electricity to their coops. This is so dangerous and often ends tragically. If you can’t have the coop properly wired then figure out another way. As the cold weather approaches it’s important to make good choices to care for our flocks and keep the safe and healthy.

Using a thick gauge extension cord that is rated for outdoor use, taping the connections and plugging it into a GFCI. How is that dangerous?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Every time we get a temperature drop chickens will huddle, stay inside more, and maybe shiver. Generally by a week they are acclimated to the new low temperatures. When there's another drop you will see the same behaviors. Adding additional heat will interfere with that acclamation process.

It's different if you are dealing with very young, old or sick birds.

It's a personal decision to heat or not heat. Most chickens are fine without any additional heat.