Need advice please new to owning chickens

[CrazyChickLady64]

We have some very cold temperatures coming in day will be in the 20s for the high and 10 degrees for the low. Will also have 3- days that will not get above freezing. I have 14 hens in a 7'8" x 7'8" coop that is 6' tall on one side and 5' on the other. It is not insulated except for the ceiling the walls are double walked with hardy board. Do I need to worry about them getting too cold? I don't want to use supplemental heat as we are prone to electricity outages sometimes for more than 24 hours. My hens are 5-8 months old they are Ameraucana, Easter eggers, True Green Whiting, Marans, Sexlinks, and Barred rocks. My coop is very secure without drafts. When do I need to worry that the temperature is too cold and should I put food and water inside the coop?

 

[DobieLover]

They don't need supplemental heat. But they DO NEED VENTILATION to remove moist stale air. How much and where is it in your setup?

I keep food and water in my run. I use a heated base waterer and it works all the way down to sub-zero temps. Keeping thawed water inside the coop during frigid temps is a recipe for frostbite.

If you haven't done so already, I would cover the walls of the run with clear plastic tarps or shower curtains leaving the top 6" or so open for ventilation so their run is protected for brutal cold winds.

Make sure you have lots of fluffy dry bedding for them to hunker down in when they want to hang out in the coop.

My coop is not insulated, single walled with copious ventilation and my flock has done just fine with temps down to -23F.

 

[Sally PB]

I have a heated dog water bowl in the run, and NO water in the coop, for just the reason @DobieLover mentioned above. On most days (anything 20F and above), I leave the people door open in my coop, to brighten it up. It is dark and gloomy this time of year in Michigan.

At 15 degrees with a stiff north wind, I close the people door. The door faces north, into the run, but at 15F, any breeze making its way in is cold.

At 10 degrees, I close the people door even if there's no wind. If I don't see any sign of chickens going out to get water, I will put a bowl of snow in the coop. They love to peck at snow.

At 5 degrees, I'll give them a bowl of snow and close the pop door. Right now, I have to go into the coop to gather eggs, so I'm out there several times a day and can check on them.

I have plenty of ventilation in my coop. To cut down the wind, I've covered the openings with a spun polyester air filter material. Moist, warm air and ammonia both rise and can escape, but the air in the coop is quite calm, even if it's windy outside.

 

[Tahai]

ditto on the above responses

 

[Alagirl]

I brought my 5 chickens through the Christmas Freeze of '22 without a coup.
They had a corner covered in cardboard around their roost.
Now, I do not live where the temps get that low for a long period of time.

I picked up the eggs a little more often (I had one that froze and the shell cracked) and replaced the water a couple of times with warm water from the house (I believe warm water freezes faster)

I also changed their feed a little, by making mush with warm water and added oatmeal for a little extra fat - which is normally discouraged.

But the advice from the guys who actually live in cold climate is worth following
(yes, I did wish I could bring them in the house at that time)

I am glad we didn't get this kind of weather yet, a couple of my girls are near naked from molting.

 

[CrazyChickLady64]

They don't need supplemental heat. But they DO NEED VENTILATION to remove moist stale air. How much and where is it in your setup?

I keep food and water in my run. I use a heated base waterer and it works all the way down to sub-zero temps. Keeping thawed water inside the coop during frigid temps is a recipe for frostbite.

If you haven't done so already, I would cover the walls of the run with clear plastic tarps or shower curtains leaving the top 6" or so open for ventilation so their run is protected for brutal cold winds.

Make sure you have lots of fluffy dry bedding for them to hunker down in when they want to hang out in the coop.

My coop is not insulated, single walled with copious ventilation and my flock has done just fine with temps down to -23F.
View attachment 3723089

It is open at the ceiling on the back side and front also vents above the roost on the front

 

[aart]

Keeping thawed water inside the coop during frigid temps is a recipe for frostbite.

Unless it's with horizontal nipples

 

[DobieLover]

Unless it's with horizontal nipples

I should caveat that statement with "open" thawed water should not be kept in a coop during frigid temperatures.

 

[jBabychickn]

I should caveat that statement with "open" thawed water should not be kept in a coop during frigid temperatures.

Clarifying:

— A Heated horizontal nipple waterer is NOT considered an Open water source..
— It will NOT cause higher Humidity levels within the Coop..

 

[DobieLover]

Clarifying:

— A Heated horizontal nipple waterer is NOT considered an Open water source..
— It will NOT cause higher Humidity levels within the Coop..

And the nipples still tend to freeze when it gets really cold.