Need advice please new to owning chickens

[aart]

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

They can, especially if water gets left in the little lip on there the spring will freeze.
Have only had that happen a few times at low double digits below zero, but I use an aquarium heater keeping the water at ~70°F and it's inside the coop so out of wind.

 

[CrazyChickLady64]

Clarifying:

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

Thanks!!

 

[AHay]

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.
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You have a really nice set up in your coop. I am curious how a heated water bowl in the coup causes frostbite. I put one large one in the coop and it hasn't been a problem yet. The chickens prefer to drink water from their outside waterer, but we don't have a run. The chickens are free range when they go outside the coop. I keep them in the coop until the temperature gets over 45 during the day. My new chicks will have to stay in the coop until the weather warms up and will need to be caged until they are accepted by the other year old hens. Those hens really give the chicks the stink eye when they see them through our sliding door and they try to peck them through the glass.

 

[Debbie292d]

You have a really nice set up in your coop. I am curious how a heated water bowl in the coup causes frostbite. I put one large one in the coop and it hasn't been a problem yet. The chickens prefer to drink water from their outside waterer, but we don't have a run. The chickens are free range when they go outside the coop. I keep them in the coop until the temperature gets over 45 during the day. My new chicks will have to stay in the coop until the weather warms up and will need to be caged until they are accepted by the other year old hens. Those hens really give the chicks the stink eye when they see them through our sliding door and they try to peck them through the glass.

Frostbite is possible below freezing (32F) but unlikely until temps dip and when humidity is high. The higher the humidity, the easier chickens can get frostbite.

Mold can start growing at 70% humidity, so another reason coops should be below that using ventilation or products, and eliminate open water in their coop.

We have a hygrometer in ours and it's always in the 50s and 60s due to a heated horizontal nipple bucket, exhaust fan, horse bedding pellets on the floor, and stall refresher on the roost board.

We have silkies and I let them out if it's 20F or above and not windy.