Negative temps

[samikirn11]

Hi there. First winter with chickens. Our temps are down to -30. Heat or no? Insulated coop with ventilation above roosts. Chickens do have frost on their backs.

 

[cavemanrich]

-30 is quite low.. No location in your profile,,, so don't have a quick solution. Many chicken keepers in such extreme cold zones do provide heat to their coops.
Frost on the backs,,,,,, could also indicate frost bitten combs, and wattles.
Yes I would recommend some source of warmth in such extremes.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[Dchendrickson]

I have the same conditions in my coop, and my first winter raising birds. Frost on their backs, but they seem to be doing well. Tomorrow is to be even colder. We don’t have a heat source either. I'm afraid to burn the coop down. Pheasants live in these conditions also. We will see how it goes!

 

[samikirn11]

-30 is quite low.. No location in your profile,,, so don't have a quick solution. Many chicken keepers in such extreme cold zones do provide heat to their coops.
Frost on the backs,,,,,, could also indicate frost bitten combs, and wattles.
Yes I would recommend some source of warmth in such extremes.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

Ok great thank you. Location is MT.

 

[homesteading101]

Hi there. First winter with chickens. Our temps are down to -30. Heat or no? Insulated coop with ventilation above roosts. Chickens do have frost on their backs.

I have heated one coop when it was below -20. However I stopped doing it. As long as the birds are acclimated to the cold they will survive. Block any drafts from outside is key. Put fresh bedding in. If you choose to heat put the bulb in a place where they can't break it.

 

[Penpal]

If there is frost or snow on their backs, it means they aren't loosing heat and melting the frost. Each bird is well insulated.

Please post your location in your profile avatar. If MT is Montana, I'm sure it will get -30 F another time, and another. Glad I live in tropical Michigan

 

[jmac11]

Michigan doesn't look too bad right now. Our windchill in OK was at -4 a few hours ago, but we've made it to 4! I broke down and put heat in the coop though I really think my chickens would be okay without it. If it makes them more comfortable, then it makes me more comfortable. We secured the heater in a metal cage.

 

[homesteading101]

I'm in northern Michigan and we regularly get -10 Winters

 

[Debbie292d]

If in case they are getting chilled or to make you feel better, you could get them a Cozy Coop radiant heater to stand up next to if they wanted. Those are safe, can tip over even and are fine. We've got one running in our temp coop for our 2.5-month-olds as this is too cold for them. They stay in their hutch cozied up to it.

 

[homesteading101]

Most of my barns are heated, the few coops I have tend to stay about 10-20f when it's -20f outside obviously this varies with other people's setups