Newbie...how do I keep chickens/ducks warm in winter?

[MIgardengal]

The hubby and I have been contemplating getting chickens or ducks for a year or so. The reasons, we are animal lovers, eat tons of eggs, want them to eat bad bugs (the green cabbage caterpillars!), make nice fertilizer, etc.

I had chickens growing up...

Our issue: We live in a small city (3,000 ppl) and though we have a large double lot with a huge garden the city commission is pretty hard headed about having “poultry”. ( I guess someone over did it before and had like 25 birds in city limits. ) All they allow is 1 “pet, not for poultry use” per person. So between the hubby and I we can have 2total, and if we push the boundary 3 chickens.

So there is no issue, having a couple of pet chickens in summer. But winter is what is holding us back. We live on the shore of Lake Superior in northern MI. Lots of lake effect snow temps avg 10-25 degrees in winter. When we had chickens growing up my mom always said it was important to keep enough chickens to keep them warm in the coop. How do they stay warm, if you only have 2 or 3? Advice please!

I heard you can use a lightbulb, but I also heard horror stories about them catching on fire?

 

[rosemarythyme]

They don't need heat. They need protection from drafts while still having good ventilation, to let moist air out. A dry chicken is a warm chicken.

 

[aart]

When we had chickens growing up my mom always said it was important to keep enough chickens to keep them warm in the coop.

That's bit of a fallacy.

They don't need heat. They need protection from drafts while still having good ventilation, to let moist air out. A dry chicken is a warm chicken.

This^^^ makes more sense.

Good ventilation year around, makes the theory of a coop 'holding heat' moot.
You don't want to heat the coop, but you might want to heat your waterer.
Even tho you only will have a couple chickens, don't make the coop too small.

 

[Jaba the Hen]

I'm pretty new to this myself, but have done a lot of research and asked a lot of questions. I've been told that yes, ventilation is good, drafts are bad. They will keep warm as long as these parameters are in place. That being said I have also learned that there are certain breeds that fair the change of seasons better than others. If you're going to get them for such a climate, make sure they're hearty. Most New England birds (i.e. Rhode Island Reds, Delawares, etc.) are hearty and are said to fair the climate better.