Hi! I've been keeping my chickens since August. I started with older hens and a rooster. I've added chicks since. I'm learning new things all the time. I use BYC as a resource to help me in my journey. I live in Colorado and have been debating the heat issue with our subzero temperatures.
Welcome to BYC Lots of us deal with subzero and way too hot...you'll find lots of people to help you here, i'm sure you'll have good advice for us to!
Hello there and welcome to BYC! So glad you could join our community! If it is getting 30 degrees or more below your average over night now, you might consider adding heat. Generally chickens can survive some pretty brutal temps. You can always turn on a heat lamp first thing in the morning or leave one on during the day if somebody needs a blast of heat. But I like to let them sleep in the cold if it is not too bad. Make sure if you are using a 2x4 that the 4 side is up so they can sit flat on the wood with their feet and toes tucked under their breast feathers. And I like to tack an old towel to the roost bar too. Chickens lose heat through their feet. So warmer feet mean warmer birds. Good luck with your flock and we do welcome you to our flock!
Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. Feathers are wonderful insulators and most breeds of domestic chickens do much better in very cold temperatures than they do in very hot temperatures. Just be sure that your coop is well ventilated, dry, and draft free. I've raised chickens where winter temperatures dropped to 30 F below zero and with a well ventilated, dry, and draft free coop, they did just fine. Moisture is a much greater danger than cold. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. What kind of chickens do you have?