No heat in the coop and dead bird

[Altfrizzle]

I know, I know, no heat in the coop and I’ve read about enough coop fires, but I went out this morning to open the pop door and had a 5 month old cock dead on the coop floor under the roost. One 7 month old cock cowering in a nest box. One 7 month old hen lethargic, another with her face all icy (messy drinker at bedtime, I presume).

I actually heated some wood pellets in the microwave and dumped them in a corner of the coop this morning.

The coop is draft free and has about 8” of litter (shavings and straw) I’ve been giving scratch and meal worms morning and night for a boost but this polar vortex isn’t letting up for a week yet and the cold is really taking its toll.

I don’t want to lose any more birds.

 

[Sassysouth]

I know, I know, no heat in the coop and I’ve read about enough coop fires, but I went out this morning to open the pop door and had a 5 month old cock dead on the coop floor under the roost. One 7 month old cock cowering in a nest box. One 7 month old hen lethargic, another with her face all icy (messy drinker at bedtime, I presume).

I actually heated some wood pellets in the microwave and dumped them in a corner of the coop this morning.

The coop is draft free and has about 8” of litter (shavings and straw) I’ve been giving scratch and meal worms morning and night for a boost but this polar vortex isn’t letting up for a week yet and the cold is really taking its toll.

I don’t want to lose any more birds.

When it drops below freezing in AL, I always put a heat lamp in. The chickens can use it or not, their choice. Those thin walls don’t do anything except keep wind off. The heat lamp doesn’t do anything either unless they are under it.

And I am so very sorry for your loss. How devastating!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

How big is your coop? Do you have water in the coop? Draft free, but do you have proper ventilation?
We are at negative temps this morning and I'm not having any issues. No heat, not even sure it' 100% draft free, but I did what I could. My hens are in a small coop and there are only 4 of them. They are also over a year old.
I would imagine the birds in CT have had a chance to acclimate to the cold just as they do in IN. Not sure what the average temps would be in AL though, so that might influence whether or not to heat the coop.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

When it drops below freezing in AL, I always put a heat lamp in. The chickens can use it or not, their choice. Those thin walls don’t do anything except keep wind off. The heat lamp doesn’t do anything either unless they are under it.

And I am so very sorry for your loss. How devastating!

I'm pretty sure the heat lamp gives off radiant heat as well whether they are under it or not. So, it would influence the temp of the coop - especially a small one.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

This thread has some good advice and sounds similar to your issue:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chickens-dying-from-cold.1213389/

 

[Ash_lie]

I am in New York and am experiencing some similar coop issues. My coop is by the rule books, good ventilation - no drafts. My girls woke up this morning with their breath frozen on their feathers and I am concerned.

 

[Altfrizzle]

No water in the coop. Ventilation up over the roosts. Run wrapped in plastic.

It’s 1 degree f out right now. It was in the single digits.

Cold acclimation is one thing but this unending bitter, extreme cold seems another.

 

[Altfrizzle]

Coop is 4x8’, 5.5’ tall sloping to 4’ tall and enough roost space for everybody. I made sure all were roosting last night.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

@aart

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

We are having the same temps and stretch of bitter cold. I just have a crappy prefab and only had one issue (the first round of bitter temps) when I closed up their window because I felt it got too cold for them - my girl with the largest comb got frostbite.
I'm sure others with more experience will pop in. But, I've read many threads from Canada where they have really extreme temps (unimaginable for us in this geographical location) for extended periods and they don't add heat to their coops.