No heat in the coop and dead bird

[WhatAboutBob?]

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.

If there is frost on your birds, you have a humidity problem not a temperature problem. If you fix your humidity problem then your temperature problem will disappear.

 

[Ashley McDaniel]

I'm in the same situation. I'm in Indiana, it's _2 this morning and was -7 last night and the forecast isn't showing any relief from this for another week. All of my birds are getting frost bite on their combs and wattles. I'm really considering adding heat at this point as well. Sorry for your loss. Good luck.

 

[Altfrizzle]

If there is frost on your birds, you have a humidity problem not a temperature problem. If you fix your humidity problem then your temperature problem will disappear.

No frost on the birds. One had apparently gotten her face wet before roosting last night and it was icy.

 

[turtlelaura67]

A ceramic bulb might be a good choice. They do get quite hot so a guard on the lamp is a must. As a former reptile house zookeeper I can tell you that these work great. Especially in a small, enclosed area, they'll heat things up quickly.

So sorry for your loss, and I hope your others pull through.

It's very cold here too, and will get colder, down to 11 at night by Saturday. Our big roos were raring to go this morning & don't seem to mind being outside but our silkies and Polish have been brought indoors.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

How many birds do you have?

 

[NNYchick]

I’m so sorry. I have had to bring mine in the garage and they are not happy about it. We got down to -25F last night without the windchill. We have been subzero double digits for most of the week.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

How many birds and how many square feet of ventilation?
I live in a different climate so I will not be seeing 0 degrees here, but I will be seeing the teens and I have 75 Sq Ft of ventilation with the windows closed, more when opened. I think it was something else besides the cold, maybe the cold was a contributing factor but not the cause of death.

I would not heat the coop.

Gary

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I'm in the same situation. I'm in Indiana, it's _2 this morning and was -7 last night and the forecast isn't showing any relief from this for another week. All of my birds are getting frost bite on their combs and wattles. I'm really considering adding heat at this point as well. Sorry for your loss. Good luck.

Other than cock birds or Mediterranean class birds with large combs you should not be seeing frostbite on your birds. If you do it's a sign that your coop is too humid- not vented adequately. Cut holes/open up your eaves to allow fresh air to come in low roof line to exit the high end of slant roof line. If a pitched roof then holes each gable end too. This cold dry air will push the humid air and ammonia in coop out. Well ventilated and dry is the key for livestock housing.

 

[Ash_lie]

If there is frost on your birds, you have a humidity problem not a temperature problem. If you fix your humidity problem then your temperature problem will disappear.

How does one adjust humidity inside a coop?

 

[Ash_lie]

Other than cock birds or Mediterranean class birds with large combs you should not be seeing frostbite on your birds. If you do it's a sign that your coop is too humid- not vented adequately. Cut holes/open up your eaves to allow fresh air to come in low roof line to exit the high end of slant roof line. If a pitched roof then holes each gable end too. This cold dry air will push the humid air and ammonia in coop out. Well ventilated and dry is the key for livestock housing.

I have 2 coops. The one coop has slanted roof, and we have large vented air holes that should be allowing plenty of ventilation... so I'm confused to why this is happening to my birds.