Opinions of cold climate chicken keepers needed

[WindingRoad]

If your down coat is use to 20° temps and suddenly drops to -10 or worse your down coat isn't condition or built for that yet. Same idea when most say don't use heat in case of power loss. Well extreme temp swings is no different than a power loss to a bird. Supplement heat is not bad when needed in my opinion. With this recent severe cold snap the next couple days the eggs suffered even with a heat lamp. How would it have been without one? No one knows. Few soft shells mostly, so yes the birds may adapt but it doesn't mean they aren't suffering they are surviving. My 2cents.

Soft shells from cold weather. Maybe I should tell my birds that. Their egg shells are hard as rocks. And opinions are, every ones got one.

 

[WindingRoad]

If your down coat is use to 20° temps and suddenly drops to -10 or worse your down coat isn't condition or built for that yet. Same idea when most say don't use heat in case of power loss. Well extreme temp swings is no different than a power loss to a bird. Supplement heat is not bad when needed in my opinion. With this recent severe cold snap the next couple days the eggs suffered even with a heat lamp. How would it have been without one? No one knows. Few soft shells mostly, so yes the birds may adapt but it doesn't mean they aren't suffering they are surviving. My 2cents.

Personally, I like my birds to survive. Regardless of soft shells??????

 

[RoosterML]

Soft shells from cold weather. Maybe I should tell my birds that. Their egg shells are hard as rocks. And opinions are, every ones got one.

Yep and you surely have an opinion!!!!

 

[Cyprus]

@No More Empty Nest
We got down to at least -20 last night. Going out now to check on them.

 

[RoosterML]

Personally, I like my birds to survive. Regardless of soft shells??????

And others don't? Might want to check those "hard as rock" eggs could be frozen.

 

[Cyprus]

@No More Empty Nest
We got down to at least -20 last night. Going out now to check on them.

They are fine

 

[RumneyRoost]

I have a cozy legs wall panel but it only gets used during extremes.
A one off night that’s going down to -25C (-15f) or colder, or a few nights in a row of -20C (-5f).
It’s only on at night when they’re roosting, it doesn’t warm the coop up but it takes some of the chill off and it’s a dry heat. Helps them get a good sleep so they come out in the morning ready for the day, instead of exhausted from trying to keep warm.

I hadn’t used it yet this year until this past Sunday night. 5 days in a row that didn’t get warmer then -5f, and Sunday night got down to -25f. Everyone was doing all right except my barred rock pullet. She was losing interest in food and treats so I put the heat on for one night. She was perkier in the morning.

I used to be in the no heat camp. And I would never use a heat lamp or make any attempt to keep to coop significantly warmer than the outside. But my girls are pets. My goal is not just to keep them alive, but to keep them happy. Technically my horses don’t need blankets but they’re more comfortable with them.

 

[RoosterML]

I have a cozy legs wall panel but it only gets used during extremes.
A one off night that’s going down to -25C (-15f) or colder, or a few nights in a row of -20C (-5f).
It’s only on at night when they’re roosting, it doesn’t warm the coop up but it takes some of the chill off and it’s a dry heat. Helps them get a good sleep so they come out in the morning ready for the day, instead of exhausted from trying to keep warm.

I hadn’t used it yet this year until this past Sunday night. 5 days in a row that didn’t get warmer then -5f, and Sunday night got down to -25f. Everyone was doing all right except my barred rock pullet. She was losing interest in food and treats so I put the heat on for one night. She was perkier in the morning.

I used to be in the no heat camp. And I would never use a heat lamp or make any attempt to keep to coop significantly warmer than the outside. But my girls are pets. My goal is not just to keep them alive, but to keep them happy. Technically my horses don’t need blankets but they’re more comfortable with them.

X2

 

[No More Empty Nest]

I’m in Central WI


No More Empty Nest and Cyprus- I’m in NE WI. I have a mixed flock of a dozen standard sized and bantam chickens. I read somewhere (probably on BYC!) to use Musher’s Secret dog paw protectant on chickens’ combs to prevent frostbite. I’ve used that the last couple of nights, so far all are doing great!

I haven't had to use anything on their combs, they're all tiny, 2 of the EEs just look like colored skin they're so flat. But I'l keep this in mind Just in case. My Cochin does have a slightly larger one than the EEs.

 

[No More Empty Nest]

I have a cozy legs wall panel but it only gets used during extremes.
A one off night that’s going down to -25C (-15f) or colder, or a few nights in a row of -20C (-5f).
It’s only on at night when they’re roosting, it doesn’t warm the coop up but it takes some of the chill off and it’s a dry heat. Helps them get a good sleep so they come out in the morning ready for the day, instead of exhausted from trying to keep warm.

I hadn’t used it yet this year until this past Sunday night. 5 days in a row that didn’t get warmer then -5f, and Sunday night got down to -25f. Everyone was doing all right except my barred rock pullet. She was losing interest in food and treats so I put the heat on for one night. She was perkier in the morning.

I used to be in the no heat camp. And I would never use a heat lamp or make any attempt to keep to coop significantly warmer than the outside. But my girls are pets. My goal is not just to keep them alive, but to keep them happy. Technically my horses don’t need blankets but they’re more comfortable with them.

I just bought one and plan to use it at night. Now they're saying -17 for 2 nights with a balmy 23 degree day right before, lol. It arrived today and I'm installing it tomorrow. Thanks