please remind me...

[kyrose]

that chickens are very cold hardy.we are getting some unseasonally cold weather this week.6-9 degrees overnight.its pretty early in the year for that hear.unfortunately its gonna stay pretty cold.i was thinking i would try no heat this year,but im a little nervous.my coop is about 245 sq.ft. and i have 45 chickens.bantams and standard together.ive tried to make it as draft proof as possible.i also feel i have enough ventillation.so please tell me they will be ok...

 

[blefky]

It was 10 degrees here when I woke up this morning. My coop is insulated but unheated, and the pop door is open during the day (I tried hanging plastic flaps in strips over the pop door to cut down on daytime draft - they ate it

). They don't seem to be the least bit bothered by it. Lots of ventilation, limit the drafts, seems to do the trick.

 

[boykin2010]

its 25 degrees here at night and i have a heat lamp for my chickens/

i just hope nothing bad happens

 

[Cindiloohoo]

alaskan chickens get no heat either. I think they will do just fine, but I know how you feel

 

[kyrose]

Quote:
i used heat lamps last year and my roos were up crowing in the middle of the night.i wasnt happy. :0( we havent insulated but i keep trying to talk the dh into at least insulating the ceiling.

 

[swimmer]

No heat for my girls. We've had below zero temps a few times and teens during the day. They can handle it.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I have an oil heater in the barn. It doesn't get below 40 degrees. SPOILED CHICKENS!

 

[sourland]

If the coop is dry, draft free and well ventilated they will be fine. These are the factors plus inadequate feed and water that cause winter losses- not low temperatures.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
They'll be fine. Mine just went through a week were the temperatures have been in the teens and single digits with highs in the 20's--didn't even have a frozen egg.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Find the thread, "If you think it's too cold for your chickens, think again...". It really helped to put things in perspective for me reading about chickens in sub zero temps doing fine in unheated coops.