Sacramento Winters

[lNikp]

Hey there, I'm a new to raising chickens. This is my first winter with chickens, which are about 7mos. I have two, a Plymouth Rock and a Leghorn, Judy and Cooper. Do I need to provide heat for them? They do roost in a enclosed coop and they have a covered run. Thank you for your time reading my post.

 

[Nor-Cal Chickens]

They should be fine. The last thing you want is for them to go from a warm area to a cold area. I believe that is more problematic.

 

[DobieLover]

They need no supplemental heat. Just a dry, well ventilated coop with no drafts at roost height and they'll do just fine.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Sorry, but do you have winter in Sacramento? You don't need heat in their coop, just shelter from wind and rain. How about some pictures of your pullets and coop?
Sacramento sounds really good right now, rather than Michigan...
Mary

 

[Mysterywriter221]

Welcome to BYC!

Judy and Cooper will be fine. My chickens have happily waited out blizzards in an unheated coop.

The reason you don't want to heat your coop is they may not put on the necessary fat and feathers necessary to keep themselves warm if they were to venture outside or if you were to lose heat. There's also the risk of fire when heating a coop.

You may be tempted to completely close up the coop (God knows I was my girls' first winter). If you do winterize the coop, make sure you leave plenty of ventilation. Lack of ventilation is worse for them than lack of heat.

 

[50-45-1]

This is my coop the first winter before we got the exterior finished.
About 18 chickens in there.
No heet.
Everybody was fine.

 

[lNikp]

This is my coop with Cooper on top and Judy

 

[ronott1]

Welcome!

I am across the river from you and can assure you that they do not need heat here. We do not have the kind of cold that is necessary for supplemental heat

Keeping them cool in the summer is a much bigger issue though

 

[Cryss]

Super cute coop! Welcome!
No, don't heat it. They will be happy happy.

 

[Klutch]

No heat, no cold drafts and well ventilated. Shoot mine are even their laying right now.