Secrets to keeping chickens in extreme weather

[teach1rusl]

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Okay, assuming I'm visualizing this right...I'd stick some insulation in the ceiling, because you lose most of your heat from there (heat rises), and nail some paneling or lightweight plywood up there. It will reduce the inside space (which is good for cold weather...less space to be heated, even if only from body heat), and keep chickens down lower. You really don't want them roosting right where the ventilation is (drafts)... Might be nice in the summer, but not now. If closing off the ceiling would block your ventilation, you could always drill/saw more ventilation openings just under the ceiling line... Just suggestions. The good thing (from what I understand) about having so few birds in ample space is that they don't put a lot of moisture into the air through respiration and droppings, so you can get by with less ventilation than someone with a lot of birds or with a much smaller coop. I'd still consider stacking hay bales along your prevailing wind side. It will both help insulate and block wind. Good luck!
Just when I start feeling envious from reading about weather concerns from people in Va., Tenn., and other southen states, I read about people in CO, Alaska, and the New England states, and I feel better...lol.

 

[PandoraTaylor]

+8 today outside.....I have not yet been to the coop, but I am sure they are warm enough, they play outside @ -30. I still have great egg production 24 eggs out of 36 (?) hens. Most are Pullets only 4 adult hens in the flock.
Some have been laying since Oct- others just starting.

mine coop is heavily insulated, only Ventillation is the poop door and around the People door.
So Cleaning daily is a must, as is heat. I have a couple of different size heat Bulbs (125, 250 changed as necessary to keep the coop above freezing, and a regular (25-100w) light bulb for light/heat. A heated dogdish (removed the dish part) put 3 gal metal waterer on heated base. I carry 1 gal jug of warm water to fill every visit to the henhouse. (2-5x daily)

I feed Layer & Gamebird Grower 50/50 mixed, fishmeal mash (warmed) and scratch grains & cracked corn (about 2 cups) every 2-3 days in cold weather.

I have hay on the floor (12") in the coop for added insulation value 4 nestboxes (they only lay in two) so far only 1 frozen egg, (in the run on the ground @ -30). I guess we are doing ok so far. If you go to my BYC page you can see pics of -30 and the chickens still playing in the run.

New Coop will be much bigger with huddle box and better Ventillation! Hurray...
and maybe even a spot for incubating & Brooding?

edited for Spelling error.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
Cool! Not many have my name. My middle name is JoAnne. I had not realized that it lookes like I have 2 middle names, LOL!

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Ahhh, the payout for feeding and lightly heating the coop when extremely cold, are just wonderful. Egg production is certainly on the rise!!!!
Now to get a dust bath in the coop for those ladies, and gent. They need it!!!
http://steveandpaularunyan.blogspot.com/2009/12/chooks-brunch.html
http://steveandpaularunyan.blogspot.com/2009/12/secrets-to-keeping-laying-chickens-in.html

 

[WisconsinGardenChick]

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Interesting idea - I'd like to try this. Is your container black? I know large containers of water are good thermal mass, but I think they usually paint them black for that purpose.

 

[breezy]

The jug I use is green. It doesnt need to be black for what Im doing because it isnt exposed to sunlight. Im putting this jug in there after the sun has gone down. Its acting more like a giant hot water bottle than a solar collector if that makes sense.

 

[Gunnygranny]

We put a small heater in the coop last night -- and it helped tremendously -- thanks for the suggestion Paula. It was -10 outside this morning and about 37 inside -- they were nice and warm!
We did have a learning experience too -- We put a second 100w bulb out there first -- we went to town for the town's tree lighting (yes it’s a small town and a wonderful family evening) we returned home about 7:45 -- they weren’t on their roost sleeping -- they were wondering all over the coop. I went out and unplugged the second light and they all hopped up on the roost --guess there was to much light --
Now that we’ve got the heat thing going, we’ll put the first light back on a timer.

Question -- how cold can it be before it is unsafe for them?? Can I let them out if is 0 outside -- do I need to wait until it is above freezing?? -- don’t what them to get frost bite -- what about the temp inside the coop?? With running this much electrity the price of the eggs just went up!!!LOL

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

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Raising the tempature as much as you did, is not a good idea. It makes it very hard on them to acclimate back and forth. The heater should be on very low. We do not turn ours on till its below zero, and all it does is bring the temp up to just above 0 at best.
-10 is not to cold for chickens to run around outside at will during the day.
Make it their choice by leaving their pop door open for them, because they will decide when its too cold and when they want inside.
Don't worry, you will figure it out

 

[Gunnygranny]

Thanks Paula for all your reassurance -- its is very helpful. We have snow due in tonight and for the next week -- and since we don’t have any yet -- we are overdue and we are going to “pay” for the delay!! Our temps shouldn’t drop much while it is snowing, -- so when it does again -- and it will -- I’ll try not to be such a worry wart! We chose the breeds we have because we read they were “cold hardy” -- and they are, more so than I realized. Thanks again for your advice

 

[Gunnygranny]

Wow is it every blowing outside -- we are in the middle of a major blizzard -- not really cold -- about 18 out there, but the wind chill has to be really really low. I just braved my way out to check on the girls and there is snow inside the coop. There is lots of insulation in the coop but it isn’t air tight -- so along the bottom of the door and the pet door that they use to go in and out of the run (which I closed yesterday, but its not tight) the snow has made its way in. There were no eggs, and 6 or the 7 were on their roost. The 7th one was in the nesting box. Was pretty funny they to hear them voice their displeasure with the weather --I’m guessing that’s what they were saying -- they all were very vocal. Not sure how long this is to last -- but hope it isn’t long

Rita