Severe weather drop for young hens

[Rostabunny]

Hey y'all!

I live in central NC, and have a flock of 8 8 month old girls. The coldest that they have experienced is around 25. However, it will be getting down to 11, with windchill -8. What should I do? I am concerned about them. We still have their brooder light, which has a cage around it. Could we hang that from the rafters of their coop? Or would a heating pad work? There is not much ventilation in the interior of their closed in coop.

Thanks!

 

[azygous]

Unless you have a way to vent warm, moist air from the chickens' breath and poop, adding heat has the potential to cause the water vapor to condense and settle on exposed tissue and cause frostbite. And heat lamps in coops are a significant fire danger regardless of a basket guard over the bulb.

You need a vent, however small, at the top of the coop wall and a small opening, a partially open pop door, to allow thermodynamic airflow. This isn't the same as a draft or breeze. You won't be able to feel the thermodynamic air flow where denser cold air at the bottom pushes lighter damp warmer air up and away from the chickens. If you have such air flow, you can get away with adding a safe form of heat. If you have the space for it, oil filled electric heaters are safe. Cozy coop flat heaters take up no space and can heat a small coop.

 

[Rostabunny]

Unless you have a way to vent warm, moist air from the chickens' breath and poop, adding heat has the potential to cause the water vapor to condense and settle on exposed tissue and cause frostbite. And heat lamps in coops are a significant fire danger regardless of a basket guard over the bulb.

You need a vent, however small, at the top of the coop wall and a small opening, a partially open pop door, to allow thermodynamic airflow. This isn't the same as a draft or breeze. You won't be able to feel the thermodynamic air flow where denser cold air at the bottom pushes lighter damp warmer air up and away from the chickens. If you have such air flow, you can get away with adding a safe form of heat. If you have the space for it, oil filled electric heaters are safe. Cozy coop flat heaters take up no space and can heat a small coop.

Thanks! We have vents like this. Are they good enough? Have had them shut to keep it warmer. Alsot should I shut this door at night?

 

[Rostabunny]

 

[azygous]

Read this article. https://www.networx.com/article/thermodynamics-for-idiots It will explain the type of venting you need.

A thermometer mounted in your coop will let you know how much below freezing your coop gets and how much added heat you might want to consider, if any.

 

[Rostabunny]

Read this article. https://www.networx.com/article/thermodynamics-for-idiots It will explain the type of venting you need.

A thermometer mounted in your coop will let you know how much below freezing your coop gets and how much added heat you might want to consider, if any.

Thanks! I might pick up a heater from tractor supply.

 

[Rostabunny]

They all did fine last night, thanks!

 

[3KillerBs]

Draft-free ventilation is the key.

I've got 11-week-olds in an Open Air coop here in the NC Sandhills and they're fine: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/10f-in-central-north-carolina-in-an-open-air-coop.1558090/