Sudden temperature changes

[lazy gardener]

Digestion of any feed will produce body warming calories....
...make sure any cracked corn given is balanced out with a good chicken ration of adequate protein percentage.

Agreed. A calorie is a calorie. Send them to bed with full crops. Extra calories needed by all beasts to stay warm in the winter.

I think the most common newbie mistake is to think warm. What needs to be the emphasis is DRY. Dry chickens can easily handle that temperature swing. The way you keep them dry is good dry bedding, ventilation well above their heads, and roosting away from the walls or ceiling. Their heads should be at least a foot below the ceiling. Moist air goes out of the coop, with adequate ventilation. My south side, is open across the top by 4 inches. Makes a huge difference.

Dry chickens are warm chickens, if fed and watered.

Mrs K

IMO the biggest failing of the little doll house coops is that they are not at all big enough to allow enough well placed ventilation. Birds roosting on skinny little perches with their heineys pushed up against the back wall, and their heads very close to the roof: perfect recipe for frost bite.