Supplemental heat?

[Egrossman104]

Hey everyone, I’m pretty new to keeping backyard chickens. I currently have 3, 5 month old Pullets and 1, 2 year old leghorn. I have them in a 4’x4’ converted playhouse in a 10’x10’ run. I live in central NY we average about 120” of snow and when we have the polar vortex it can get -20 degrees with windchills well below that. I’m considering adding a heat lamp or something similar to run on days where it drop below 0. Is this something I should do or not? I’ve done a lot of reading and it seems it’s not recommended as a solution for every night but I’m wondering if on those very bitter days and night if I should add some heat. Just looking for general advice.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

Have you encountered this article? https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

Photos of your coop, interior and exterior, would help people give better advice.

 

[DobieLover]

Hey everyone, I’m pretty new to keeping backyard chickens. I currently have 3, 5 month old Pullets and 1, 2 year old leghorn. I have them in a 4’x4’ converted playhouse in a 10’x10’ run. I live in central NY we average about 120” of snow and when we have the polar vortex it can get -20 degrees with windchills well below that. I’m considering adding a heat lamp or something similar to run on days where it drop below 0. Is this something I should do or not? I’ve done a lot of reading and it seems it’s not recommended as a solution for every night but I’m wondering if on those very bitter days and night if I should add some heat. Just looking for general advice.

I'm in NY too.
Since owning chickens, they've seen lows at -23F. No supplemental heat was provided.
The key to chickens keeping warm in winter is keeping the coop as dry and well ventilated as possible, keeping away drafts strong enough to open feathers on roosted birds, ensuring the birds go to roost with full crops and providing a wind shielded run.
I do dump another bag of hemp bedding or pine shavings into the coop in late November as they do tend to spend more time hunkered down in the thick bedding on bitter days.
This is my winter coop.

All the light you see coming if from areas other than the windows are left open year round. There is also a ridge vent.

 

[Egrossman104]

Thank you for your replies. Here are some pics of the coop in various stages of the build. I’ll run out in a moment and take some other pics. I’ve added a roof to the 10’x10’ run. The windows in the front have plexi. The side windows I made some wooden shutters for and covered the windows in hardware cloth. I planned to leave the venting open in the eves.

 

[Egrossman104]

Here are a few current pics

 

[Egrossman104]

Is the general consensus that I should not need supplemental heat even if it’s below 0 degrees F?

 

[LateBirdFarms]

Absolutely not, I'm north of you in Ontario, and even my silkies did fine in our winters. Last year was alternately wickedly damp and frigid. The only thing I'd suggest, other than the usual stuff about watching for drafts and maintaining ventilation is on the particularly wet winter days that it helps to towel the ladies off after sundown. Is that your only roost in front of the window?

 

[Egrossman104]

Absolutely not, I'm north of you in Ontario, and even my silkies did fine in our winters. Last year was alternately wickedly damp and frigid. The only thing I'd suggest, other than the usual stuff about watching for drafts and maintaining ventilation is on the particularly wet winter days that it helps to towel the ladies off after sundown. Is that your only roost in front of the window?

Thank you for the response! I also have another roost that runs in the opposite direction above it. Do you plastic off the sides of the run for your chickens in the winter as well?

 

[Egrossman104]

Thank you for the response! I also have another roost that runs in the opposite direction above it. Do you plastic off the sides of the run for your chickens in the winter as well?

In the first picture in the second group you can see the second roost at the top of the pic. Do you suggest I add a 3rd?

 

[LateBirdFarms]

Thank you for the response! I also have another roost that runs in the opposite direction above it. Do you plastic off the sides of the run for your chickens in the winter as well?

Yep! I do! I use clear vinyl table cloth protectors for the lengths I don't have plexiglass for. You'll want to leave sections of ventilation on those too, condensation builds up on those sunny days without it.

I see the second roost now!