Surviving winter

[WilliamH]

Right now I am currently building a 4x7 coop for my 3 chickens and 3 ducklings. I live in Minnesota and I was wondering if they will survive the winter. Minnesota can sometimes get to -20 degrees. Do I need more chickens/ducks to generate more heat? Is there any advice preparing for winter?

 

[wamtazlady]

A warm chicken is a dry chicken. The ideal coop situation for a chicken is lots of ventilation but no breeze blowing on the bird itself. I have vents that are never closed up high and I keep my roosts low. My 6 by 8 coop has about 10 square feet of ventilation that is never closed. Do not be tempted by closing up the coop to hold in the heat. A chicken may get frostbite in a humid coop at around freezing where they do fine in a well ventilated coop in the -20s. You need to get that warm but moist air out of that coop to keep your chickens warm. Chickens add a lot of moisture to a coop just by breathing and popping. Their down coats will hold in all the heat they need if you provide them with the proper shelter.


As for ducks, mine never would go into their coop. They preferred spending the nights in the snow.

I live in Northern Montana so it gets cold here. When I first got chickens the advice I just gave you sounded odd. However, I just decided to believe the people who had been keeping chickens for years. I have never had a chicken die from the cold in 6 years of having them. Let me say again, my coop is not insulated. It is not closed up. I have plenty of open vents. The chickens are happy.

If you have electricity to your coop I can also give you ideas on how to keep your water thawed for the winter.

 

[WilliamH]

A warm chicken is a dry chicken. The ideal coop situation for a chicken is lots of ventilation but no breeze blowing on the bird itself. I have vents that are never closed up high and I keep my roosts low. My 6 by 8 coop has about 10 square feet of ventilation that is never closed. Do not be tempted by closing up the coop to hold in the heat. A chicken may get frostbite in a humid coop at around freezing where they do fine in a well ventilated coop in the -20s. You need to get that warm but moist air out of that coop to keep your chickens warm. Chickens add a lot of moisture to a coop just by breathing and popping. Their down coats will hold in all the heat they need if you provide them with the proper shelter.


As for ducks, mine never would go into their coop. They preferred spending the nights in the snow.

I live in Northern Montana so it gets cold here. When I first got chickens the advice I just gave you sounded odd. However, I just decided to believe the people who had been keeping chickens for years. I have never had a chicken die from the cold in 6 years of having them. Let me say again, my coop is not insulated. It is not closed up. I have plenty of open vents. The chickens are happy.

If you have electricity to your coop I can also give you ideas on how to keep your water thawed for the winter.

Thanks for the advice. Yes I plan to have electricity for the coop.