Think it's too cold for your chickens? Think again...

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They don't seem to be. They are in their run most of the day, in and out. My coop is kind of tall, (shed conversion), so I was lucky I had a BIL who puts up rain gutter for a living. The long boxes were perfect. I tacked them in with small nails, and used old thirsts to fill in the gaps at the roof.
 
Katiedid said:
This is my second winter keeping chickens and my first winter not heating. We're expecting lows in the single digits for the next week or so. I've got four chickens in a dry ventilated, uninsulated coop. So far, it's been in the low teens and they've seemed fine. They have a heated waterer outside the coop. Egg production is way down, but the birds seem OK. Anyway, in February, we some times have the odd night at -5F. I am really enjoying not heating and constantly worrying about coop fires. Should I worry? We won't have snow or humidity to speak of. The coop is big enough for 8 comfortably, and if I need to insulate with cardboard on one wall, I can. I just don't know if it's worth the effort. (I'd also prefer they not eat the cardboard.)


Sorry - the chickens are Rhode Island Reds and Easter Eggers. They seem happier in the winter than the summer!
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They should be just fine! I have 12, 3 of which are bantams, and we have been been dropping to as low as 5. Of course it does help to have more chickens to huddle together for warmth. However, my mother-in-law lives just a few miles from me and she only has 4. The only extra thing we have been doing for her 4 is to put vaseline on the rooster's comb to protect from frostbite. Other than that, they are doing fine. I always add a thick layer of straw for mine. I also clean the area where all they all sleep together more often when it's really cold temps like this because the straw gets a little wet from all the poop - so I'll change it out for fresh straw before they bed down for the night. Also, my sister has about 6, and she lives a bit north of us where the temps are dropping to -8. They are also doing fine. I have to admit though that I still go out at night with a flashlight and check on them to make sure they are all together and that the other hens are allowing the silkies to huddle with them for warmth.
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When I get up the next morning to let them out, I provide them with warm fresh water and sometimes a hot breakfast of oatmeal and scratch after an especially cold night.
 
Katiedid said:
This is my second winter keeping chickens and my first winter not heating. We're expecting lows in the single digits for the next week or so. I've got four chickens in a dry ventilated, uninsulated coop. So far, it's been in the low teens and they've seemed fine. They have a heated waterer outside the coop. Egg production is way down, but the birds seem OK. Anyway, in February, we some times have the odd night at -5F. I am really enjoying not heating and constantly worrying about coop fires. Should I worry? We won't have snow or humidity to speak of. The coop is big enough for 8 comfortably, and if I need to insulate with cardboard on one wall, I can. I just don't know if it's worth the effort. (I'd also prefer they not eat the cardboard.)


Sorry - the chickens are Rhode Island Reds and Easter Eggers. They seem happier in the winter than the summer!
Click to expand...

They are fine
big_smile.png


Mine are in a larger coop than what you have (so less likely to be keeping the air warm) and have had no problem even at -15. I don't check them at night either, it just wakes them up.

Since they've not had heat, your chickens are well feathered. I don't know what cardboard insulation will accomplish unless it is for blocking drafts (which you must do, no air blowing over the birds, but make sure they have good ventilation).

My girls don't seem to peck cardboard but don't let them near foil faced or un-faced rigid insulation. My girls rip that stuff up before you can bat an eye.

Katiedid said:
Thanks! When I'm feeling guilty maybe I'll make them a little oatmeal to cheer them up!
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I do that on cold mornings to warm them up on the inside. They don't seem to need cheering, they bolt out of the coop to see what I have brought! I cook in some meat fat and sunflower seed or scratch. They love it.

Bruce
 
Just wanted to chime in....here is Boise is't been getting down to almost 0F for the past few days...it's been very cold this January and there is about 3-4 inches of snow on the ground too...I don't light or heat. I have 5 girls in the hen house which could probably comfortably hold 6 but I wouldn't do more than that. When I heard how cold it was going to be this week, I bedded the wire floor with straw and swiped the combs of my RIR, Leghorn and BR with Vaseline...I think they are holding up okay...I just feel so bad because I know how cold it is! The only vents are a sliding board that opens a mesh-covered window at the top, which I leave cracked at the end that the hens don't roost...and the side door for them to get in and out I leave cracked so they can push it open in the morning. There are a couple spaces on either side of the poop drawer that pulls out of the bottom under the mesh floor, but I have the floor covered with straw. I think I just need a pat on the back and for someone to tell me my girls are okay
hugs.gif
 
blondiebee181 said:
Just wanted to chime in....here is Boise is't been getting down to almost 0F for the past few days...it's been very cold this January and there is about 3-4 inches of snow on the ground too...I don't light or heat. I have 5 girls in the hen house which could probably comfortably hold 6 but I wouldn't do more than that. When I heard how cold it was going to be this week, I bedded the wire floor with straw and swiped the combs of my RIR, Leghorn and BR with Vaseline...I think they are holding up okay...I just feel so bad because I know how cold it is! The only vents are a sliding board that opens a mesh-covered window at the top, which I leave cracked at the end that the hens don't roost...and the side door for them to get in and out I leave cracked so they can push it open in the morning. There are a couple spaces on either side of the poop drawer that pulls out of the bottom under the mesh floor, but I have the floor covered with straw. I think I just need a pat on the back and for someone to tell me my girls are okay :hugs
Click to expand...


It sounds like you have done a good job. I don't heat the coop either and we are down to 0F today and all is fine. I don't bother with the vasiline do to I have lots of ventilation. I check the windows for frost to see if I need more ventilation. I have Black Australorps of all ages including 21 pullets that should start laying in March/April. I give them scratch twice a day, just enough to get their heaters going when it is this cold. My hens just get whole oats to scratch around in the bedding and that gets thier heaters going to. I used to heat but ran into to much amonia in the coop. I plastic the outside of the coop/110 yr old barn, and on the inside of the barn. My coops are within the barn.
700

700
It is very drafty if I don't. But other thatn that I do nothing.
 

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