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

[Mskayladog]

Friday night it's going to get down to 15 F. My coop lean-to is not insulated its ventilated well I need reassurance that the chikens will be fine. The roost is a 2 by 4 they roost on the large flat side and I did take some old carpet and staple to the roost to help keep their feet warm. I don't have any heat source on the water or in the coop.

 

[Triplell]

Okay, you have done a wonderful job with their roost. Are you gonna use any heat source for the water or a heated waterer? If not then you need to remember to put out water at least twice a day if not three. If your chickens can get out of the wind and be as draft free as possible then they will do just fine. You will also have to collect eggs three times or more often so they wont freeze on you. Give them plenty of straw,hay or shavings to cuddle up with to lay their eggs into. I am guessing that you have some nest boxes for they to lay in. On the ground I would give them at least 6 inches of some kind of bedding to walk on so they don't freeze their little feet. Also you can give them some whole oats to scratch around in for exercise in the bedding. This will give them some added heat and help fill their croup before going to bed. This is my advice, now others may think of something else.....

 

[popsicle]

Friday night it's going to get down to 15 F. My coop lean-to is not insulated its ventilated well I need reassurance that the chikens will be fine. The roost is a 2 by 4 they roost on the large flat side and I did take some old carpet and staple to the roost to help keep their feet warm. I don't have any heat source on the water or in the coop.

Your chickens will probably be just fine. My birds are in a 90-year-old uninsulated shed and have seen -15F already this year. They always greet me at the gate for their water in the morning. I've got four molting birds, some single combed breeds and a couple smaller production hens (not just the fat Brahmas)--nobody has any signs of frostbite.

 

[laura625]

Twice this week my chickens roosted high up in a tree and I could Not get them down. a few were in the coop,so I couldnt leave the coop door open, for fear of predators. So they stayed up there all night. One night it went down to 16F and the other night down to 11F !
I do think the rooster got some frostbite on his comb. Other than that everyone was fine. I noticed their feathers seemed to surround the branch and completely coverred their toes. all toes are fine.
I know there are folks around here who have basically No coops for their chickens. They insist they have lost none to cold (plenty to predators apparently)
So while I work to make my coop draft free and well insulated, I am more concerned about moisture than heat. I know they are better off "underheated" than overheated.
Oh I have cheap plastic waterers that hold about a gallon. I heat rocks and put them In the water and it keeps it liquid for several additional hrs in the night. In the day I do the same and have the water in a little "sunroom" off the south side of the coop, which on sunny days ( which are few) helps considerably.
You have to be careful heating rocks. Granite heated on the woodstove has been fine for me. certain rocks can explode when heated so don't try this unless you know what you are doing. I would like to heat them in the microwave, but I don't understand the risks. if anyone happens to know, I'd love to learn.

 

[Clover Run]

Twice this week my chickens roosted high up in a tree and I could Not get them down. a few were in the coop,so I couldnt leave the coop door open, for fear of predators. So they stayed up there all night. One night it went down to 16F and the other night down to 11F !
I do think the rooster got some frostbite on his comb. Other than that everyone was fine. I noticed their feathers seemed to surround the branch and completely coverred their toes. all toes are fine.
I know there are folks around here who have basically No coops for their chickens. They insist they have lost none to cold (plenty to predators apparently)
So while I work to make my coop draft free and well insulated, I am more concerned about moisture than heat. I know they are better off "underheated" than overheated.
Oh I have cheap plastic waterers that hold about a gallon. I heat rocks and put them In the water and it keeps it liquid for several additional hrs in the night. In the day I do the same and have the water in a little "sunroom" off the south side of the coop, which on sunny days ( which are few) helps considerably.
You have to be careful heating rocks. Granite heated on the woodstove has been fine for me. certain rocks can explode when heated so don't try this unless you know what you are doing. I would like to heat them in the microwave, but I don't understand the risks. if anyone happens to know, I'd love to learn.

You can heat up rocks in boiling water on the stove or on a crock pot - this would of course take longer but you could leave it on and always have hot rocks - think hot stone massage at a spa - this is what they do.

 

[DaphneNL]

Never thought about the heated rocks, but I will try that for sure!

 

[Triplell]

luara, I think if you put them in a microwave they would blow up. Microwaves heat from the inside out, I would think very dangerous.

 

[bruceha2000]

luara, I think if you put them in a microwave they would blow up. Microwaves heat from the inside out, I would think very dangerous.

x20 on that! No rocks in the microwave.

I would imagine any rock heated in water would be fine. They would heat up slowly and if getting hot is a problem for that type rock, it would just crack.

15F shouldn't be a problem for chickens in an unheated uninsulated coop assuming they are feathered out. My girls hit 7F a week or so back, didn't care at all. Their coop is a converted horse stall in an old barn so they do have extra protection from wind. That said, it is a DRAFTY old barn

so I have clear plastic on the sides up to the joists for the floor above and the back of the stall is wood. It is only open in the front (either side of the door which is also covered in clear plastic) and the ceiling between the floor joists.

Bruce

 

[beckysuebeth]

I broke down and got the heat lamp, we have had a few nasty cold snaps (about -36 F average right now) and my four ladies ended up with frost bite! I picked one up and a timer the same day of the discovery. I was however wondering about cheap insulation ideas. I thought a sturdy house with a vent plus sturdy chickens would make for any easy winter! Boy was i wrong!

 

[mg15]

I broke down and got the heat lamp, we have had a few nasty cold snaps (about -36 F average right now) and my four ladies ended up with frost bite! I picked one up and a timer the same day of the discovery. I was however wondering about cheap insulation ideas. I thought a sturdy house with a vent plus sturdy chickens would make for any easy winter! Boy was i wrong!

We put paper backed insulation in the roof rafters to hold the heat in. Also, a heater in there with a temperature
gauge that we can read in the house. It is a transmitter type. 20 dollars.