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

[AKnewbie]

9 Black Australorps in a 50 sqft insulated coop. Lowest temp we've had is about -20. Haven't added any supplemental heat yet.

 

[Lifestudent]

We're using a steel shed as a chicken coop. I thought I was going to have to insulate it till I saw the posts here. We've had temps in the teens so far this winter, which is fairly cold for around here, and our chickens didn't seem to mind. Yes, they huddled together on the roosts, and they refused to come outside, but they weathered the cold quite well. We're using heated bowls designed for watering dogs for our chickens so they always have fresh water. I hung a brooder lamp with a 100 watt bulb (the kind that just became illegal here in the "land of the free") and put it on a timer so it comes on for a few hours each morning and evening, and egg production is back up. One day we had 7 eggs from our 6 hens. (My wife says it's partly from the light, but also partly from our rooster we bought last month doing his job.

)

 

[Gargoyle]

I hung a brooder lamp with a 100 watt bulb (the kind that just became illegal here in the "land of the free")

Just FYI, it's a global thing, not just the U.S.

Brazil and Venezuela started the phase-out of incandescent light bulbs in 2005, and the European Union, Switzerland, and Australia started to phase them out in 2009. Likewise, other nations are implementing new energy standards or have scheduled phase-outs: Argentina, Russia, and Canada in 2012, and the United States and Malaysia in 2014.

China, the Philippines, India, Israel, and others around the world are also doing partial phase-outs. So, we're actually trailing the rest of the world, and allowing the other countries to take the lead in energy saving and environmental issues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_incandescent_light_bulbs

 

[thomshap]

I have nine hens - a mix of breeds: RI Red, Black Sex Link, Red Sex Link, two Americaunas, two Leghorns (one white, one brown), and two Dominiques. They spend the night in a 4 X 4 x 6 coop which many may say is too small for this many hens, but they don't seem to mind it at all, especially at this time of year. The last week has brought nights in the low teens to around 8 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, I am treating them for worms, so they are not even in peak form, and they have been just fine in this weather. I don't heat their water either, just replace the frozen with liquid in the morning and again when I come home from work. That seems to work out just fine for them.

 

[Lifestudent]

Just FYI, it's a global thing, not just the U.S.

Brazil and Venezuela started the phase-out of incandescent light bulbs in 2005, and the European Union, Switzerland, and Australia started to phase them out in 2009. Likewise, other nations are implementing new energy standards or have scheduled phase-outs: Argentina, Russia, and Canada in 2012, and the United States and Malaysia in 2014.

China, the Philippines, India, Israel, and others around the world are also doing partial phase-outs. So, we're actually trailing the rest of the world, and allowing the other countries to take the lead in energy saving and environmental issues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_incandescent_light_bulbs

I've replaced almost all of our light bulbs with CFLs, then this week read that they give out more ultraviolet rays and may increases odds of getting skin cancer. If it's not one thing it's another. Anyway, I like the incandescent bulbs for certain uses (on dimmers and when I also need heat), so I have enough extras to last me a while.

 

[chilaman]

hi---u should think about being able to shut the drafts spots in cold and stormy weather---like a heavy rubber material thathat u can hing over the spots and open them upm when not needed.

 

[bruceha2000]

It was 21F today - a heat wave compared to two days ago. 2 feet of snow outside. Here is how my girls spent part of their day.








Bruce

 

[Triplell]

Hello everyone!!!
Well today it was up to 28F. The chickens finally went outside since the snow fell. I think the geese kinda pushed them out. Otherwise they spend the day fluffing up the straw all around the inside of the barn all day long.

 

[Mrs MIA]

So about this moisture thing. I bought cheap thermometer that has a humidity gauge and in the barn it always says it is 90 to 100% no matter what the temp is (only got it 2 weeks ago). I brought it in they house just to make sure it works and it dropped to 35%. Back to the barn but by the door (about a foot from the outside world and with the door open) rather than near the coop, back to 90 to 100%. This is a drafty old barn, not a tight insulated house. Do these things just not register properly in the cold (15F to 27F when I checked it) ?


...
Bruce

Try hanging it on the outside of the coop, and see if that changes anything... last I knew, they worked ok. Can you find out what your ambient outdoor humidity is to check it against?

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

One day we had 7 eggs from our 6 hens. (My wife says it's partly from the light, but also partly from our rooster we bought last month doing his job.

)

Just FYI--having a rooster around has absolutely nothing to do with how many eggs a chicken lays. Ovulation happens whether the male is "doing his job" or not.