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

[AVintageLife]

One of the best threads on BYC - to heat or not to heat. You all have such great information for us newbies. This is my first winter and I have resisted the urge to add heat and my flock is faring well. I'll be adding more ventilation at the eaves of the coop in the spring.

 

[countrygirl74]

My chickens have had no problems at all at those temps, in an open front, unheated, uninsulated coop. In the pic below it was around 15F, and there they are looking out the front, not hiding in the back, huddled up. When I cleared the snow( spoiled they are), out they came.

Jack

Love that coop!! Plans? How many chickens does it hold?

 

[JackE]

Love that coop!! Plans? How many chickens does it hold?

Thanks, The coop is 8X16', it's good for 30 hens or so. Right now, there are 19 residents in there. As far as plans go, I got them from the book, 'Fresh air poultry houses' by Prince T Woods. Got the book from Amazon.
Jack

 

[groverlvchx]

I also was admiring that coop! Great job--the girls look very happy.

 

[blondiebee181]

Thanks, The coop is 8X16', it's good for 30 hens or so. Right now, there are 19 residents in there. As far as plans go, I got them from the book, 'Fresh air poultry houses' by Prince T Woods. Got the book from Amazon.
Jack

Wow, Jack I've seen pics of your coop before, but I didn't realize it was that big. Yeah if I ever get the chance to go bigger, I would love a coop like that

 

[bruceha2000]

they are in a coop (converted barn) that is 12ft by 24 ft..so heat from each other isnt a factor that will help.

The chickens won't heat a large coop but they will make "blankets" of each other by squishing together. Pity the poor lower ranked one that has to sleep on the end of the row, no "blanket" on the outside.

This morning it took me ages to open the door as it was frozen shut

Has anyone any tips - not including heating lamps/bulbs/bowls to stop water and the door from freezing? Isn't there a safe substance to apply?

Is the door one that slides up and down? If so, I would make a SMALL 3 sided porch attached to the coop around the door. Then no snow or rain can get to the channel. I guess that could work equally well for a swinging door.

With regard to the water - without some source of heat it WILL freeze. So you have 2 options shy of electric heat:
1) Take the kettle out there several times a day to thaw or replace the frozen water
2) Put something in it to keep it from freezing as fast, like heated fire brick. But that requires a pretty good sized container.
3) OK, I said 2, buit how about: If you can insulate the water container, the water will take longer to freeze.

Check out this link--hot water freezes faster than cold water!
http://mpms-mythbusters.wikispaces.com/Freezing+Water--James

That one is a bit of a toss up. Too many variables. For instance, one explanation is that more of the hot water evaporates. Except this won't happen in a typical chicken waterer which is basically an inverted container on a dish.

Even if it were always true, my girls seem to like their "morning warmer upper".

But they always have their heated nipple watering system.

Thanks, The coop is 8X16', it's good for 30 hens or so. Right now, there are 19 residents in there. As far as plans go, I got them from the book, 'Fresh air poultry houses' by Prince T Woods. Got the book from Amazon.
Jack

It is a very nice coop. Hopefully anyone who builds a similar one will recognize the heat gain value of placing the coop such that the windows face south.

Bruce

 

[PAchickengirl]

It's going to get down to zero this week. I added extra straw in the coop.

 

[cracked egg]

We have been locked in a deep freeze since the first of the month. highs have rarely reached over the teens,mostly in single digits with lows below 0 at nights, lowest at -20.
The birds are fine for the most part, waiting for the inversion to lift for a little warmth.

 

[Triplell]

Hello everyone,

The high of today was -5, tonite -20 with wind chills of -40. I added more straw and pine chips to help with moisture and warmth. Gave everyone an extra dose of scratch and corn plus some electrolites and vitamin/mineral in the waters.

 

[blondiebee181]

We have been locked in a deep freeze since the first of the month. highs have rarely reached over the teens,mostly in single digits with lows below 0 at nights, lowest at -20.
The birds are fine for the most part, waiting for the inversion to lift for a little warmth.

Hello fellow Idahoan! Seriously right? I'm in Boise, but honestly it isn't much better.....so tired of this stupid cold....I'm ready to start my garden!