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

[Mrs MIA]

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That made me laugh.

I usually keep my juvies in the garage (stays about 58-60F) until fully feathered out. I have two Orpington boys in there right now that I SO want to put outside, but they're still in their mangy T-Rex stage.

3 weeks old is still pretty young, I wouldn't blame you for supplementing with a little heat. By three weeks I've dropped them down to a 60 or 100w bulb, though. But it sounds like yours did ok without it.

Okay, I'll cop to it: They had a 75 watt infrared heat lamp tucked up in the corner of their coop. I HAD to move them outside because of my hatching addiction and the 15 chicks just hatched within the past week which REALLY needed the two brooders inside.

Busted!! I'm really talking about adult birds here, though. So you're in the clear.

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I wouldn't say it's harming them, but they probably don't need it. You said yourself that their winter coats are thicker... do they ACT like they're cold? Besides, they need dark-time just like we do for sleeping at night.

Without it being insulated, any heat the 100w light bulb is putting off is not staying in the building, and they don't need the light, so I would turn it off. But that's just me.

Just curious, how cold do you usually get in the deep of winter there in your part of MA?

 

[woodmort]

Sure beats that one gal from Florida who used a heater to keep her coop above 32 and recommended everyone do that

. I keep telling people these are birds, not humans, what is cold for the owner isn't cold for their chickens. Some people are going to pamper their birds to death--or at least shorten the bird's life.

 

[Mrs MIA]

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It's not harming the birds, especially if it's keeping the water from freezing. Perhaps switch to a red bulb so as not to disrupt their sleep-time?
I have silkies, too. Several of them are out running around right now. The difference with them is that they roost low (where it's colder) because they don't fly well. That's probably why they would be considered susceptible. Deep litter/hay to help keep them off the frozen floor, or 2x4s down low that they can roost on would work for them. When it is below zero, and if you're anything like me you watch the weather reports for any quick dips into the subzero range, give them extra hay to snuggle into, and perhaps seal off any drafts. How many Silkies do you have? How big is your coop?

 

[Mrs MIA]

Yay Chicks! :

This post came just in time for me. I was concerned because we, perhaps, expecting below freezing temps this weekend. This is my first year and I have a small, raised, uninsulated coop. It's pretty solid, but there may be some tiny drafts. It's difficult to get enough ventilation because it is such a small coop, so I scoop poop daily and make sure things are nice and dry to prevent excess humidity and fumes. Now I feel soooo much better after reading your post...which was your intent

Thanks!!

Yay! Just keep an eye on them... you'll know if they're too cold, but if you only get down into the teens or 20s, you probably don't need to worry. Especially if they're adults.

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I know!!! We'll be seeing her on the ER forum asking about chickens with runny noses and sneezing...

(I hope not, but wouldn't be surprised!)

It warmed up to 14°F, and everyone is still outside. I've checked several times today for any signs of distress, but nothing so far. I'd swear it was just like any other day. Except for the extra water-runs I have to do because it freezes up so quick! Good thing I work from home!! We even have 8 week old bunnies out there in a barn that is open at one end, and they have the thickest most beautiful fur I've seen yet!

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I am new to chickens and now ducks but don't plan on heating them... Right now I carry 2 5 gal buckets of hot water out there- ducks go through a LOT of water.


Glad to see I am not the only one shaking my head at heating the coop- even from Mn where it Will get cold.

 

[Mrs MIA]

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Minnesota is one of the few states I will listen to for advice on cold weather.

You guys get colder'n us sometimes!! I have two pens of ducks... I've learned that small containers filled a few times a day is much easier all around. The boys call them yuck-ducks for a reason!! This morning one of the mallards hopped right in the bowl, water streaming over her...

And I thought turkeys were clueless...

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

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Minnesota is one of the few states I will listen to for advice on cold weather.

You guys get colder'n us sometimes!! I have two pens of ducks... I've learned that small containers filled a few times a day is much easier all around. The boys call them yuck-ducks for a reason!! This morning one of the mallards hopped right in the bowl, water streaming over her...

And I thought turkeys were clueless...

LOL I am learning with the poultry. I have smaller dishes (where they can't jump in) on one side of the barn- I am sure that those will be fun when it starts freezing as it is a bit slippery right now. And then I have 4 rubber feed pans that I put water in outside. I am really hoping that I don't have too many days where I have to haul water more than once as it is the chore I dislike.

I spent an hour today after giving them water and scratch outside in their run, just watching them- it is fun seeing all the fluffy butts having fun!​

 

[fluffychicksmomma]

Mrs AK, thanks for that info. I do watch the weather like a hawk. I have horses too with no shelter, they are fine with very cold temps, but they have to have blankets if we are going to have freezing rain or sleet, since they have no way to keeep dry. I was just thinking that I should perhaps put some hay under the hens chips to help with wamth.
I have 5 hens, the coop is about 4-5, but a lot higher than they need, we didn't realize that they would want to stay on the floor or only "roost" about 6" off the ground. I WISH I could find a red light for them. I know they don't like the light on all night, I hear them cheeping quite late and in the summer they were always quiet all night. However the only red lights I can find, (and I have looked EVERYWHERE around here), are 250 watts. I think that is way too much for them since I am using a 100 watt and it seems quite sufficient, but I don't know. It IS going to get much colder, so maybe they will end up needing that much.
And NOW I am worrying that they don't have adequate ventilation, having just read a link about that!. ACK! So, I am heading out there right now to see what I think. And tell hubby he may need to cut some other windows out, but it just seems contrary to keeping the coop draft-free in the winter! Its hard to know how much is enough and how much is too much. Heat, ventilation, etc....! I'm getting a head-ache. : )

 

[Mrs MIA]

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I'm sorry...

Truly, they'll be ok for the time being. They WILL walk up ramps, though, so maybe if you put a ramp up so they can get up higher, or ladder roosts that they can hop from one to the other. I HAVE seen my silkies on the higher roosts, but they have a series of hops they can make to get there. Either that or give them a semi-enclosed nest box with lots of hay that they can sleep in. But then you wind up with dirty eggs. Hmmm... I remember having trouble finding red bulbs, too... maybe a red plastic cover... no, then you'd block the heat. Might just have to go to a heated water base or heated dog bowl for them.
In our 8x8' coop, the front is 8', and the roof slopes back to about 5'. Up in the front corners we drilled a 4" hole on opposite walls, and then plugged it with louvered vent cover. It has a screen, and then the louvers, so there's airflow, but not a direct breeze, and it's high enough it's not right on the birds. You just have to clean the dust out of it after a while.

 

[Libchicks]

Hi Fluffychicksmomma, I found a red Sylvania 13 watt CFL at Lowe's that I have been using in my coop at night. You might be able to find it at a hardware store, or order one online