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

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Quote:
I've personally not had much of a problem with frozen eggs, but I probably have a lot more birds than the average person.

The girls are usually lined up to get into the nest as soon as it's vacated!

I would think that a lamp on the nest would help, but perhaps someone with a solution will chime in.

I had small pet-bed warmers in some of the boxes, VERY low levels of heat, meant to warm up only what was touching it directly.

Results were questionable.​

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
If you show chickens, that will be a disqualification. So I imagine those who have birds they plan to show are forgiven if they are a little more concious about the temps experienced by their potential show birds.

We kept our birds in hoop houses on pasture right up until the wind direction changes were so abrupt that I could not guarantee that they would be out of the wind. The birds had no problems with low 20F on calm still frosty nights. They MUCH preferred being out on pasture. But raw conditions of wet and wind are not great for them. We put them into insulated winter quarters during a sleet/rain and that night the tarps all tore off the pasture huts in some freakish gusts. We were glad we did not wait one more night.

I am anxiously watching humidity in the winter quarters. More worried about fumes and ventilation issues, and rodent issues, than temps at the moment. Last year we had some frostbite on combs and a really stupid rooster with some on his toes (I want to roost all by myself on this cement block in the only draft in the building). I really don't want any of that again. We had added heat lamps last year, but there was no insulation then.

What is considered ideal humidity during water-freezing winter temperatures?

You know, it's interesting... and maybe it's just because there isn't a real big chicken following here in AK, but the judges make allowances for frostbite. Especially with the 4H kids. Our Fair is usually late enough in the year that my older birds are molting, so I only show youngsters that are hatched in Jan/Feb.

But yes, any potential show birds are kept differently than the general population most times.

That's a good question about the humidity... I don't know what the actual number would be, but definitely low enough to keep condensation from building up. 35-40%?

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
I've personally not had much of a problem with frozen eggs, but I probably have a lot more birds than the average person.

The girls are usually lined up to get into the nest as soon as it's vacated!

I would think that a lamp on the nest would help, but perhaps someone with a solution will chime in.

I had small pet-bed warmers in some of the boxes, VERY low levels of heat, meant to warm up only what was touching it directly.

Results were questionable.

That's brilliant! I bet if you put it under a blanket, and put enough hay/shavings over it, it would work... what were the results for you?

 

[Mrs MIA]

We dipped even lower this morning... -2*F. I'M the one with frostbite, standing out there knocking the ice out of bunny water bowls.

LOL! I picked up some more BOSS and scratch today to feed a little more in the evening. This morning I treated them with old potatoes that I quartered and boiled, and they are fed a mix with sprouted barley that is warm when I first put it out there.

I've actually found a couple of girls just warming their toes in the food...

 

[Ema]

its exactly that here where I am at now as well. My DH went to let the girls out today and they refused to go outside, I guess they all rushed out and then rushed back in. there was only one single spot in their run with no snow and they all took turns just going there and then back in the coop for warmth. Their water froze solid though cause I didn't have the water heater plugged in. its been 23F in the coop all day but they seem happy so I am not worried. I spent 2 hours this evening with Dh tarping the run to give them protection from those northerly winds. We are expecting a winter storm tomorrow sometime. I then stood in the run and without the wind, it wasn't so bad in there.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

-16 degrees C here last night, winter storm watch in effect, blizzard blowing outside right now. Birds are in an unheated shed, they are fine.

 

[kla37]

I'm in the NC piedmont, and it doesn't get all that cold here. I'm originally from Chicago, so the winters here are exceptionally mild to me. I do know people that heat their coops here though. I'm just not going to bother. I didn't know anyone who did it in Illinois when I was a kid, and their chickens seemed fine. Even on chilly mornings here, my chickens feel warm and snuggly when I pick them up! I doubt I'll even have frozen water very much if I don't leave it out overnight. The farthest I'll go is to give them a heated dog dish if needed, but that's it. I think if they were kept warm artificially for a length of time, and then had to be out in real cold, they wouldn't do very well. I know when I use a down sleeping bag in the mountains in February, I'm warm so they must be OK.

 

[gingerpeach22]

I'm the one who uses some heat in her coop, but I opened the pop door half way today after sweeping the ladder and some of the dirt/rock ground in the run, and they all went out and had a good time scratching around for scratch feed which the snow had covered up. They came and went as they wished for about an hour at 4 degrees F until all had come inside voluntarily. It was good for them physically and psychologically, I suppose. The lack of a breeze kept them from losing extra body heat. Then they got right back to the business of eggs, producing the most ever, ten eggs from twelve hens. Such good hens.

 

[Mrs MIA]

The one side of the run that's attached to the coop has the clear corrugated plastic roofing material attached as a wind-break. I duck in there on windy days, and am amazed at how much "warmer" it feels out of the wind. But the chickens don't have to worry about the windchill as much as we do. Our runs are covered, so there's just frozen ground for them to run around on. I need to add more shavings to the main coop, though, as they've managed to pack it down with their frozen poo. I might just actually try the deep litter method this year. I usually scrape it all out and replace it all.

We're supposed to get back down below 0F again tonight...

 

[gingerpeach22]

Ms AK, I am using the deep litter method but only somewhat. Let me explain. If the ventilation isn't just right, it gets damp. Then I get a snow shovel and put most of it in bins and put down maybe half a bale of new shavings. They go nuts kicking it around, eating some of it apparently, and the place looks bright and smells great. Otherwise, they scratch around so much that the poo is covered every day and there is no smell. If there is no dampness to feel (hard to tell cold from damp and cold), I put in a modest mound of shavings on the old and let them go at it. It's sixteen F above today, and when it gets really light, I'll do what I did yesterday by opening the pop door part way (single file) and let them go in and out to their little chicken heart's delight. They were just fine at lower temperatures last night with the eco heater plugged into the 35 - 45 degree thermostat. I usually leave a small red light on all the time. It's in the regular metal reflective hood with cage and when they come in from outdoors, some go to it and spread out wings or just hunker down under it.