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

[SunnyCalifornia]

Okay, after reading all these posts about not heating the coops even in Alaska, Minnesota, Maine, Wisconsin, Massachussetts, etc, and letting birds out to play in the snow....I'm laughing at myself, about how much I worry/pamper my birds! I'm in San Diego, and I was going to put a heat lamp out tonight....I think I might change my mind now!
We had frost on the roofs last night, and my girls looked fine this morning. Thank you for all your info here! My girls appreciate it

 

[clairabean]

I grazed through the previous posts, and whew! am I relieved. I am up in BC, Canada with -15*C already. (About 5*F) I have been freaking out about the cold and my chickens. (Can you tell this is my first year with chickens?) They have a lightbulb in their insulated house, but the water still freezes.

This morning I went out and some eggs were frozen and cracked. If I don't heat the house, how can I prevent frozen eggs? And does this mean it is too cold for the chickens?

 

[Lyndalou]

This is our first year with chickens. We live in central NY state it does get pretty cold but more importantly, we avg about 110-120" of snow per year. I hope the chickens like snow

We bought a common 8x12' garden shed kit for our chickens. I didn't know what to do about winter. We used to live in North Dakota where 60 below wind chill factors are common place with static air temps dipping as low as 40 below in winter. I decided to call my pal, Mary, who has a farm to see what she did with her chickens in the winter. I asked if she let the chickens outside in the winter and she said "of course I do until the coyotes find them", then she has to keep them in the coop. (Mary's chickens are free to roam her farm) Her chicken coop came with the old farm house when they bought the property, it is not insulated to my knowledge.

That answered my question of course. I am not worried about my 26 chickens in the cold. (20 week old Lt Brahmas, Easter Eggers, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Buff Orpingtons, and Black Australorps) I chose the breeds that were described as cold hardy and good winter layers. We do have electricity in the chicken palace. We have a light on a timer that comes on very early in the morning and turns off around 8 am to give the hens extra light to promote laying, but no heat and no insulation.

Have a happy Thanksgiving everybody!

 

[Liamm_1]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

It dipped to 0F this morning. I knew it was coming, so I added fresh shavings to the pen, added a pile of hay in the corner, wished them well and said good night.

Did I run around running extension cords from the house to plug in 500 watts of heat? No.

Did I add any heat? No.

I have ~ 20 12-16 week old juveniles in a hoop run - this is my "grow out" pen". The pen is about 10'x16', and is covered by your average tarp. Black plastic covers the areas that the tarp misses, but the end with the wooden door is open 1" chicken wire. It's not insulated, it's somewhat draft free, but with 20 mph winds, nothing is really draft free. And did I mention no heat lamps?

All my babies were running around this morning like it was a summer day. 0F, no signs of frostbite, no signs of suffering... well, except for the fact that their water was frozen solid and they were thirsty... but they're happy now with fresh water. The adults were happy with fresh water, too.

Did I mention it was 0F? And no heat?

I'm just saying... SO many people ask when they should add heat. I understand... I'M cold! But I'm not wearing a down coat.

I, for one, can do without a $600 electric bill for one month. Want happy, healthy, safe birds this winter? Hold off on the heat.

 

[Suechick]

Just want to say thanks to Mrs. AK birdbrain for the original post and all the folks who have added their affirmations so those of us who don't know any better don't make stupid mistakes with our birds.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
You're welcome.

Every day is a learning process. And if it makes people happy, or gives them peace of mind to put some heat on their birds, I say go for it. Just don't stress about it, because more often than not they're happy.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone... don't forget a little cornbread stuffing for the girls, and to thank them for the bounty they share with us!

 

[dlgd]

Sorry people, I use lights to heat. I have little chickens with NO FAT. I have 2 rescued hens that have suffered terrible frostbite (one lost most of her toes), I have little Sebrites with breathing trouble in very cold weather. I also have 2 that I really don't worry about they have such thick feathering. Do I coddle my girls...youbetcha! and darn proud of it!

 

[dlgd]

Oh, I forgot to mention that we had 3 freeze to death last winter, so if that makes me over protective, so be it.

 

[HorizonSon]

I'm just "adding to the spitoon" here, but... If I lived where I had to worry about my eggs freezing; I'd be inclined to have my coop mated up to my house or heated garage, etc. Then have the nest boxes hang out the coop and into the warm house, garage, etc. You wouldn't even have to leave the house to get breakfast!

 

[wintercluckers]

It got to -11F last night but my coop does have insulation and there is now 4 feet of snow helping to insulate as well. I freaked out a little and turned the heat lamp on for a few hours since it was registering 20F in their coop, and I had read that it was best to keep it above freezing? Although there is SO much written on this topic that I think you can do whatever as long as your chickens look 'happy'! I am buying a heated waterer to keep in their enclosed run since I am tired of bringing hot water a few times a day! Our hens are only 19 weeks so no laying yet and I'm wondering if they will not lay until spring if it stays so cold...we do have cold-hardy breeds. I'm wondering if there is an ideal humidity level? We have a 5x12 run (wooden roof, hardware cloth sides with plastic over for winter) with an enclosed and raised off the ground 4x4 coop with good ventilation, insulated on 2 sides and the roof with 2 large plastic windows for light. We are doing the deep litter method and they have 2 roosts. It is registering anywhere from 20-35F (without extra heat) and 40-70% humidity in the enclosed coop. WITH the red heat lamp (250W?) they get to 40F and 40%. Outside it is 0-20F and 30% humidity (except when it snows of course, which has been the last 5 days). There are 6 hens in there. Anyone know a good humidity level? The windows are steamy and frozen in the morning!