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

[ARose4Heaven]

Looks like a long thread with a lot of folks saying the same thing...

1. In most climates, heat/insulation is not needed and perhaps even detrimental to the adult bird's natural ability to insulate themselves.

2. Humans are softies.

3. We love our chickens.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
I hope you offer them some kind of shelter...

 

[ellieroo]

If the humidity is 80% outside or more( ie freezing fog) and the coop is ventilated how can you have anything but 80% in the coop?

 

[NellaBean]

It's been in the 20's at night here and upper 30's during the day. I've got 4 broodies that have been sitting on eggs or chicks for weeks now. Latest batch hatched out Monday/Tuesday. They are in a brooder without a heat lamp and the mom does just fine keeping them all warm.

so yes, even in the winter, you can let broodies raise babies without need of heat lamps. I have 4 brooders in the garage with heat lamps, only because those 3 hens are ALL first time broodies and I wanted a backup in case they quit overnight. But the chicks don't sit in front of the heat lamp, they sit under momma and enjoy themselves.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
That about sums it up!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
And I bet you will notice that your chicks acclimate to the cooler temps much more quickly when they have the option of all-or-nothing heat that mom provides. When we put heat lamps on the chicks, they really can't get away from it completely like they can with a broody. They can move away from the main heat source, but there will still be residual. Our chicks get weaned off much quicker than everyone says to do, and are usually are completely feathered out by 6 weeks and ready to go outside with shelter shortly after. Except for those darn Orpington boys that look like molting T-rex until about 12 weeks!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Yesterday morning we woke to -4F. By 3 pm it was 36*F. Now we're back to 20*F under clear skies and dropping again. Crazy crazy weather coming through. Everyone is out and about.

 

[TheyThinkI'mTheirMom]

Quote:
Yeppers!

But even if heat/insulation are not really required, how do you feel about shelter? From wind? From rain? From snow? From sleet? From hail? That sort of thing. I'd be interested in how people feel about these, and what people do about these.

 

[welsummer4]

TheyThinkI'mTheirMom :

Quote:
Yeppers!

But even if heat/insulation are not really required, how do you feel about shelter? From wind? From rain? From snow? From sleet? From hail? That sort of thing. I'd be interested in how people feel about these, and what people do about these.

My chickens live on the roof. When they lay an egg, it rolls down into the gutter and exits right over my frying pan. This way, my family never finds out that eggs come from chicken butts.​

 

[Yay Chicks!]

My chickens live on the roof. When they lay an egg, it rolls down into the gutter and exits right over my frying pan. This way, my family never finds out that eggs come from chicken butts.