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

[Mrs MIA]

Hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Years.

This year was the WARMEST we've seen in a long time... two years ago I was watching our neighbors kick off the new year at -27F. Last year it was 0F. This year? 25 above.

We warmed up above freezing for most of the week between Christmas and New Years. I was able to kick a few newbies out of the garage and settled inside the coop before *gasp* we dropped back down to 4*F this morning. We knew it wouldn't last. We had to do a major cleanout of all the pens while it was so warm to keep everyone from passing out (including me) from the deep litter smell.

So now everyone is sitting pretty in fresh shavings, and hopefully the next time it gets that warm it will be Spring for real.

 

[Happycowdog]

Really glad for this thread. I have been worried the last few weeks. When it is bone chilling, but the sun is out, my birds are out like it's a summer day! When it snows or is rainy, the birds don't come out of the coop. I have been seeing that when it is in the low teens, my birds take care of their feet by tucking them into their bodies. I suppose if they were terribly uncomfortable, they would go into the coop!

 

[woodmort]

Strange but your weather in AK and ours in NY have been about the same this Dec--ok, we didn't get that cold but had 25 days of the month were the daytime high never topped 30F. Our New Year's Eve temp was in the upper 40's/low 50's and the snow all disappeared. The chickens loved it until we got a 2-inch dusting on the 5th while they were out wandering around. BTW, even days in single digits we have yet to have a frozen egg, much less a really cold bird.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Thanks to this thread I have calmed down about the chill outside. They are well adapted but funny. They won't go into the nice, dry, clean, warm coop except to lay. They prefer to sit in the outside run area which admittedly needs cleaning more often than I do. The rain we had along with the snow made the straw moist. They don't mind though. And here's for all those who think it's too cold for chickens:
Let your birds be the outside animals they are.
Ours sit there, outside, just a windbreak for "comfort". They sit on the 2"x2" boards and the 2"x4" boards. There is no preference for the large board we put in so they could sit on their toes and warm them. They sit there and they are happy. When the snow falls and blows into the run area some of it falls to their backs. It does not melt. I have been in the run with them and the snow crystal shapes can easily be seen on their well insulated backs. They are very well insulated. Their toes are warm to the touch. Their combs are warm to the touch. They are happy and healthy. But most of all, I am happy they are happy.
I'm thankful for the help the experienced people have given on this thread. I din't put in heat even when it was "bone cilling -20* with wind - I put up a wind screen. I didn't put in heat when the temps wouldn't rise. Our birds fully feathered out to healthy individuals. We have no possibility of a coop fire, cold-sick birds, frostbitten toes etc. We have had a frozen egg but the birds are happy.

Thank you Thank you Every One especially for the one on one advice I got from Mrs AK.

They helped me not kill our birds with kindness.

 

[Kathryn4629]

Just wanted to say thanks for posting this thread! And I am so glad that I am not the only one that treats my chickens like what they are BIRDS!! We have been very cold this winter (lowest reading so far -22 plus blowing wind) and the chickens were just fine.

I have to laugh when people write about it getting down to 32 degrees and putting heat lamps out.

Thanks, and have a happy winter. Seasons greetings from chilly north Idaho.

 

[junglebird]

Quote:
Same here. During our freezing fog this morning the weather station read 91% (in the coop and outside), after it thawed it was 89% ... defies logic.

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I am now doubting myself- or at least trying to figure out if I need to make the coop smaller for the cold snap they say we are getting next weekend. - 30 or possibly -40

DH has told me he wants to try and give them heat as he thinks they will be dead birds if we don't do something.

I have been so good in not giving them heat (pretty sure I would be getting more eggs if they were a bit warmer but... What is a girl to do....


So to those who have had lots of negative temps What should I do?

 

[cabincrazyone]

I'm a newbie from NE Minnesota .... and very glad to have found this thread. I've had mixed feelings about advice to heat the coop, when chickens have been in Mn for 200 years or more. Often with little more that a drafty shack to call home, much less any type of heat.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
Tell us a little about your setup... how many birds, bantam or large fowl, how big is your coop, insulated/not insulated, etc. Better yet, post a picture.

We might be able to ease your mind about fortifications.

 

[happyhens44]

it dropped -20 below in Wi im my area. About 2 weeks ago or 3 idk. They did fine. But as long as there out of the wind. I mean My coopes big and not isalated, and I had 1 heat lamp in there. And that was to warm there comb up. tee hee