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

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I have no pictures - but think of a big old barn. Not insulated. They sleep in the front part that had calves in it. During the day they hang out in the milking parlor and I water them in the back of that part. There is a door in between that I close on cold days/nights. So I believe the front part is 15 x 30 and the milking parlor is 30 x 60. I have 30 chickens - 29 are full sized and 1 silkie and then I have 33 ducks (which is why the water is where it is).

The outside run was just crushed by snow so that is no longer usable until we thaw out. There is also a 10x 10 room (think milk storage without the can) but I don't think I have the ventilation worked out in that room (I stuck all the roosters in there when I thought they were being too rough with the ladies and now they are frostbitten).

 

[cabincrazyone]

Quote:
Hi mommy of 3 ... I just had a thread about this subject .... I recommend you peruse it ....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=436992&p=1

I'm making my coop bigger.

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

Quote:
We had a bit of -20 but they are talking -30 and -40 somehow that goes over my level for the chickens/ducks. (ok -20 I was questioning myself) I think I will be throwing down more straw and just make sure they have a fluffy layer to bed down in and hope for the best. I may even go nuts and put the vasoline on their combs and wattles.

Ahh winter- I think I am ready for spring!!!

 

[nwfl]

Ahhh, it will be a balmy 15 with the wind chill here. Last year I had 12 - 3 week old chicks outside in their hardware mesh brooder on some nights that got down below 20 and they were just fine with one brooder bulb.

 

[growinupinfl]

I have been told frizzles cannot handle the cold because their feathers curl away from the body what do all of you think?

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
I've never raised them, but seeing as you're in Pensacola, you won't have to worry about it.

It doesn't get cold enough there to worry about it.

 

[dmiravalle]

Quote:
No kidding, we live in a forest and about once a year, someone set's fire to their coop/barn.... Due to heatlamps or heaters the animals dump.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

MS AK Bird Brain is you guide on that one. She's up in Alaska. PM her or ask her here. If ANYONE knows cold vs chickens...it's her!
Yes, we're cold. They most likely are not.

 

[key west chick]

We dont get anywhere near as cold as many of you, but here are my chickens. Its been in the low teens this week with a wind advisory off and on. Also got 6 inches of snow on Sunday which is rare for us in Ga. My chickens are perfectly fine with no heat, even my frizzle.

 

[imthedude]

i didn't take the time to read all 48 pages of this thread, but i will add this bit of info.

my coop is insulated and is 32 sf. i have 10 birds in it and about 12" of shavings on the floor of the coop. i do nothing special for them on colder days other than give them a good dose of scratch right before bed so that they have a full crop at bedtime to hopefully help them stay a little warmer. monday through wednesday mornings, it was -14 at our house. i halfway expected to come out each morning to some chickencycles on the coop floor, but instead every morning that i opened up the coop i was greeted with 10 alive birds that were ready for some fresh water and hoping for some outside time. if the robins, eagles, woodpeckers, etc., that live outside in this stuff year-round can take it, my birds should be able to, and they have done so just fine so far.

now the fact that they can't go outside and rummage the yard because of all the snow on the ground has them a little more upset than the cold.