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

[nuttyredhead]

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Good idea! I will have to make some oatmeal for mine!

 

[vtgirls]

Oatmeal here too - 22 below 0 at 8 o'clock this morning. Chickens - loved the oatmeal - turkeys not so much - they wanted their favorite - sunflower seeds with mixed grains - so I gave them a huge scoop - cold but happy!
Mama Banty and 3 week babies all happy in the tractor in the garage - holding with the heat lamp at 30 - water just barely frozen this morning - baby chicks full of vim!

Still - fridgid air can move out right now and we'll all be much happier (especially my truck which refuses to start)

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Keep the stories comming....
I
feel
myself
giving
in.............
As Mrs. Reagan said:
NO! NO! NO! NO!

PS: if you are new to the thread, go back and read the first page of this thread

 

[xyresicchick]

today it is 5 degrees. with added heat my coop is 22 degrees.

ETA:
mine are all bantams, and I live on the bay so there are REALLY strong winds. my coop isn't perfectly draft proof -- but I am not going out there to fix the drafts. it's easier to just add a low wattage heater.

I also have a heated waterer just so the water doesnt freeze.. since its still below freezing even with the added heat. if I had large fowl I would not use a heater. But my chicekens are smaller than footballs! so...

 

[Aria]

We offer scratch grain in the afternoon and hot oatmeal in the evening. Yesterday 14 Silkies layed 12 ....one dozen eggs...this was a first. It is -20 here and NO HEAT.

 

[LilyD]

I have a question being newer to the chicken laying world. I live in Vermont and right now we are around 10 below. Our chickens stopped laying around the middle of November beginning of December. We were told to keep them laying we should put lights on in the coop. If we don't provide heat lamps will they acclimate enough to keep laying all year round or will they still stop during the cold weather?

Thanks,
Lily

 

[xyresicchick]

in my experience chickens will lay when they want. it depends on the breed, but most chickens need 23 hours of sunlight to produce one egg. in the winter there is less sun, therefore it makes sense to put lights on for them. laying can also be increased by added warmth, but it is a bit of a shock to them to be out in the cold after sitting under a heat lamp. some people think these are not natural and just let their chickens lay when they want.

 

[gmendoza]

Chickens give off 5btu's of heat per bird.Thats plent for them to stay warm.We only got to 15 degrees in SC so far.I dont have heat nor lights in my coop.Did the pioneers have lights and electrical in their coops?

 

[TiaView]

Well, we have a new barn (board and batten, not airtight at all) and all 32 chickens, three turkeys, 2 ducks and 9 guineas live in it. No heat or light.
Last night was brutal here in NY! COLD, cold, cold! -30 and we live on top of a mountain on the Vermont border. I loaded the barn with some extra hay and gave everyone extra whole corn kernals last night and when I went down to the barn this morning ALL WAS WELL.

Soooooo....I guess God gave chickens a hardyness that I certainly don't have! Brrrrr!!!

 

[Mrs MIA]

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