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

[frostbite]

The light is to keep them laying. If you use an incandescent bulb, it will add some heat to the coop.

I live in Fairbanks, this will be my first winter with chickens, but I won't add heat unless it gets below minus 20 for a prolonged period. You do have to make sure they'll have access to liquid water, which will mean some kind of heated waterer. You can probably buy one for about $60, or make one for cheaper. Look at other threads to find out about cheap alternatives to fancy storebought equipment!

But remember, the ptarmigans and spruce hens and ravens and chickadees and red polls and owls and even some ducks overwinter in Fairbanks, and they don't have nice sheltered coops and good digestible feed in troughs where they don't have to hunt for it, and they seem to do okay. So I'm assuming my chickens will do okay having a nice sheltered coop to hide in when the cold winds blow. My friends up here with chickens say they manage without heat, except in extreme conditions.

(Okay, those of you who live in the tropics might think anything below freezing is extreme, up here, not so much!)

 

[vmdanielsen]

I use a heated dog dish from Jeffers..... http://www.jefferspet.com/heated-thermal-bowl/p/2467/cn/10004/

 

[Gargoyle]

I use a heated dog dish from Jeffers..... http://www.jefferspet.com/heated-thermal-bowl/p/2467/cn/10004/

I just took delivery yesterday on one from Walmart, about $16.50 including tax and shipping, and (I didn't know Walmart had anything like this!) it's made in USA.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Farm-Innovators-Heated-Pet-Bowl-1-Quart-Blue-Birds/14660238
I could have saved $2 by having it shipped to their store.

 

[cary 1973]

In Vegas they annouce when its going to get too cold to leave pets out side cuz we are so warm that animals are not accustmed to it getting cold so my plan is to bring them inside on those nights. for lighting I want to spend time with my chickens and when I go back to work when I get home during the winter it will be dark out so I plan on having lights on till 8pm so when I get home I can have some chicken time and they have more light time. I guess call me selfish.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Just posting to get this on my list.

 

[cary 1973]

last night we got chilly for vegas I was worried about the girls as we have been still in 90 during the day and in 70's at night but yesterday it was cold and raining and last night we had rain thunder lighting hail and about 12 ish i went out in the pouring rain and hail to check on the girls lighting going off everydifection loud boombs and what where the girls doing sound asleep heads tucked under feathers so i was stressed abotu them and they could of cared less lol

 

[bruceha2000]

or you can always make them a little spot in the house like a dog create or somthign and bring them in at night and put them back out in there coop during the day. that is my plan on nights we hit freezing (being in las vegas not very ofter :}

You ARE kidding, right? The chickens will be very comfortable at 32F - Really. People think animals that live outside must be suffering in the cold because the PEOPLE live inside at 68F, frequently higher, wearing almost nothing. Then they go outside and it is cold so they put on a coat and gloves, maybe a scarf and insulated boots. Remember that chickens wear their down coats 24x7. Let them get all winter feathered up then bring them in the house because it hits 32F and they WILL suffer - from too much heat, Just make sure there are no drafts blowing through their coop.

70F is NOT COLD. Heck, 50F is not cold if you are a fully feathered chicken or even a person with a sweater. Don't project your discomfort at "lower than Vegas summer temperatures due to lack of natural skin covering" on your chickens. They fluff up a bit, trap air (an EXCELLENT insulator) next to their warm bodies and are VERY COMFORTABLE. Humans have lost the natural ability to adapt to seasonal temperature changes without supplemental heat or clothing, chickens have not.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

I think it would do us good to head over to the Old Timers' thread and listen to what they have to say. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...l-up-a-rockin-chair-and-lay-some-wisdom-on-us

Or better yet...talk to farmers in your area...people who've been doing chickens for 15 or 20 years.

I have learned from them to really relax and learn. The upshot is that I won't add any extra heat in my coop (insulated) until it is well below zero F.
We've been in the low 20's already and I have kept the window open (no direct breezes on the birds where the roost is.) They are thriving. Even with the window open when
it's 25 degrees outside, it's still around 38 in the coop. They are little heat machines.

 

[scottcaddy]

I think it would do us good to head over to the Old Timers' thread and listen to what they have to say. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...l-up-a-rockin-chair-and-lay-some-wisdom-on-us

Or better yet...talk to farmers in your area...people who've been doing chickens for 15 or 20 years.

I have learned from them to really relax and learn. The upshot is that I won't add any extra heat in my coop (insulated) until it is well below zero F.
We've been in the low 20's already and I have kept the window open (no direct breezes on the birds where the roost is.) They are thriving. Even with the window open when
it's 25 degrees outside, it's still around 38 in the coop. They are little heat machines.

Before my job moved me down south and We turned into Damnn-Yankee's

We spent a few years in the UP of MI and I saw a old log chicken coop in the dead of winter that had a lot of happy chickens in it with out any added heat at all! The only thing the guy did was use a bit of lighting at night so he could do the chores after he got home from work. The winter I'm remembering was the one that Lake Superior froze completely over in the late '70's or early '80's, That was a very cold year!

Scott

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Before my job moved me down south and We turned into Damnn-Yankee's

We spent a few years in the UP of MI and I saw a old log chicken coop in the dead of winter that had a lot of happy chickens in it with out any added heat at all! The only thing the guy did was use a bit of lighting at night so he could do the chores after he got home from work. The winter I'm remembering was the one that Lake Superior froze completely over in the late '70's or early '80's, That was a very cold year!

Scott

Yup. I appreciate the post, Scott. If we keep the moisture from buidling up it should be OK. Good Ventilation. Mine are really feathering in nicely. They are starting to roost differently, more huddled together...but they're acclimating. I have B Orps so they should be fine. My 3 Leghorns cuddle close to Mr Roo.

My thinking has really really change after reading the OT posts.

But I sure would not mind a southern winter!