transitioning chickens off supplemental heat

[1cock2hens]

you dub a comb not dock. if that is the route you take you can find the info very easily on youtube or here by searching (comb)dubbing

 

[aart]

sometimes we hit zero or slightly below

We have days on end where it doesn't get above freezing.
I don't need heat, except for the waterer.

I've noticed that frostbite often happens just below freezing, as the air holds more moisture then. Even with great ventilation, FB can happen, you can't make it drier inside the coop than it is outside the coop. I've come to believe, after 4 winters, that it's pretty much inevitable. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/frostbite-in-winter.1274668/#post-20499245

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Zero degrees is a wonderfully warm day here in winter. Nature has dubbed your rooster already. It may continue to do so especially as @aart mentioned there's too much moisture. Heating a coop will add moisture because people close up the coop.

Put down straw or hay outside for your birds to stand on. Provide deep bedding in the coop. Your chickens will be fine.

 

[NewFlockOnTheBlock]

you can't make it drier inside the coop than it is outside the coop

Would it be a good idea to use a dehumidifier in the coop at night? Or would it not work in sub-freezing temperatures?

 

[aart]

Would it be a good idea to use a dehumidifier in the coop at night? Or would it not work in sub-freezing temperatures?

With decent ventilation.......

you can't make it drier inside the coop than it is outside the coop.

It would be a waste of power...not sure how a dehumidifier would work in freezing temps, probably not well.

 

[Northern Flights]

We almost certainly came close to losing one of our hens yesterday, from the sudden cold, wind and foot of snow we got over the past 48 hours. Bringing the coop temps up to 3-4° C. overnight worked wonders and we achieved that using a small, 5 amp oil filled heater, not heat lamps. Sometimes a little heat can be a very good thing, as long as it is done safely which is very cheap and easy really.

My intention is to allow our hens to acclimatize to the dropping temperatures, but going from tee-shirt weather to minus 10 and drifting snow in 2 days is a bit much methinks. I am glad I had the heater already installed or we would very likely have lost our pack-leader.

edit: I should emphasize that we will only use the heater to "reset" (thx aart) any birds that find winter a bit much, otherwise the heat in the coop will remain off. I should also mention that The Ministry of War and Finance™ has decreed that there shall be no chickens inside the house and my only solution was to install proper wiring (12 Ga exterior rated cable on a 30 amp circuit) to the coop itself and safely fit a low amperage, oil filled heater that simply does not get hot enough to set a fire — all to the same code as our home. As I could do the work myself it cost little and was well worth it for our particular circumstances.

I was a certified electrician in a past life and know how to set such things up safely. I would suggest others seek expert advice before choosing to run electricity to their coops and strongly discourage using extension cords to supply continuous power to anything.

 

[Northern Flights]

Would it be a good idea to use a dehumidifier in the coop at night? Or would it not work in sub-freezing temperatures?

Dehumidifiers freeze up below zero... I learned that the hard way a few years back.

edit: I forgot to add that our coop is often 30% drier than outside likely because it is very well ventilated, has no water inside and is kept very clean. Mind you we only have 4 birds, but it is amazing how much steam chickens emit when their boilers are turned up.

 

[aart]

but going from tee-shirt weather to minus 10 and drifting snow in 2 days is a bit much methinks.

Yikes!!
I have had to bring birds into the slightly warmer garage for a couple hours for a cold 're-set' during a long frigid week. A dose of Sav-A-Chick electrolytes/vitamins and a bit of a break saved several.

 

[Northern Flights]

Yikes!!
I have had to bring birds into the slightly warmer garage for a couple hours for a cold 're-set' during a long frigid week. A dose of Sav-A-Chick electrolytes/vitamins and a bit of a break saved several.

That is excellent advice I will take to heart, aart. lol.

 

[aart]

That is excellent advice I will take to heart, aart. lol.

I learned that one from @BantyChooks
Lost one bird by not bringing in soon enough, observation is key, if they are lethargic for more than one day, they come in for the re-set...I was quite amazed by how effective it was.