Weather

[BolenBrood]

This will be my first Winter with chickens. I have four laying hens. How cold is too cold? They have a "house" in their coop and I have pine shavings in there but I am unsure about when to hang a heat lamp.

 

[silkiechicken]

It usually only gets to thee mid 30's in the winter with a few weeks actually freezing with only maybe a week or so in the teens. Most my chickens sleep out side but a few of the older or smaller ones go inside at night. I provide no heat lamp. Some say that giving heat at night reuces their day time cold hardiness as they get used to the warm air.

Edit: The other cold weather threads: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=17430

 

[DuckLady]

I just watch the weather reports. If it is going to be below 30, I put a lamp over the waterer. If it is going to be below 20, I put a heat lamp in the coop on a timer from midnight to 6.

Right now I am watching the weather reports for the first frost. I want to get my tomatoes and onions in the house before then.