What is "cold" for a chicken and prepping the coop

[Ccort]

It will get down to 32 degrees here tonight and a few degrees cooler tomorrow night. I have my girls inside the coop right now with zero adjustments for the cold temps. Is this ok? Can temps around 30 harm them?

I'm reading so many varying things on keeping them safe and comfortable this winter. Do we close up some of the makeshift Windows? (Mine are just holes covered in hardware cloth)

Will my girls get frostbite? Any tips are appreciated. We've already had a very hard year and hoping to get this right.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

We have 6 chickens. Not sure the answer to the temp question, but here in upstate NY, we are in the mid to low 30’s at night. Our new coop is built inside of a 10x12 uninsulated shed. We went ahead and closed up the extra pop doors (which have hardware cloth on them in the warmer months), and closed the windows.

 

[Raptor Chicken]

I'm not an expert by any means but from what I've read on here from write ups as well as folks that live in super cold northern climates, it seems chickens will do fine naturally.

You want a draft free coop with adequate ventilation.

I have read from members here of chickens doing just fine in well below 0* with the proper coop.

Its starting to get below freezing here in VA starting tonight but based on what I've read here I'm not worried in the least bit.

This is really a great site for questions such as this. I'll let other more experienced members chime in now.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

You’re right about varying info. To insulate or not, heat lamp or not, any light or not……
I’m as confused as you are.
I don’t know if it matters how much body heat there will be vs size of coop…..
How to ventilate without drafts……

 

[SourRoses]

Nope, as long as your ventilation is above their heads on the roost, you keep everything open so humidity does not build up and cause frostbite.
Chickens can easily deal with a dry cold, feathers are extremely warm.
If a breeze can ruffle their feathers, that's a problem because they can't stay poofed to trap warmth.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

One thing I have learned here is poultry seems to have very delicate systems.

 

[Ccort]

Nope, as long as your ventilation is above their heads on the roost, you keep everything open so humidity does not build up and cause frostbite.
Chickens can easily deal with a dry cold, feathers are extremely warm.
If a breeze can ruffle their feathers, that's a problem because they can't stay poofed to trap warmth.

So in our case, ventilation is tight at their heads. What do I do about that? With where their roost is, the windows are there too, all around.

If it's windy or breezy, what do we do?

 

[Ccort]

I'm not an expert by any means but from what I've read on here from write ups as well as folks that live in super cold northern climates, it seems chickens will do fine naturally.

You want a draft free coop with adequate ventilation.

I have read from members here of chickens doing just fine in well below 0* with the proper coop.

Its starting to get below freezing here in VA starting tonight but based on what I've read here I'm not worried in the least bit.

This is really a great site for questions such as this. I'll let other more experienced members chime in now.

How do you have no draft, but open windows? Am I missing something there?

 

[Raptor Chicken]

How do you have no draft, but open windows? Am I missing something there?

Windows don't equal ventilation, a concept a lot of folks misinterpret.

Ventilation is up high along the roof, well above where the chickens would be whether on the floor of the coop or roosting up in the air.

Here's a pic of my coop in progress and its a good visual for ventilation above windows. I've got those on the back as well as a vent over the door to the coop. Also the roof design itself with the overhang allows for natural ventilation.

 

[SourRoses]

So in our case, ventilation is tight at their heads. What do I do about that? With where their roost is, the windows are there too, all around.

If it's windy or breezy, what do we do?

A tarp can be used to block windows at roost level. Hopefully your ventilation extends further up than that and you can leave a gap for ventilation above their heads.
If that's not possible then you will need to modify the coop ASAP to help them through the winter. Ventilation is important all year round.
People use the word "drafts" but I think that causes unnecessary confusion because you are not looking to keep your birds warm (they can do it for themselves by poofing up).
Instead, you're just looking to keep the breeze off of them.
Openings above their heads and well below their feet are just fine.