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

[Henfla]

When I had an insulated, much tighter coop, many of my birds suffered from frost bite and I had several that got respiratory issues. One of those died.

My current coop is uninsulated, has the entire front open and I have no frost bite, no respiratory issues, and the chickens happily play right in front of the open windows, or outside in their covered run in the winter. Two winters ago, I had two nights in a row at -40F, which I looked up in a conversion table and found, interestingly enough, is -40C. We get -30F occasionally and -20F every winter, sometimes for weeks at a time. Maybe experienced Norwegian chicken owners disagree, but I believe my chickens are thriving now, and I know they were not before.

What happens if your tube heaters go out when your chickens are acclimated to 40F and the temperature is -20F? We lost power last night at my house for a few hours. My chickens didn't know the difference.

You would have to have control over the humidity. I have an bathroom fan for instance, and keep track of humidity everdy day. I have also grown up with chickens who lived in a barn during winter over the sheeps so that they got heat from them in addition to heating lamps, and no one got respiratory issues just because of living inside with temps warmer than freezing.
I don't think it's right to let chickens be freezing every day for six months just because one is afraid of the power to go out. And my coop is insulated well, so the temperature don't fall to outside temps just because of no power for a few hours. Also they do go out every day and are well acclimatised.
We have temps between -10 and -20 degrees celcius during winter, not -20F.

Personally I don't think it's nice to let chickens live in a place where it's that cold without providing heat for them. I would not let any other farm animal live 24/7 with outside temps either during winter. Just because they have a down coat doesn't make it right in my opinion.

 

[WI chickens]

You would have to have control over the humidity. I have an bathroom fan for instance, and keep track of humidity everdy day. I have also grown up with chickens who lived in a barn during winter over the sheeps so that they got heat from them in addition to heating lamps, and no one got respiratory issues just because of living inside with temps warmer than freezing.
I don't think it's right to let chickens be freezing every day for six months just because one is afraid of the power to go out. And my coop is insulated well, so the temperature don't fall to outside temps just because of no power for a few hours. Also they do go out every day and are well acclimatised.
We have temps between -10 and -20 degrees celcius during winter, not -20F.

Personally I don't think it's nice to let chickens live in a place where it's that cold without providing heat for them. I would not let any other farm animal live 24/7 with outside temps either during winter. Just because they have a down coat doesn't make it right in my opinion.

You are of course welcome do with whatever you like with your chickens.

"I don't think it's right to let chickens be freezing every day for six months just because one is afraid of the power to go out. "

That is far from the only reason I don't heat my coop. I explained that my birds are healthier and happier now in my newer uninsulated coop. I'm happy to post pictures when it gets really, really cold so you can see that they aren't huddled in a corner freezing, but it seems you have you mind made up anyway.

"....no one got respiratory issues just because of living inside with temps warmer than freezing"

You seem like you are deliberately trying to misunderstand what I am saying. No one suggested that chickens got respiratory issues because of living with temperatures warmer than freezing.

I could build a coop with temperature control and humidity control and monitor those systems every day. I might have happy chickens. Instead, I make sure my birds have lots of fresh air and sunlight, as well as a draft free place to roost, and have happy chickens.

I understand that you have temperatures of -10 to -20 C, not F. My point being, my winters are much colder than yours and my birds are doing great without heat or fans or other systems being in place.

Why do you let your birds go outside every day?

 

[Ccort]

When I had an insulated, much tighter coop, many of my birds suffered from frost bite and I had several that got respiratory issues. One of those died.

My current coop is uninsulated, has the entire front open and I have no frost bite, no respiratory issues, and the chickens happily play right in front of the open windows, or outside in their covered run in the winter. Two winters ago, I had two nights in a row at -40F, which I looked up in a conversion table and found, interestingly enough, is -40C. We get -30F occasionally and -20F every winter, sometimes for weeks at a time. Maybe experienced Norwegian chicken owners disagree, but I believe my chickens are thriving now, and I know they were not before.

What happens if your tube heaters go out when your chickens are acclimated to 40F and the temperature is -20F? We lost power last night at my house for a few hours. My chickens didn't know the difference.

I'm not doubting you...but am confused on how an insulated coop is "bad?" I know most are saying not to insulate but on a deeper level, how does insulation CAUSE issues?

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm not doubting you...but am confused on how an insulated coop is "bad?" I know most are saying not to insulate but on a deeper level, how does insulation CAUSE issues?

It's not the insulation per se so much as the fact that people who insulate their coops almost inevitably cut down their ventilation far below what is necessary to provide a proper flow of fresh air to keep their chickens healthy.

20 years ago I picked up an ag science textbook at a library sale and was deeply impressed by the information that animals' need for fresh air was so critical that most calves would die of respiratory illness if kept in a stuffy, ill-ventilated human house.

 

[Ccort]

Just cover them with clear plastic for the winter. Or with furnace filter if you'd lose too much ventilation that way.

All you need to do is to stop the wind from blowing through hard enough to ruffle the birds feathers.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

If I use a furnace filter....what do you cover that with to prevent them from eating it and it from getting wet?

Is less insulation ok for winter? As in, closing some of it without adding additional?

Am also considering just covering the back window with plywood. Any harm in that?

 

[Ted Brown]

... but on a deeper level, how does insulation CAUSE issues?

Perhaps depends on type of Insulation but it provides a location for mice and other such critters to take up residence.

I was happy to learn recently that their diseases do not transmit but, nonetheless, I do not want the mess they create in my coop nor do I want them eating the food.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Insulation is bad because...

People who insulate tend to reduce airflow pretty dramatically, and good ventilation is more important than slightly warm(er) air.

Various insulation products/methods make very attractive homes for mice, bugs, and mites of all sorts. Thankfully, none are fire hazards anymore.

Various sorts of insulation are consumed by chickens, either out of curiosity, or for reasons unknowable (styrofoam is popular offender here) unless they are encapsulated by some other surface.

Numerous insulation methods result in trapped moisture (corollary of reduced ventilation, above), and cold air plus moisture is FAR more likely to cause frostbite than cold air, alone. Also, moist air promotes respiratory problems, particularly when the flock is {ahem} "cooped up" for an extended period due to extreme incliment weather.

If you address each and all of those issues, there's nothing wrong with insulation, apart from the time and expense invested in doing it correctly. But for many (likely very most) of the owners on BYC, its unnecessary, and therefore wasteful. Even if you do address them all - particularly if you encapsulate the insulation via a hard surface - you greatly inhibit your ability to maintain your coop by easy and early detection of leaks in the outer skin of your coop.

Your time, your money, do as you wish in consideration of your unique needs and circumstances.

 

[Ccort]

It's not the insulation per se so much as the fact that people who insulate their coops almost inevitably cut down their ventilation far below what is necessary to provide a proper flow of fresh air to keep their chickens healthy.

20 years ago I picked up an ag science textbook at a library sale and was deeply impressed by the information that animals' need for fresh air was so critical that most calves would die of respiratory illness if kept in a stuffy, ill-ventilated human house.

That's pretty fascinating albeit sad.

Ok. I *think* I have this down. As you can probably tell, it worries the life out of me to freeze my girls! However, I also feel like all my big windows will let wind right in on them and will need covered. (The two on the sides, one in the back, two front.)

If I cover those but make a few small windows where the sides meet the roof, I wonder if that's enough ventilation? (because I have no space from what I can see to add a bigger window that won't blow cold air on them)

Further, I will add a thicker roost so they can sit on their feet. Add straw mixed with their Aspen bedding.

Does this sound appropriate? Thoughts based on my pics?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

This thread may help, discussing "Woods-style" coops in Canada, NE-Md, etc.

If you aren't familiar with the concept, a Woods-style coop is enclosed (completely) on three sides (at least, in the winter months), and is essentially wide open on the fourht side. The dimensions are rather important.

Woods-style coops were popularized about 100 years ago, but their existence is FAR FAR older.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

and finilly, its GOOD that you are asking questions. One of the biggest hurdles for new chicken owners to get over is to "dehumanize" your chickens, and begin treating them not as you wish to be treated, but as they wish to be treated. Their temperature comfort zone is both much broader than our own, and with a considerably lower median temperature preference than our own.

Not only do they have the down jackets they can't take off, and a way to puff that jacket up to increase its insulating properties built into their biology, but chickens can't sweat. That's Natures way of telling us what conditions they are built for - and while we humans have slectively bred them for thousands of years, we've largely reinforced those traits as humanity spread to ever cooler climates.