WHAT SAYS BYC: WINTER IS COMING!! How do I keep my chickens warm?

[BantyChooks]

A little on the spoiled/well loved side of things?

Yes. I am a hopeless softie.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I used to spoil mine by taking hot water out to the coop twice a day during cold spells.

 

[BantyChooks]

I used to spoil mine by taking hot water out to the coop twice a day during cold spells.

Mine enjoy warm water too. As did the outdoor rabbit.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Actually, I'm not sure if our black chicken is a Jersey Giant or Black Australorp, but australorps have pinkish feet and she does not. Jersey Giants have white feet, and she does too. She is also bigger than a black australorp.

Black Jersey Giants don't have white feet... the bottoms of their feet are yellow, or yellowish.

 

[aart]

ALRIGHT ALRIGHT..... I live in Ohio, and ok.

North or South
Can be a big difference.

But seriously, keep them dry and well ventilated, but out of strong drafts/winds and they'll be fine. Only heat needed is for waterer, unless you want to swap out waterers to keep them in liquid hydration.

Posting pics of your coop and run inside and out will garner suggestions on how to improve their environment.

 

[Mary's Backyard Chickens]

North or South
Can be a big difference.

But seriously, keep them dry and well ventilated, but out of strong drafts/winds and they'll be fine. Only heat needed is for waterer, unless you want to swap out waterers to keep them in liquid hydration.

Posting pics of your coop and run inside and out will garner suggestions on how to improve their environment.

I live in southeast ohio.

 

[MaMaher]

I was so glad this subject came up! I was nervous about my chickens getting cold until I read all of your comments. I'm in California and very rarely get below 32 degrees. BUT...Can you please look at my coop and tell me if the two little windows (one is on the other side that you can't see in the picture) will be adequate ventilation? If not I can always open/crack the door to the run. I'm sorry it's sideways. I couldn't figure out how to rotate it. Oh...and that is Hazel (Americauna) on the roof, Sammy (Barred Rock) behind her and Nugget (Buff Orpington) in the background to the right of Sammy Bammers. Henrietta (RIR) is not shown in the picture. Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[bobbi-j]

For my chickens, All I use for winter is a heated waterer, and every big snow I spread straw in their run so they will walk on it. If you're really worried, you could use a heated poultry mat. It could cause 2 things:

1, they huddle on the mat all day.
2, they warm up on it and go outside and forage in the straw.

Or they huddle on the mat all day, preventing them from acclimating naturally to the cold (meaning they don't grow their proper down coats) and will suffer if that mat quits working for any reason.

In my place, it can get down to 10 degrees around December 20th or so... I don't want to give out exactly where I am located to anybody in the world.

In a well ventilated coop, protected from drafts and the elements, 10 degrees is nothing to a chicken.

Thanks! I'll try that... But if their legs start shivering again and they seem unhappy... I'll take another reply's advice.

I can't figure out why they would be shivering, unless there is too much moisture in the coop. My chickens deal with MUCH colder temperatures than yours without shivering.

Ok, are these pretty cold harty breeds? *lets do this cuz i still dont get what a large fowl is.. We have..

Jersey Giants
Golden sexlinks
Buff Orpingtons
Plymouth rocks
Easter Eggers
Are these good breeds?

They should all get through the winter without any trouble if housed properly.

I do deep litter but mine have a red light not for heat but for them to see in the dark it is only 25 watts when it snows they do not go out
they are hearty birds yes

Chickens don't need to see in the dark. When it's dark they roost and sleep.

North or South
Can be a big difference.

But seriously, keep them dry and well ventilated, but out of strong drafts/winds and they'll be fine. Only heat needed is for waterer, unless you want to swap out waterers to keep them in liquid hydration.

Posting pics of your coop and run inside and out will garner suggestions on how to improve their environment.

This. This pretty much says it all.

 

[Sherrie G]

I would just close in the coop, we built ours enclosed with a long run, I put extra straw on the floor for insulation, but other than that, they seem to do fine.