Will my chickens survive their first winter?

[chickengangg]

Ive owned chickens before but only for harvesting and i was too young to fully recall. We bought some chicks this March, i’m worried about how they will be accustomed to Tennessee weather. I’m sure they will be just fine with a good ventilated coop and probably cuddling for body heat but i would like to hear the input of others. I live north of middle Tennessee of that makes a difference. Thanks

 

[DougVC]

They will be just fine. Ensure the coop is properly ventilated so the humidity can escape and secondly the chickens don’t have a draft on the roost and that should be good. We are in northern Wisconsin and we don’t add any supplemental heat and our birds do just fine. We had temps down to -20 last year and they did not have a problem.

 

[Sassy13]

I was wondering the same thing. New to chickens. This will be their first winter. It does not get as cold here in NM, but we have single digit night time temps. How do you keep their water from freezing? thanks

 

[GC-Raptor]

How do you keep their water from freezing?

I use a heated base inside coops. It needs electricity.
And rubber bowls outside.

Yes, the water freezes in the rubber bowl, but not as fast as a metal or plastic container and you can hit it against a rock, building or drop on the ground to remove ice.
Don't fill to brim, stop about an inch below.
If there's a breeze it will freeze quickly if filled to brim.

There are heated plastic waterers for chickens and heated dog bowls, I've never used them. GC

 

[BonNuit]

I use a heated dog dish outside -- that I set inside an upturned 5 gallon bucket that I cut an arch into (to protect from snow) -- it works to keep the water from freezing over.

 

[Acre4Me]

TN weather will feel pretty nice to your chickens. Does it get below freezing very much? They will still be fine, but need to take care of the water.

 

[GC-Raptor]

We bought some chicks this March, i’m worried about how they will be accustomed to Tennessee weather. I’m sure they will be just fine with a good ventilated coop and probably cuddling for body heat

I got my first day old Chicks 4 years ago the end of March. They survived below zero Fahrenheit temps just fine in a well ventilated raised coop.

January 6, 2017.

February 26, 2017. Enjoying a natural snow cone.

I got day old Barred Rocks August 17, 2018
January 31, 2019, was 3F in coop, Below 0F outside. . . They were cozy inside, but decided to go outside after stuffing their crop.

Notice I have tarp surrounding the pen. GC

 

[Sassy13]

I use a heated base inside coops. It needs electricity.View attachment 2254999
And rubber bowls outside.View attachment 2255002
Yes, the water freezes in the rubber bowl, but not as fast as a metal or plastic container and you can hit it against a rock, building or drop on the ground to remove ice.
Don't fill to brim, stop about an inch below.
If there's a breeze it will freeze quickly if filled to brim.

There are heated plastic waterers for chickens and heated dog bowls, I've never used them. GC

I like the idea of a heated base. We will need to run electrical out for the same. I am going to keep looking for other ideas as well. I was thinking if I can make a well insulated cozy for their waterer, and just refill it with hot water in the morning. But that also means early morning trips to the coop. I know i will definitely need something at least for Dec-Feb.

 

[rosemarythyme]

There's various styles of heated waterers. I currently use a nipple waterer with built in heater. Or you can use a heated base as above, or a de-icer, or even an aquarium heater (not really built for it but I used to use one).

 

[Sixandahalfacres]

As someone who lives in Canada, I can assure you your chickens will be just fine I keep chickens during the winter where routinely gets to -30 F for weeks at a time and I don’t use supplemental heat. I just use a heated waterer and have a good insulated coop with proper ventilation. No frostbite either!