I’m not sure how cold it will get where you are, but I’m near Buffalo, NY and we are going through an early cold spell- it’s currently 2 degrees and feels like -11 with the wind chill. Now that’s cold!! We have about a foot of snow too.
To keep my rooster and hens from getting frost bite, I use Musher’s Secret on their combs and wattles nightly. I like it better than Vaseline, it’s a waxy substance used originally for paw pads of sled dogs, and it works great.
As far as supplemental heat, I’ve read up on it a lot. Many say it’s not needed at all, even people who have chickens in Alaska! Chickens will acclimate to cold weather. One thing many people agree on is if you do decide to heat the coop, avoid heat lamps in the coop due to the risk of fire hazards. Some do use them and secure them well, but between the dust in the coop and how hot the lamps get, they can be risky.
I felt better providing some heat where the chickens roost at night with this super cold weather, so I got a flat panel radiant heater. It’s has zero clearance, meaning it can touch wood shavings, hay,
etc without getting hot enough to cause a fire. It’s safe to the touch too. It only raises the temp a few degrees in the immediate area- it’s not a space heater and won’t heat the whole coop. I’ve read that giving chickens some cracked corn before they go to sleep helps them generate body heat from digesting all the carbs, so I do that too. Plus they are already wearing down coats! Also be sure to provide ventilation but eliminate drafts.
If you look at the articles on this website you should find plenty of articles on this topic. Good luck!
