Wind chill doesn’t count, right?

[Shepherdess]

Throw old blankets, sheets or fabric tarps crumpled down on your floor. You would have to toss them after the cold ends but they will protect feet.

Wrap your coop in plastic leaving a vent uncovered. Helps dramatically with temps

 

[Tinalein]

It’s going to be -20 to -40 where I live this weekend. But that’s with windchill. If the chickens are in a coop, that doesn’t count, right?

I know it’s a silly question but I’m worried all the same.

I’ve had a hen lose her feet due to frostbite - 10 years ago and in a different situation…but it still haunts me.

I have good ventilation. It’s been fine but maybe close it up for a couple of days? I’m pretty sparse on bedding currently. I have stall pellets and they’re hard to manage in the winter.

I need to moisten them inside the house so they fluff. Then wait for them to dry before putting into the coop. I won’t have time to add more before the arctic front comes.

Pray and be thankful to God for his guidance and protection. He knows what is best.

 

[arazla]

It's a great question and one that seems to spark a lot of debate. It's good to be concerned. There isn't a ton of research on how cold affects chickens, but I think it's important to review. What we do have suggests that chickens ARE very susceptible to cold stress, despite conventional beliefs.

Windchill IS important. When thinking of ventilation, consider how much wind will get in through the holes and more rapidly lower the overall temperature. I think ventilation is a bit of a science and there's no one rule fits all. Humidity is also part of the equation. It depends on your coop and how high the ceilings are, etc. Hopefully high enough and above their heads. Personally, since I have a lot of roosters with large combs, reducing the ventilation a bit has helped minimize frostbite.

https://extension.umn.edu/small-scale-poultry/caring-chickens-cold-weather
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10741227
https://www.poultryworld.net/poultry/layers/novel-approach-to-reduce-cold-stress-in-layers/

Humane sanctuaries generally advised taking precautions:
https://opensanctuary.org/the-care-of-chicken-residents-in-extreme-cold/

 

[lisavhaar]

It’s going to be -20 to -40 where I live this weekend. But that’s with windchill. If the chickens are in a coop, that doesn’t count, right?

I know it’s a silly question but I’m worried all the same.

I’ve had a hen lose her feet due to frostbite - 10 years ago and in a different situation…but it still haunts me.

I have good ventilation. It’s been fine but maybe close it up for a couple of days? I’m pretty sparse on bedding currently. I have stall pellets and they’re hard to manage in the winter.

I need to moisten them inside the house so they fluff. Then wait for them to dry before putting into the coop. I won’t have time to add more before the arctic front comes.

Hi, we use stall pellets exclusively and never wet them. The pellets will break down into sawdust on their own from the chickens walking on them.