Winter chickens

[sumi]

Hello and welcome to BYC

I think you'll find this thread interesting:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/392510/first-winter-with-chickens/0_50

I didn't need to try it myself yet (touching wood here!), but I hear stacking straw bales along the walls of the coop, on the outside) helps insulate it. Just make sure the coop is well ventilated!

 

[weimarmama]

&

from Alabama. Glad you joined us.

 

[kentypoo]

I found out that i will be able to use a heat lamp in the winter but last winter we had a really bad storm that took the power out for 2 weeks. I didnt hae chickens then but If something like that happened again it would catch me unprepared. What can i do to keep them warm on short notice.

 

[sourland]

Two disadvantages to using a heat lamp. Every year numerous incidents of coop fires are reported here, and what do you do when your birds are accustomed to the heat lamp and the power goes out for a week. Chickens survive in Alaska without supplemental heat.

 

[Fred's Hens]

There isn't much more to be said than what has already been said in this thread. Tonight will be -5 here and likely -10 tomorrow night. Our birds are outside in the barn where it is that same temp, well, maybe 5 degrees warmer, so Zero. They're fine. They were fine last year and the year before that and the year before that.....

The problem with using electric is heat is precisely what you put your finger on. You acclimate them to it and then, Bang! you lose power for days and days. They'd be shocked by the abrupt nature of such a thing. I've brooded chicks in the fall, acclimating them over a few weeks and then into the barn pen. Well below zero temps at 10 weeks of age. No problems. Those younger, active birds probably deal with it best.