Winterizing without electricity?

[torsinadoc]

I dont have access to electricity for my coop. I let my 2 chickens free range in the day. Our winters will get in the 10-20s at night. I was planning on leaving my poop door open and closing the main vent to prevent a direct draft. I really dont want to add a heater to the coop (heat and pine shavings are risky). I was planning on adding a DC power for my water bowl heater or a solar system. I have a few battery packs to run my telescope. I have a fairly thick covering on the floor of pine shavings. Suggestions?

 

[Den in Penn]

As long as you have enough ventilation over their heads to carry away the moist air they will be alright. As far as warmth goes,the main thing they need is to be out of the wind. They have excellent down coats to keep them warm and most breeds can easily handle 10* without extra heat.

 

[ShawnWatson]

Wind is the #1 enemy. Freezing water is a pain in the butt during the winter so yeah a small heater base would be good to have.

 

[Mrs. K]

I am in the same position, have had chickens over 8 years. I just use rubber bowls, and stomp out the ice when it gets a cold spell like we are having now, well below zero.

Mrs K

 

[campchickens]

We're getting down into single digits, possibly below zero later this week, with some snow. I've read a lot about chickens being ok to 0 degrees without help, but I'm getting nervous because we don't have electricity to our coop. Thoughts? Do I need to hurry out and invest in some battery operated heaters? I'm also nervous about fire hazards... but I'm running fresh water out to them at dawn and checking on it throughout the day...

Thoughts?

 

[bobbi-j]

Welcome! Your chickens will be fine. They have been growing new downy feathers all winter to help them deal with your winter weather. You're doing the best you can for them right now by making sure they have fresh water. I live in MN, and our temps have been in the teens and 20's below zero off and on all winter. We're having some very up and down weather right now, as a matter of fact, with 30 degree or more temperature swings from almost 20 during the day, to -10 or colder at night. The important thing to remember is to make sure your coop is well ventilated. Do NOT close it up tight. That creates humidity in your coop, and that's when frostbite happens. I've had the pop door on my coop open all winter, and it's not completely tight around the top where the roof meets the walls. There may be other not so tight areas, too... Let's just say there is plenty of airflow without it being drafty. I have electricity to my coop, but I only use it for their heated water dish.

 

[Mrs. K]

I don't have electricity, no heated water, no added heat, and they do fine we'll below zero. I had a broody hen keep chicks alive at ten to twenty below.

As Bobbi says, ventilation, it is better to have chickens dry and cold, than warmer and wet. Dry chickens with feed can keep themselves warm if they are dry.