Fried--your chickens have nice down coats on! As long as they are draft free and dry you will not have problems. Make sure the perches are flat so their feathers can cover their toes so they dont freeze. I also like to keep the water out of the coop so it stays drier. You can start building up the bedding in there now ans by winter it may be starting to compost a bit providing even more heat. (deep litter method) There are lots of threads on here about dealing with chickens in the cold...pick and read wisely!
x2! Great advice Terri.
Just popping in to say hello from the northwoods (Price county) This is my first flock, and I hope they survive their first winter. We moved up here 2 years ago from Burlington, and the first winter we had a whole week at -20 degrees. Any tips for keeping my birds alive? The coop is insulated and I have straw and pine shavings to put down when it gets chilly. I will have to bring water out twice a day for them, but I have a black rubber feed pan so ice removal will be easier. The coop is 6' x 9' and I have 10 birds in there. They free range during the day. I have no power in the coop and it's about 200 ft from the house, so I really don't want to use an extension cord. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Welcome to the Cheeseheads Fried! Hope you like it here. As long as your coop is insulated and ventilated enough to keep the condensation down (but not too drafty), your chickens should be fine in winter without a heat source. Like TerriO said, they have nice down coats. The deep litter method is a good idea also, especially in winter. I prefer poop boards under the roosts so I can easily clean them often, and deep litter all over the floor. As they soil it, just add more clean litter on top of it. It can be a chore to clean it out in the spring but it is better than trying to do it in the snow & freezing cold. Be careful about using straw in the winter because it holds in the moisture and will mold quickly, causing respiratory issues. Mixing straw with shavings will help keep it drier. I like just straight shavings in my coop, but that is just me. It is easier for me to shovel out too.
Mold, moisture, dust and using the deep litter method (ammonia build up) are all reasons to have really good ventilation in your coop, especially in the winter. A lot of people will argue that ventilation will cause it to be cold & potentially drafty in the coop, but it is far better for the birds to be exposed to a little cold than to have to breathe in fumes, mold spores & dust. The cold won't kill them; the other stuff might, or at least make them ill.
Hauling water twice a day will get old real fast in the snow & cold. You might want to consider a good quality all season extension cord. I have used them for years for heated water bases and heated dog bowls. A plastic 1 gallon chicken waterer fits perfectly inside one of those big metal dog bowls. Otherwise you can search for cookie tin heated water bases for a cheaper alternative to the store bought bases. F&F does put the bases on sale from time to time for around $30. I have had one for 13+ years & it is still working, although it isn't as effective as it used to be when I use the big 5 gallon waterers. I use smaller waterers on that one.
Most LF breeds are pretty hardy in the winter. I have a lot of orps and they seem to do better in the winter temps than in the hot summer. My little banties are the opposite.
This is just my humble opinion that I have discovered works best for me. You have to experiment and do what you feel is best for you & your birds. There is no one right or wrong answer. Gather as much info as you can and decide from there what you think will work best in your set up. And always feel free to ask us anything. There are no stupid questions. Good luck!
