Cold Chickens?

[Steelstring]

This is our first winter with chickens. We have a nice chicken coop that is fully enclosed. When it starts to get cold, do we need to provide any heat for them? I have a heat lamp in there, but I'm not sure its really necessary. What do any of you with chickens do over the winter to keep them warm....if anything?

Thanks!

 

[SandburRanch]

This is our first winter with chickens. We have a nice chicken coop that is fully enclosed. When it starts to get cold, do we need to provide any heat for them? I have a heat lamp in there, but I'm not sure its really necessary. What do any of you with chickens do over the winter to keep them warm....if anything?

Thanks!

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In a nice enclosed coop they'll do fine down to around 0°F if their roost is high in the structure. Below zero some with larger combs may frost bite but it doesn't seem to bother them too much although I never liked to see that.

 

[cdaigle430]

This is our first winter with chickens. We have a nice chicken coop that is fully enclosed. When it starts to get cold, do we need to provide any heat for them? I have a heat lamp in there, but I'm not sure its really necessary. What do any of you with chickens do over the winter to keep them warm....if anything?

Thanks!

Hay and a heat lamp are a pretty great start. Its all my brother in law does for his chickens and it can be 30 below here in the winter.

 

[bucktaker]

Are your chicken fully grown and feathered? if not definetly need a heat lamp.

We are on our second flock of chickens and i am of the opion once they start roosting for the night they are good to go in a draft free non heated coop

 

[RobertBrown]

This is our first winter with chickens. We have a nice chicken coop that is fully enclosed. When it starts to get cold, do we need to provide any heat for them? I have a heat lamp in there, but I'm not sure its really necessary. What do any of you with chickens do over the winter to keep them warm....if anything?

Thanks!

If your going to have chickens you need this.
Raising BackYard Chickens, Build a Chicken Coop, Pictures of Breeds
Everything you want to know is here...Heat depends on your coop, how tight it is, what kind of chickens you have, and how much wind can get on it. A 100 watt light, carefully placed, (don't start a fire) will not hurt.
You don't want the water to freeze, they need a constant fresh water source.

 

[creekbend]

It's been many years since we raised chickens on my Parents' farm, but I will supply you with what I remember. Chickens, in general, can handle cold weather better than extreme hot temperatures. I don't know how many you have or the size of your chickens, but chickens stay warmer in numbers. They cannot tolerate cold drafts very well. A reminder: try to keep your chicken coop well ventilated without allowing the introduction of sustained cold drafts. A heat lamp will provide adequate heat on extreme cold days, but it really isn't necessary 24/7. Just keep the heat lamp above the area without it being too close. Another important factor is to try and keep the coop free of excessive litter in colder weather. Good Luck. Sincerely hope that this helps somewhat.

 

[Steelstring]

Thanks for all of the replies! The chickens are fully grown and feathered, so it sounds like I don't need to worry too much. Maybe I'll kick the heat lamp on when it gets really cold.

Great info. I appreciate it!!

By the way, raising chickens has been more fun than I imagined. The kids love it and I get fresh eggs in the morn!

Thanks again!

 

[RobertBrown]

Thanks for all of the replies! The chickens are fully grown and feathered, so it sounds like I don't need to worry too much. Maybe I'll kick the heat lamp on when it gets really cold.

Great info. I appreciate it!!

By the way, raising chickens has been more fun than I imagined. The kids love it and I get fresh eggs in the morn!

Thanks again!

True, and when you consider that some people keep birds like parrots or finches in cages, in the house, get no eggs and have to listen to them, and clean the cages...... Chickens make a lot of sense.

 

[Combustix]

Draft free coup I believe is the key. We don't heat or light our birds in the winter, though it only gets below 32 for a couple weeks or so. They roost up high and all huddle together.

 

[Mousefield]

We have had chickens for 10 years, while it does not get as cold here as some places it can be below freezing for a few weeks at a time. We have eggs layers and they are adults (pullets) when we get them. We do not provide heat for them but we will close the windows at night. You do not want an air tight coop as you will probably get mold pretty quickly, so we do have a bit of ventilation in the coop. Lots of shavings topped by some hay is what is on the floor of the coop, this gets changed out about every 3 weeks.