Molting hens.

[Themellowyellows]

20-30, not 20-30 below correct? Not cold for a chicken, even one that's still recovering from molt, and no need for heat. Good ventilation will help with frostbite risk.

That’s not cold at all for winter and you certainly do not need heaters for those temperatures. My chickens start the fall with bald patches every annual molt. They are all back to being fully feathered by the end of October beginning of November. It has gotten as cold as -26F here with -50F wind chills (usually 2-4 weeks of subzero temperatures). I don’t use the overhead heat plates unless it goes below -10F and that is more to help prevent their combs from getting frostbite.

Sometimes it dips to zero. Mostly it stays around 20-30F with okay winds. No not below.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Well said! Thanks! Is there anything I could do to prevent frostbite? I have a plastic over there run, and it makes it warm there. Odiviously I wont be letting them out in snow and rain.

Frostbite is a combination of cold and moisture. The drier you can keep things inside, and the more climate protected openings you have to let hot, moist air out, the lower temperatures your birds can withstand before they get frostbite. I don't climate proof the run in winter (we don't get extreme cold though) or restrict them from going out, though they don't like snow and may choose to not go out. I also don't close up ventilation in the coop unless we have winds blowing rain and snow sideways, and I've had my birds sleeping next to an open window at 12F and no one was any worse off for it.

That said, breeds with very large combs or wattles often lose the tips of those to frostbite simply because they're more susceptible to it.

 

[Themellowyellows]

Frostbite is a combination of cold and moisture. The drier you can keep things inside, and the more climate protected openings you have to let hot, moist air out, the lower temperatures your birds can withstand before they get frostbite. I don't climate proof the run in winter (we don't get extreme cold though) or restrict them from going out, though they don't like snow and may choose to not go out. I also don't close up ventilation in the coop unless we have winds blowing rain and snow sideways, and I've had my birds sleeping next to an open window at 12F (we don't get extreme cold) and no one was any worse off for it.

That said, breeds with very large combs or wattles often lose the tips of those to frostbite simply because they're more susceptible to it.

Alright, ill try to keep them with all points on there comb, I have 4 hens that have absolutely MASSIVE waddles, and yes im sure there hens I saw them make eggs.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Well said! Thanks! Is there anything I could do to prevent frostbite?

The main risk of frostbite comes from moisture so make sure you have ventilation to allow the moisture to escape. Don't worry about keeping it warm, worry about keeping it dry.

I have a plastic over there run, and it makes it warm there. Odiviously I wont be letting them out in snow and rain.

The coldest I had in Arkansas was -4 Fahrenheit. I left the pop door open and let them decide what to do. When it was -4, the weather was calm and clear. They were out soaking up the sun. They enjoyed it.

I also left the pop door open when it was snowing or raining. I let them decide what they wanted to do. If it snowed overnight so they woke up to a white world they generally stayed in a day or two before any ventured outside. They did not like the change. But if they were already outside when it started snowing they stayed out as the snow accumulated. That change was gradual enough that it did not bother them. One time that happened it accumulated 1" in an hour. They stayed outside.

If it was raining my chickens were typically out looking for worms or such to come out of the ground. If it were a rough storm, high winds or heavy rain, they were usually in shelter of some kind. Maybe the covered run but if a strong wind was hitting them they'd go in the coop.

If it is raining it is not much below freezing, if any. Most of the time it is pretty close to freezing when it snows. If it is very cold when snowing I generally had strong winds which would send them inside.

I trust my chickens to manage this type of stuff themselves and interfere as little as I can. My main concerns are predator protection and giving them the options so they can choose whether to seek weather shelter or not.

 

[Mrs. K]

They can go out in the snow and rain-give them the choice, they know more about being a chicken than either you or me.

As for winter care-think DRY…and out of the wind…with a lot of ventilation. They can easily keep themselves warm if they are out of the wind and dry…even in a molt. They need fresh air, even if cold. It is much better than damp closed air for chickens.

As for frost bite, I never have trouble with it in bitter cold, because the moisture is frozen solid, and that keeps them dry. When I have it is with a chinook, everything thaws, and it gets sharply colder at night. Keeping the bedding clean and dry is the best prevention for frost bite. But in my experience it bothers me more than them.

MrsK

 

[Themellowyellows]

They can go out in the snow and rain-give them the choice, they know more about being a chicken than either you or me.

As for winter care-think DRY…and out of the wind…with a lot of ventilation. They can easily keep themselves warm if they are out of the wind and dry…even in a molt. They need fresh air, even if cold. It is much better than damp closed air for chickens.

As for frost bite, I never have trouble with it in bitter cold, because the moisture is frozen solid, and that keeps them dry. When I have it is with a chinook, everything thaws, and it gets sharply colder at night. Keeping the bedding clean and dry is the best prevention for frost bite. But in my experience it bothers me more than them.

MrsK

Alright! I always leave the windows and doors open in the morning, depending on how cold it gets, I close one. One hen (bottom of the pecking order) always gets pecked on and does not want to sit with the rest. So I close her window to keep her warm. I also clean the coop every day, so hopefully that counts..?

 

[Themellowyellows]

The main risk of frostbite comes from moisture so make sure you have ventilation to allow the moisture to escape. Don't worry about keeping it warm, worry about keeping it dry.


The coldest I had in Arkansas was -4 Fahrenheit. I left the pop door open and let them decide what to do. When it was -4, the weather was calm and clear. They were out soaking up the sun. They enjoyed it.

I also left the pop door open when it was snowing or raining. I let them decide what they wanted to do. If it snowed overnight so they woke up to a white world they generally stayed in a day or two before any ventured outside. They did not like the change. But if they were already outside when it started snowing they stayed out as the snow accumulated. That change was gradual enough that it did not bother them. One time that happened it accumulated 1" in an hour. They stayed outside.

If it was raining my chickens were typically out looking for worms or such to come out of the ground. If it were a rough storm, high winds or heavy rain, they were usually in shelter of some kind. Maybe the covered run but if a strong wind was hitting them they'd go in the coop.

If it is raining it is not much below freezing, if any. Most of the time it is pretty close to freezing when it snows. If it is very cold when snowing I generally had strong winds which would send them inside.

I trust my chickens to manage this type of stuff themselves and interfere as little as I can. My main concerns are predator protection and giving them the options so they can choose whether to seek weather shelter or not.

Yep, this is my second year with chickens, I want to do everything right lol!

 

[Mrs. K]

Alright! I always leave the windows and doors open in the morning, depending on how cold it gets, I close one. One hen (bottom of the pecking order) always gets pecked on and does not want to sit with the rest. So I close her window to keep her warm. I also clean the coop every day, so hopefully that counts..?

Of course it counts. What I try in do, is go into the coop, (I have a walk in coop) close the door behind me, hang a feather on a thread, and see how it is moving in different places in the coop. I test it on different days. When I get it pretty still in the coop, I am happy. My openings are a pop up door on the north side, that I block by adding a box to the door that opens to the east, and the major ventilation on the south side. I want it still inside the coop, but not stuffy.

It took me a long time to get this figured out.

 

[GardenDmpls]

For those who worry about chickens feeling cold, remember, their undercoat feathers are down, which traps heat. Ever wear a down coat? It's filled with down feathers, hence the name. Their body temperature is also between 105f and 107f, so there is more heat for the feathers to trap.

 

[Themellowyellows]

For those who worry about chickens feeling cold, remember, their undercoat feathers are down, which traps heat. Ever wear a down coat? It's filled with down feathers, hence the name. Their body temperature is also between 105f and 107f, so there is more heat for the feathers to trap.

She seems to be in pain now. This week is going to be in the 80s wich is surprising. However she is making cooing noises kind of like they do while having chicks. She is also molting her full body. How do I make her more comfortable?