The WINTER topic...new to chicks this year

[ttrjpbcz]

We have kept our baby chicks in the house until they are big enough to go outside, but when it starts to get cold what does everyone do? We are in PA, so winter can get pretty cold at times. Do the adult chickens have to have heat in winter? What to do with the little ones (under 6 months).......

Thank you!

 

[Opa]

If your coop is dry and draft free winter isn't much of a problem. Chicken generate a surprising amount of heat but if the inside temperature of your coop gets near freezing you could add a heat lamp attached to a thermostat. If your young birds are fully feathered you shouldn't have a problem. You could look in the coop build section for a lot of good advice. Best wishes

 

[swampducks]

Last night it dropped to 42f here in northern MI. I have six 16 week old birds and fifteen 6 week old birds in the coop. There is an 85 watt red lamp hanging about 2 feet off the floor. The big birds spent the night on the roosts above that. The little birds spent the night in the straw on the floor but not directly under the lamp so they obviously weren't too cold. I did close the windows for the first time since they've been in there.

What you do will depend on what your coop is like. My coop is not insulated. I am going to buy an outdoor thermometer for it to be certain the interior doesn't drop below freezing. I figure if it gets too cold I'll just increase the wattage of the lamp but I'm hoping as the birds gget bigger (and I add the remaining young ones) they should generate enough heat on their own. How many birds and what size coop do you have?

 

[ttrjpbcz]

wow, so they really do quite well in cold weather! We normally don't go below 35ish once in awhile the teens at night, but i do have heat lamp!
Thanks so much for all the info!!!

 

[shelleyb1969]

Hey swampducks...we must be pretty close to each other! The temp here got around 42F as well. I've got 4 BR, 9 weeks old, in an outdoor tractor. Their roost area is enclosed, no heat lamp. My guys did just fine. They were waiting at the door this morning to be let out for the day. My BR's have been outside in this tractor for 4 weeks now with no heat source, and are doing wonderfully.

 

[swampducks]

Quote:
Don't know where you are in the thumb but for me it's a 4 hour drive to Port Huron. I live about 30 miles south of Alpena. I'll be passing through P.H. next month when I drive across Canada to visit my family in MA.

 

[31665]

I am in north eastern Ohio it was around 47 last night I have 16 girls about 15 weeks old Should I close the coop door at night or should I let them get used to the colder weather and leave the door open. I would like them to be tolerant of the bitter cold to come. At what temp do I sart with the heat light? Thank You

 

[Opa]

I'd close the door if for no other reason than one more line of defense against predators.

 

[debilorrah]

Gosh we close our door every night. Just to keep out foxes and coyotes, and give them a wind free sleep area

 

[max13077]

Pick a bird up and stick your hand under their wing or spread your fingers into the feathers covering the breast. They are warm!! Imagine a whole bunch of that all cuddled together. It might seem cold to us, but they're just ducky, er I mean chickeny.