Topic of the Week - Heat Sources: Yes or No?

[Loving my girls]

When hubby built my coop and also the extension we used insulated wall panels, for inside houses. Then covered with type 3 lapped wood (and painted with that stuff to make it mega lasting). We were lucky we had bits left over from our own self build and friends had some stuff left over too. We only had to buy the worktop as second hand ones were more expensive than new (crazy).
But I digress. Last night the temperature went down to 0.2c despite the windows being covered with second hand polystyrene (which I hate).
The ventilation was from a sheltered side where the polystyrene didn’t cover all the windows.
I’m not going to do anything more, suggestions above about toughening them up against the cold is a good idea.
I will, however, keep a close eye on them as they are all heat tolerant girls so not good in the cold (large wattles etc).
End of my ramble
… and yes I do know how lucky I am

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

My 7 hens are my pets and I consider them the same way I would our cat. Cold winters and hot summers have my bag filled with all sorts of tricks to help. I learned early on ventilation is everything. my thinking is I can always add protection to a vented area.

 

[Chucker66]

My hens are doing fine so far this winter. -11 this morning but supposed to warm up the next few days but them plummet to -20 for 2 mornings. My Australorp rooster has a bit of frostbite on his big comb but I think he will be ok. I have one Rhode island red who is still growing in feather. Thinking about putting a jacket on her. Thoughts? Also I have been giving them warm mash with 21% protein for the last week or so and I think that's helping.

 

[aart]

-11 this morning but supposed to warm up the next few days but them plummet to -20 for 2 mornings.

C or F?

Thinking about putting a jacket on her. Thoughts?

No. It will impede her ability to fluff her feathers.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

We don't have many nights below freezing. We don't try to heat the coop but we have a Cozy Coop panel if anyone wants to snuggle up to it. One of the waterers in the run has a heater just to make sure they have unfrozen water on the coldest mornings.

Our coop is all hardware cloth on two sides because we need that kind of open air circulation so that the flock doesn't bake in the summer heat. In winter, we place boards over the hardware cloth and use tarps to block the wind.

Winter temps aren't a big challenge here. Typical winter temps are sixties and seventies during daytime and forties and thirties at night. Right now it's 75° and tonight will be 47°.

Summer temps are the nightmare we have to fight through.

 

[Chucker66]

C or F?


No. It will impede her ability to fluff her feathers.

F. Supposed to drop starting Saturday and not to be above -6 for about 4 days. Coldest looking to be about -20F BRRRRRRR Anyone else in NW Wis? Thinking about putting in a heater for those 4 days any thoughts? My coop is 10 x 12 and I have 19 hens and 1 rooster. Fully enclosed and insulated with a cement floor and deep bedding.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

7am in CT and its 4F. i plugged the brooder red lamp to take the chill from the air in hen house. I'll leave it on until 8;30am before I leave. I hate to do it but these 5 gals are gettin' old and dont tolerate the cold as well. They wont leave their henhouse today. I have a camera that I'll keep staring at until I unplug.
The other hen house houses 2 gals that are a year younger and dont seem to be as sensitive. As least they left the henhouse. I'll do no supplemental heat in there.
Ugh, these temps said to stick around until the weekend.
pic from warmer days....

 

[jreardon1918]

No heat here in Southeast Mass. Last night it got down to to 2F. For us that is pretty cold. The humidity in the coop was within a couple percent of the outdoor humidity. The lowest I have recorded in the coop is -8F. That was a few years ago. The girls were up and ready for the day when I brought out food and water. Note that the 5 gallon HN bucket was completely liquid. Yay. On the down side, my "smart" plug failed this morning. So the girls got a couple extra hours of sleep today.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

No heat here in Southeast Mass. Last night it got down to to 2F. For us that is pretty cold. The humidity in the coop was within a couple percent of the outdoor humidity. The lowest I have recorded in the coop is -8F. That was a few years ago. The girls were up and ready for the day when I brought out food and water. Note that the 5 gallon HN bucket was completely liquid. Yay. On the down side, my "smart" plug failed this morning. So the girls got a couple extra hours of sleep today.

how old are your chickens?

 

[jreardon1918]

how old are your chickens?

Some are almost 2. The rest are 3-5. I am skipping chicks this year as he coop is already at capacity.