Are the Chickens Freezing?

Good afternoon, Chics! I pray you are staying warm in this crazy winter weather. Let's talk about chickens and how to keep them warm. I think you'll be surprised at the ease with which this is accomplished.

When we first got chickens it was toward the end of winter. We didn't have a coop yet so we kept them in the house in a brooder. One of the most important things a baby chick needs is warmth. But what about full-grown chickens and their ability to survive temperatures at or below freezing? 

Did you know that mature chickens have a normal body temperature of 105-106*F? A chicken no longer needs supplementary heat after around six weeks of age when their feathers have come in. There are things you will need to do for chickens to keep them comfortable when the weather is really hot or cold.

Our chicks are almost two weeks old now. They live in a brooder with a heat plate and we keep the room between 60-65*F. In about four weeks we will remove the heat plate. We will likely keep them in the brooder until late March and then we'll introduce them to the chickens and the coop. They are healthy, happy, and warm. So let's talk about the chickens outside. 

Our flock outside has no supplementary heat. They get sun and they have a weather-proofed, ventilated coop. So how do we keep them warm when it's below freezing? How do they fare with snow and ice? Chilly winds? They seem to love it. 

Today the high will be 23*F and we have a chance for flurries. There is a thin layer of snow/ice on the ground and not much sun. The chickens are mostly hanging out in the covered runs but they do also venture out into the yard to take a dirt bath or dig around for bugs. They are laying more eggs as the daylight hours increase. All of this indicates we have happy chickens. 

The low overnight will be 16*F with a "feels like" of 11*F. Better run the extension cord and get that heater out to the coop, right? No. 

The coop is weatherproof as mentioned above and it is ventilated at the top. Ventilation is very important because you don't want heat hitting the top of the coop and turning into condensation. You must be certain that the ventilation is higher than the roosting bars. If there is a draft or condensation, chickens' combs and/or wattles may get frostbite. Be sure there is no draft or ventilation below the roosting bars either. When chickens roost they cover their feet with their feathers. 

We close all windows at night when the temperatures will be below 40*F. When temperatures will fall below freezing we place hay bales in front of all windows on the inside of the coop. The hay bales act as an insulator. (Chickens enjoy laying eggs on, next to, and behind hay bales so be sure if you take this step you check those areas.)

The biggest issue we have had with freezing weather has been keeping the water from icing over. That's just a matter of breaking up ice as it develops and we bring their waterers into the garage at night. 

Those are the only precautions we have taken with our chickens and they have been just fine this winter. They do look forward to the chickweed that our son digs up from the side yard for them, as well as food scraps we throw out as they are available. My husband eats four eggs for breakfast every day and we take the shells out and throw them to the chickens as well. 

Chickens are very simple to care for and I would encourage you to try it out if you have the resources. Just know that "chicken math" is a real thing. I'll tell you all about it in an upcoming blog. 

'Til next time,

stay warm, Chics!