Hello,
We've recently purchased a few chickens and wondered if someone could give us some advice as to whether they need some sort of heating during the night?
At the moment, they have a good size pen, on stilts, off the ground. I have sprinkled a layer of straw over the base (mainly for binding the s h one t), with a thick layer in the nest boxes.
Now I know chickens aren't that bright and given the choice of nice comfy nest box with 5cm of clean straw, or a sprinkling of straw on wood, they always prefer to sit on the floor/perches. I leave the entry/exit hole on the pen open at night as they are safely fenced in.
I would be gratefully for any advice as my mother is most concerned they will freeze over winter.
Many thanks
Phil
Do outdoor chickens need heat during winter?
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Chantal
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I am assuming this is a chicken shed with a roof? You didn't actually say so and I'd hate to assume wrongly. However, if it is, I would close their pop hole as it can be awfully draughty at night with it open. Other than that, they should be fine. Mine have a shed with a perch and a deep bed of straw.
When I had two old birds (aged 9) I did line the inside of the shed with bubble wrap one very cold winter (I did make sure there was adequate ventilation), but healthy birds should have no problem. In fact before my two birds were old, they lived in my garden and slept 30ft up one of my trees every night. They were Red Jungle Fowl and much preferred to live outdoors; they did have an option of a cosy shed. They slept in that tree through five winters with snow, rain, sleet and on one occasion an ice storm. There was nothing I could do to get them down and they were fine.
When I had two old birds (aged 9) I did line the inside of the shed with bubble wrap one very cold winter (I did make sure there was adequate ventilation), but healthy birds should have no problem. In fact before my two birds were old, they lived in my garden and slept 30ft up one of my trees every night. They were Red Jungle Fowl and much preferred to live outdoors; they did have an option of a cosy shed. They slept in that tree through five winters with snow, rain, sleet and on one occasion an ice storm. There was nothing I could do to get them down and they were fine.
Chantal
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles for me...
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles for me...
Hi Chantal
Thanks for replying, yes they do have a roof! I like the bubble wrap idea and as for the pop hole, I will start shutting it from now on. I will pass this on to my mother, who I hope will stop nagging me.
Cheers
Phil
Thanks for replying, yes they do have a roof! I like the bubble wrap idea and as for the pop hole, I will start shutting it from now on. I will pass this on to my mother, who I hope will stop nagging me.
Cheers
Phil
Hello Phil
Chickens don't need any extra warmth at night. You do need to close the pop hole at night though to avoid drafts but make sure that there is some ventilation in the coop. Their body heat keeps the chill out of the coop and on very cold nights they just seem to cosy up to each other on their perches. You might get problems if you have only a few birds in a very large coop.
A good winter warmer for the long nights is a late afternoon scratch feed of wheat.
John
Chickens don't need any extra warmth at night. You do need to close the pop hole at night though to avoid drafts but make sure that there is some ventilation in the coop. Their body heat keeps the chill out of the coop and on very cold nights they just seem to cosy up to each other on their perches. You might get problems if you have only a few birds in a very large coop.
A good winter warmer for the long nights is a late afternoon scratch feed of wheat.
John
Last edited by John on Sat Nov 18, 2006 4:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
Hello again Phil
Do try and get wheat as this is digested quite slowly. You might have to make do though with what's called 'poultry corn' which is part wheat and part cut maize.
John
Do try and get wheat as this is digested quite slowly. You might have to make do though with what's called 'poultry corn' which is part wheat and part cut maize.
John
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
I leave my pop hole open but over the pop hole is the dropping tray with perches above so the birds are not in any draught I keep Silkies and have followed this prctice for 10years with them and before that with my Heinz 57's with no problems very occassionally when extremeley cold I may close it but very rarely and certainley no heating
I can't get our chickens down from the trees, and they slept there every night of last week's frost (five of them side-by-side on a branch) and are very energetic and happy. They are quite ordinary hens, being mostly Barnvelder and Araucana. I have read it is more dangerous for them to have too little ventilation than too much, as they are really outdoor birds.
Alison.
Alison.
Sometimes when the birds won't go into their house at night its because of a red mite problem. They seem to be able to sense that they're going to get an uncomfortable night on their perches so they stay outside.
John
PS Interested to read about your Barnvelder. I have one and she is the laziest bird we have ever had! Last up in the morning, spending a lot time warming herself in the sun or dust bathing, not very nice to her sisters, doesn't ever lay too many eggs and is first to bed in the evening. She is very pretty though!!!
John
PS Interested to read about your Barnvelder. I have one and she is the laziest bird we have ever had! Last up in the morning, spending a lot time warming herself in the sun or dust bathing, not very nice to her sisters, doesn't ever lay too many eggs and is first to bed in the evening. She is very pretty though!!!
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
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RAREBREDCHICK
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You dont say how old your birds are? All replies are assuming they are adult birds. Some good advice there. However if they are still young and not fully feathered they may need some extra heat. So if they are young, let us know for more brilliant advice! 
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