Chickens are capable of maintaining their body temperature and can survive through temperatures below zero degrees.These birds can stay warm on their own, but they can use a heat source in colder conditions to sustain their body heat. Chickens like warm temperatures around 70-75 F (21-24 C), but they can manage in cold temperatures up to some point.Most of the chicken flock can tolerate weather below freezing and are able to lay eggs too. Even though the birds can endure cold temperatures, one should always take precautionary actions to save the flock, especially in winter.Maintain the temperature of the coop in winter as such that it is neither cold nor too hot for the birds because too much heat can also harm them, resulting in reduced appetite, less egg production, and lower egg quality. Use methods to keep the coop comfortable for the flocks so that they can maintain their body temperature efficiently and stay warm at the same time. You can keep them warm in winter either naturally by giving them fresh, heavy meals and water to drink or by installing several gadgets running on electricity.There are several methods to keep your free-range farm chickens warm in winter, which we will discuss further in this article. After you have understood if these farm animals require heat in winters, do read that are chickens mammals and how often do chickens lay eggs?Can chickens survive winter without heat?Chickens can tolerate temperatures below freezing point, but they like warmer temperatures. A chicken needs a temperature around 70-75 F (21-24 C) to stay warm. These birds might survive in winter, but there are chances that some might get sick, and many of them might stop laying eggs if the temperature gets colder.Chickens do not require too much heat and can adapt to winter with a little bit or no heat as well, so it is easy to keep the flock warm, just feel their coop with straw and manure and give them good food and clean water to drink.Adult hens can survive on their own; they might not need a heat source to keep them warm on a winter night, but chicks need a temperature of 90-95 F (32-35 C) initially and later on can survive in 70-75 F (21-24 C).Things that you should keep in mind for a healthy life of your hens are, foremost, maintaining their coops. As soon as the winter season approaches, you should fill the floor of their coop with enough bedding, like straw and manure, using a deep litter system. Straw and manure can naturally increase the temperature of the coop. You should be ready for the winter season with extra bedding material prepared from scratch, sufficient food, and a water supply. In the winter, water might start freezing, so use electrical appliances to make it drinkable for the flocks.Keep the coop dry, and there must be proper ventilation to prevent moisture from building up inside the coop because when cold combines with moisture, it causes frostbite to chickens.To keep them warm, consider using natural methods. Feed them corn in the evening, so when their body digests the food, they feel the warmth. Use the deep litter system in which deep layers of many things like straws, dry leaves and grasses, and wood shavings are used.You can use heat lamps or heated perches for supplemental heat to keep the hens warm on a much colder night.As the days become short and the light time is reduced the egg-laying process may get affected, so you need to provide supplemental light. It also has a drawback in that it stresses the flocks, so one should consider all the pros and cons.How cold is too cold for backyard chickens?Backyard chickens can work fine in cold temperatures as they can maintain their body temperature by trapping air between different feathers of the body. They have various types of feathers like wispy feathers, plumage feathers, and so on. Wispy features are closest to the skin, and the fluffy feathers hold all the airtight to the skin and heat it, which makes chicken warm throughout the winter season.Adult chickens can adapt better to a very cold environment than a hot one and might only suffer in temperatures below freezing temperatures, but chicks are susceptible to the harsh winter season, so you should keep their coop ready for winter.Just like other animals, chickens have several breeds that thrive in different environmental conditions, such as Dorking and Cochin, who are cold hardy can resist cold weather easily, while some chickens like Leghorn can thrive better in hot weather. So for most of the backyard chickens, temperature below freezing is too cold, and for some, temperature below 40 degrees is too cold.Chickens do not need heat from outside to stay warm; they can maintain their body temperature by heating the air trapped between their feathers; also, they tend to provide heat to each other by gathering around and sitting on their feet, which keeps them warm too.So if you live in an area where the temperature in winter is below freezing point, then you must provide heat and warmth to the chickens by using extra bedding on the floor, a deep litter system, try to use natural methods.If you want to add heat lamps or a heater to your chicken coop, firstly consider the risks and learn how to use a heat lamp or heater for the safety of the flock, as mishandling of a heat lamp can cause fire to the coop. Also, keep their coop dry because if the feathers of the chicken get soaked, they won’t do insulation, and the chickens will die of cold.How can you tell if chickens are too cold?Chickens can adapt to colder winter conditions unless the weather is very harsh. Chickens maintain their body temperature through insulation heat but trapping the air between their feathers and retain the heat and stay warm.You can tell if the chickens are too cold by their physical appearance or gestures. They tend to stand on one leg and tuck the other one; their feathers might seem fluffy and all ruffled up to increase the insulation to keep themselves warm.Unlike newly born chicks, chickens with full feather growth can easily tolerate the cold temperature. Like other birds, they try to retain their body heat through many ways like insulation, perching and increased metabolism.They heat the trapped air near their body and keep themselves heated. Insulation can help to preserve body heat. When the chickens rest, their body temperature remains around 40-43, and their heartbeat is increased, which implies a high metabolism rate that also keeps them warm.If you see your hens standing on one leg, it might be because their toes and feet are freezing. They might ruffle up their feathers to increase insulation, and their comb and wattles may appear pale.If your chicken is wet, it might be very risky for them to survive as their body temperature might drop down and result in hypothermia. The affected chicken may appear stiff and cold to touch also, their eyes might be bulging out or closed, in such case you should wrap it with warm clothes and keep it in a warm place for some time. Proper ventilation should be provided in the coop to remove moisture.Chickens may lose interest in food or may not have the energy to eat food or even drink water. They might start shivering and excessive cold may also cause frostbite. When they are cold they become lethargic and move less in order to conserve energy.If you notice any chicken from the flock getting cold you can add a heater or heat lamp to the coop but take precautions as the straws might catch fire inside the coop, if not handled carefully.Signs Of Cold Weather StressAs we know that chickens can handle cold weather well, sometimes they might suffer from cold weather stress. Chickens might suffer from cold weather stress when the temperature becomes extremely cold, or they are soaked wet, or their coop is damp. The chicken’s body becomes so stressed that it starts focusing only on keeping the body warm and ignores other body activities, which might eventually kill it. Along with cold weather, physical ailments, or diseases, increased energy needs can also be the reason for cold stress.Signs of cold weather stress include fluffed feathers, continuous preaching, increased inactivity, lethargic behavior, reduced and lack of interest in food, frostbite, shivering.Keeping your flocks healthy and disease-free can be very helpful to prevent them from getting cold stress. Look for the signs or behavior that are unusual.The first thing they do to prevent colds is by fluffing their features to trap more air between their feathers because, through insulation, they can keep their body warm.Preaching is another habit that they follow to keep their toes and feet warm; if the perch prolongs than usual, then it might be a sign of cold stress.Flocks might become lethargic and less active and spend more time around the feeder or together providing warmth to each other through this way; they try to conserve more energy.They might start shivering, which is a sign that their body temperature is decreasing. Try using a heater or heat lamp to regulate the temperature of the chicken coop but using such devices can be dangerous as they might cause fire and burn all the nearby coops.Moisture or dampness of the coop may cause frostbite, which can also be the reason for cold stress, so there should be a proper ventilation facility in the coop.If the flocks do not show interest in eating and are not moving much, they are trying to keep themselves warm, which can also be a sign of cold weather stress.These can just be the adjustment to changing weather, but so you need to judge carefully.What about sick or injured chickens and the cold weather?Chickens are one of the most preferred backyard pets as they are easy to maintain, are friendly, and provide us with eggs. They do not require special care and are well adapted if a proper meal and coop are given to them, but some chickens may fall ill and need special care for the time being.The most common symptoms of a sick chicken are reduced diet, swollen eyes, coughing and sneezing, strange odor, not being able to stand, parasites passed down in stool.Sick and injured chickens may get affected by cold weather very easily because they are weak and prone to diseases. If not treated on time, they might lose their life. You need to check whether they are fine or not from time to time.Take sick or injured chickens to the vet, get treatment and medication, feed them healthy food to fasten the recovery, enough water to stay hydrated, and clean and dry coop.Keep your sick chicken indoors with yourself so that you can keep a watch on them from time to time. Do not keep them with the flock as they might infect the other chickens too, which can be risky for their lives.Keep the bird warm by providing food with fat and lay extra straw bedding on the floor of the coop. You should separate the sick bird’s utensils and living area to give them special care and to prevent the flock from getting the disease.Sick chickens might need heat, so you can also get a heat lamp in their coop to keep them warm as they cannot maintain their body temperature, but be cautious of straw catching fire.You should not get very close to the sick or injured chicken as you might catch the infection; give them space and time to heal.You also need a good electricity supply to use the gadgets for keeping the chickens warm in harsh winter weather and also to unfreeze the water.Should you insulate the coop?Chickens themselves are good at insulation. They can naturally insulate their body by trapping air between their feathers close to their skin which can help them retain their body heat and keep them warm. Chickens can handle cold weather better than hot weather; thus, if you insulate your chicken coop, it might cause too much warmer environment for the chicken, which is also not good for them. If you are considering insulating the coop, then you should do thorough research on the pros and cons of it and whether it is necessary according to your area.You need an electricity supply for installing the insulator in the coop. Insulating the coop is beneficial for the chicken when they are in the early stage. People who have adult chickens should avoid installing an insulator because adult chickens are capable of retaining the heat during the winter season.If you have more chickens, then you should not insulate your chicken coop as chickens tend to group and provide warmth to each other; the insulator might increase the temperature more than required.The insulator can be beneficial for the breed specifically used for laying eggs as insulation can increase the process of egg-laying, but chickens who do not require extra warmth might end up losing the laying capacity in excessive cold and warmth.Insulate the coop according to the weather conditions of the area you live in; if you have a harsh winter season with freezing temperatures, then you should insulate the walls of the chicken coop especially for the night. If you have short winters, then there is no such need for an insulator as chickens can easily tolerate the high range of cold temperatures.Keeping Your Chickens WarmChicken should be kept in free-range as they are capable of maintaining their body temperature. Keeping them inside the coop during winter might actually make them unhealthy and bored. You should let your chickens decide whether it’s too cold for them or not.Chickens can keep themselves warm naturally in winter, and might not need anything external to provide warmth. Still, you can install halogen bulbs, insulators, and heating pads if you live where the temperature goes below freezing point in winters.Give them fresh water and feed them with a good, healthy diet; corn is their favorite food that you can give them before bed. This will increase metabolism and keep them warm at night.Fill the chicken coop with extra straws, dry leaves, and manure to make chicken coop bedding from scratch to increase the warmth naturally. You should keep your chickens in free range so that they can keep their body and feet warm by roaming around. Lay some straw above the fresh snow at peak wintertime, so they can move easily, and let them walk in the snow, as they don’t mind walking in the snow.Hens have a habit of perching; they tuck one limb close to their belly to keep it warm. You can install a perch in the coop so that the flock can comfortably roost on it and prevent their toes and legs from freezing.Using an electricity supply, one can install thermostats to control temperature. Install bulbs that give off energy; to warm the chicken coop.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for do chickens need heat in the winter then why not take a look at when do chickens molt, or leghorn chicken facts.
Chickens are capable of maintaining their body temperature and can survive through temperatures below zero degrees.
