Comments on: Keeping Chickens in Cold Climates https://rootsy.org/keeping-chickens-in-cold-climates/ Your Foundation for Simple Living Mon, 31 Mar 2025 14:08:11 +0000 hourly 1 By: Amanda Idlewild https://rootsy.org/keeping-chickens-in-cold-climates/#comment-2508 Wed, 22 May 2019 03:35:19 +0000 https://rootsy.org/?p=1869#comment-2508 In reply to Beth.

Awesome! Glad I could help!

]]> By: Beth https://rootsy.org/keeping-chickens-in-cold-climates/#comment-2473 Wed, 15 May 2019 03:45:18 +0000 https://rootsy.org/?p=1869#comment-2473 This is a nice article. Thank you for sharing your experience. I just picked up my first ever chickens and have some reservations on how to deal with our cold northern Minnesota winters. Our area is referred to as the coldest town in the continental United States. (Something to be proud of ) We often get weeks on end where the temperature never gets above -30* with -40 windchills at mid day. This winter we had wind chills of -70* I was glad to see you discuss ventilation because I was fairly sure that I had to provide some in winter but was a bit uncertain. It is reassuring that you are in Alaska because you get brutal winters also! Thank you for sharing your experience, being a new chicken mom I want to do right by my girls.

]]> By: Amanda Idlewild https://rootsy.org/keeping-chickens-in-cold-climates/#comment-657 Mon, 13 Nov 2017 00:10:50 +0000 https://rootsy.org/?p=1869#comment-657 In reply to Tracy.

I’m not sure of the exact temperature inside at that time. The chickens all pulled through just fine with no sign of frostbite or even really slowing down. They were up and about everyday just as normal. Unfortunately not everyone is able to have a generator. If you have one, great- you’ll be able to protect your flock, but for those without one, it’s safer to let your chickens become acclimated to the cold so they won’t have any surprises if there is a power outage.

]]> By: Tracy https://rootsy.org/keeping-chickens-in-cold-climates/#comment-655 Sun, 12 Nov 2017 12:01:09 +0000 https://rootsy.org/?p=1869#comment-655 What was the temp in your coop at -40°? Chickens get cold below 40° and they die when it gets too hot. If people are going to keep chickens they should make sure they can care for them properly. If you can heat their water you can heat their coop. I use little room sized heaters from Bedbath and Beyond. They are up on a shelf where the chickens can’t reach and have a safety feature to turn off if they tip over. They are $40 ceramic coil heaters and they keep the coop a reasonable temp. I built my own coop. Its 7′ x 11′. My husband added 2 outlets and 3 ceiling light sockets. I put batroom heat bulbs in 2 of them for the winter. I have a hood that fits over the roost in the winter made of 2 x4s with heavey vinyl and a quilted flap front. The roost is 3 2x4s with 4th on edge and I keep straw in it for the winter. This provides a snaller area for them to keep warm on the coldest of nights. We getbto -20° plus wind chill so far. If I lose power I have a generator.

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