Re: Minimum coop temperature

From: Jill. (news_at_REMOVETHISkintaline.co.uk)
Date: 10/27/04 

Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 13:22:00 +0100

Mary Fisher wrote:
> What's the minimum temperature required for hens' comfort and health
> in winter, please?
>
> Mary

not sure there is one defined - but I would be surprised if healthy hens
would find any temperature we get in mainland UK a problem.
Its more an algorithm of health of the birds - well covered in flesh and
well covered in good feathering
Good feathering means that the birds are grooming so they knit together well
and there is a good mix of soft and hard feathers.
The birds should preferably be dry before the temperatures drop to extremes
The feed they are getting provides sufficent levels of metabolisable energy
so they can make themselves warmer from inside.
The house does not have any drafts in that cause cold air to be constantly
pulled across their bodies but has good ventilation to prevent stagnant air
developing
The house should be of a size that the birds can keep themselves wrm in it -
one that is too big can just have too much dead cold space in it - thats
when a house and covered run is better - where the house is for night and
the run gives more protected space in the day
Cold is also relative - dry cold most stock can withstand much lower
temperatures than wet cold

In the US where the folks get much greater extremes then problems can occur
as folks have said here - frostbitten combs etc. 

--
regards
Jill Bowis
Pure bred utility chickens and ducks
Housing; Equipment,  Books, Videos, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Holidays in Scotland and Wales
http://www.kintaline.co.uk

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Minimum coop temperature
    ... >> What's the minimum temperature required for hens' comfort and health ... > would find any temperature we get in mainland UK a problem. ... > The house does not have any drafts in that cause cold air to be constantly ...
    (sci.agriculture.poultry)
  • Re: OT: Thanks to all that helped on my HVAC Questions. Its Alive!
    ... Another question for the group...The temperature inside the house is 78. ... You can check the suction or low pressure line on the outside ... condenser unit to see if it ice cold and sweating. ...
    (rec.games.pinball)
  • Re: Fermentation temperatures
    ... down a bit but Mrs Monium feels the cold and the ... house is small so every room is around this temperature. ... be icepacks; ice cubes or a container of water frozen down would do ... dangling in the beer so that I can monitor the temperature. ...
    (rec.crafts.brewing)
  • Re: OT ? Drafts
    ... a while and behave as this "cold" was doing in our house, ... but only when the outside temperature was cold enough to ... Like I said, sneaky things, drafts! ... spotters and chasers" in this old house of our's. ...
    (alt.med.fibromyalgia)
  • SAFETY TIPS: COLD RELATED STRESS AND ILLNESS
    ... COLD RELATED STRESS AND ILLNESS ... a combination of temperature and velocity, ... HARMFUL & PERMANENT EFFECTS OF COLD: FROSTBITE AND HYPOTHERMIA ...
    (alt.med.fibromyalgia)