Keeping birds warm in winter

As we head into winter, I always like to brush up on winterizing the chicken coop, to help my birds get through the colder months a little easier. As I’m reading, I always come across the controversial topic of heating. Do you heat a coop in the winter or not?

Much of the conversation falls under the debate of putting a heat lamp inside the coop. Anywhere you look, you will find advocates on both sides of the topic. Many will say, there is no way to safely use a heat lamp inside the coop because of the fire risk. Others say, supplemental heat is needed, especially with Montana winters. Does the coop need to be 70 degrees all winter long? No. Personally, I choose to use supplemental heat in the winter. While I do have those red heat lamps for backup in case of an extremely cold night — I’m talking about the low single-digit nights — I have found that a ceramic reptile heat lamp works perfectly for the minimal heat the birds need in the winter. With a ceramic heat lamp, you don’t get the red glow, which allows the ladies to get a peaceful night’s sleep.

A chicken’s body temperature is right around 106 degrees all year long, which is why it’s so important to keep them cool in the summer months. However, in the winter, their body temperature along with a heartbeat of around 400 beats per minute gives them a high metabolism rate, which helps keep them warm throughout the night. Along with an extra layer of feathers that help trap in warm air, chickens can generate enough body heat to keep themselves and the rest of the flock warm when they huddle together on the roost at night. I find with supplemental heat the girls are comfortable at night when the coop temp is around 45 to 50 degrees.

Let’s not forget about the four messy ducks I have waddling around. They come with their own natural protection for weathering harsh winters. Ducks have two layers of waterproof feathers, underneath is another layer of down feathers, and underneath all of that, is a thick layer of body fat that keeps them extra cozy in the winter months. Their feet have a special countercurrent blood system, meaning they are not prone to frostbite. Warm blood circulates throughout the body, which meets the colder blood in the feet allowing to preserve a core temperature in their feet that never dips below freezing. Which explains why we always see waterfowl swimming around in the river, even on the coldest of days.

While ducks certainly don’t require a lot in the winter, when the temps drop below 20, like the chickens, they definitely appreciate a little help. The only hiccup I’ve come across so far with the ducks, is the ability to give them fresh, unfrozen water. A heated water base has solved that problem. Water is of the utmost importance for ducks all year long. They not only need fresh water to digest their food, but water is also needed to clear their sinuses and help keep their eyes clean and healthy. While this is only my first year with ducks, I have seen that all four ladies are still laying an egg every day. It will be interesting to see if they lay throughout winter.

Miriah Kardelis is a modern homesteader who is always looking for new ideas. Reach her at [email protected].