Chicken bald back

[PixieDust]

I know they have their own duvets, but with a flock that is under the weather and one still a little more so, will they keep warm enough at night? They get mixed corn before bed.

 

Just a little worried as we are due a couple of below freezing temperatures here and we often get several degrees colder than the rest of the county.

[gavclojak]

They will be fine, look at redsunset's posts about her ladies sleeping out in the wind and rain and many an omleteer leave the coop doors open all year round.

The corn they digest overnight will help keep them warm too, I somethines make a porridge of their mash/pellets mixed with hot water, when it's cooled a little give that to them nice and warm. A nice treat for them

[Mars]

If they sleep in a dry sheltered place they will be fine. I remember once it was -15 and they don't seem even to know about it. for them it was free ranging as usual. the only thing they didn't like was the grass was frozen so they couldn't eat it. the only real problem was to prevent drinking water and eggs from freezing.

[redsunset]

I do have some chooks still sleeping outside and wish they wouldn't, but not a lot I can do about it as some are far to high up in a tree! A couple are moulting badly but thankfully they go to bed. I never shut the coop door unless storm force winds due (as the draught is not good and can also cause the roof to lift) last winter we did have awful storms and lost half a coop roof and a nest box lid was ripped off another but chooks were all fine. The doors were shut that night but wind was just too strong. If you go down to a coop at night and place your hand in you will be amazed at the warmth in the surrounding air as when snuggled up they generate a lot of heat. I'd be more scared of respitory issues if not enough ventilation.