Hey everyone,
I am loving looking after 4 little feathery friends down on the south coast of England but, as those of us here will know, the weather is pretty awful and I’m currently watching snow settle.
Any suggestions for things I can do to ensure that they stay warm? Their coop doesn’t have a closing door, so I’m aware they may be a bit chilly (and I can’t help feeling sorry for them).
The owners are new to chicken keeping so don’t really have any suggestions or routines in place.
I’ve put a towel across the roof of their nesting box, with extra bedding, and hope this might help a little.
Thanks so much!
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Both those things will help, plenty of straw bedding and some sort of covering to stop the heat going out the top of their house both great ideas. If you could find an old hot water bottle you could bury it in the bedding for them for some underneath warmth. They’re pretty hardy and will bunch together too when it’s cold. #chickencaring 
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Thank you! I’ve left them snoring away now so don’t want to disturb them but I’ll see if I can find an old hot water bottle for tomorrow, just in case the freezing weather continues 
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Hi @1967ag
If the homeowners have an old duvet or blankets you could put those on top of the roof of the part that they nest in overnight. I’m hoping that even if the coop doesn’t have a closing door, the run itself does, otherwise hungry Mr Fox will be on the prowl…
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Looking after a variety of outdoor and indoor animal’s. The chickens have plenty of straw and gave the Guinea pigs extra too. Although I do feel sorry for them on this chilly Suffolk farm.
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I have relatives in the Prairies of Canada that taught me that as long as they can roost overnight and their water doesn’t freeze, they are fine even at -30° C.
Chickens seem to suffer the intense heat more than the cold.
It’s worrisome that their door doesn’t close, though.
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Hello,
I agree with the suggestions above. I have 4 little chickens myself.
In addition to the above, we feed our chickens porridge made with warm water in the evening, other than the food’s temperature, it seems that the actual food digestion will keep them warm for longer.
One important thing in this weather is to make sure that their water does not freeze, as they will still need to drink normally, keep an eye on that.
There are many methods, but we experimented by putting very salty water inside a tight container, inside their water dispenser. As the salty water does not freeze, the other water around it, does not freeze either. It worked last winter. But make sure that the container holding the salty water is absolutely tight and of an OK material to put inside another.
We have been told that chickens should be OK for up to or down to minus 4 degrees centigrade or so… More than that… Ours will sleep in the kitchen 
I hope this helps.
Elena
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Our first sit was in Feb 23 in U.K. Winter it included 11 hens . The water in their drinking trough froze over night most nights - we would break the ice and refill every morning .Happy to say that they all survived and laid many eggs .
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Thank you Elena, that’s all extremely helpful and I will pass your points along to the owners too so that they can implement some of your ideas
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Yes they are hardy little creatures aren’t they. Their coop entrance is inside a secure run, so they should be quite safe but I agree, I’d have given them a door if they were mine.
Thanks Becca, great idea. I will mention this to the owner for the future. They are in a secure run, so are safe from Mr Fox although I’m certainly on alert to ensure that no harm comes to them .