quenchie's Profile

I live in Maine... night temps got -15 or so for a stretch. We have 5 hens and they faired just fine.

An old farmer told me that a minimum of four hens in a draft free, dry coop (about 4 sq ft per average sized bird) would be adequate to keep each other warm. I doubled up on the bedding (8 inches deep) and made sure it was dry throughout the winter. The snow pack around the coop insulated the girls as well.

Look for breeds suited for cold weather... Buff Orpingtons, RI Reds, Wyandottes, Australorps, Plymouth Barred Rocks.