It’s no wonder that chickens can tolerate the temperature even below freezing and they are quite robust, but did you ever wonder that what temperature are they most comfortable and happy in? I hope some of you would surely have given a thought on this, but even if you didn’t, I’m going to tell you all about the ideal temperature for chickens that they just love. If they are happy, then we surely are happy, says all “chicken lovers” out there.
Information which I’ll be sharing with you is entirely logical and concluded through experiments and personal experiences. Not to mention, I am a chicken geek and have been raising chickens since my childhood. I can relate exactly what modern science finds out today to my experiences and can point out the issues if any. Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Understanding the Chicken’s Body
Why have polar bears fur on their skin? Just to look pretty? No! Because, it’s the primary source of warmth for them. GOD has blessed ducks with feathers because they act as a source of insulation against the cold. Nature has gifted all the necessary body parts to living beings that are vital for their respective environment. It is only we, the humans, who can think from our brains to such an extent that we can use various things from this world to adopt in every different environment. Animals can’t. Now think of that question again that’s stuck inside your head that what is the ideal temperature for chickens and you will get the answer. Still not there? Let me help you out my lovely chicken lovers.
Let us each understand first that the answer of this question is always different when we talk about baby chicks and adult chickens. We all know that babies of every living thing are quite sensitive and treating babies equivalent to adults is not a wise choice.
Temperature for Chickens that are mature
Let’s start with cold first. Just google out that “Why chickens have feathers?” If you did, you have got the answer yourself. Open the closed doors of your brain and let some observational intelligence come in. This is because they can easily cope with cold weather. Chickens can easily manage in cold weathers. The main factors in this regard are:
- Chickens’ anatomy
- High metabolic rate of chickens
We have discussed anatomy to some extent. High metabolic rate in chickens also helps them to keep warm. GOD has created and gifted every characteristic for a reason. A chicken heart can beat up to 400 beats per minute which can ensure their survival in cold weather.
But question still remains that how cold is too cold for a chicken? Irrespective of freezing temperature outside, if you ensure to give a weatherproof coop to your chickens, they will live a long life. Coops are one of the main factors in the survival of chickens in extreme temperatures. I’ve also discussed in detail the most important things that a chicken owner needs to consider when buying or building a chicken coop. Chickens place must be dry. Besides this, do read about the information I shared on tips for raising chickens in winter.
Chickens do survive in freezing temperatures. But, do they really love it? No, chickens don’t love being on snow for a longer period of time. They might catch a frostbite. Frostbite in chickens is a common issue for chickens living in areas where temperature is below freezing point. Cold travels from a chicken’s feet to the body. Therefore, this is why a proper chicken coop and chicken coop bedding plays an important role. When they feel uncomfortable, they will come back in the coop and spend the time there.
Now let’s talk about chicken’s survival in hot weather. You got it right. Chickens do have a difficulty in surviving in extreme hot weather. Reason? Again, due to their anatomy. Chickens don’t have sweat glands. What happens is that the heat gets trapped under their feathers. Chickens try to cool their body temperature in such condition by flapping their wings and panting. You can see the video below.
Therefore, to avoid heat stress in poultry, it’s is extremely important to maintain the proper temperature when it’s hot. Hot temperature is more problematic to the chicken as compared to cold. Therefore, ideal and most suitable temperature for chickens is between 65 degree Fahrenheit and 75 degree Fahrenheit. With the advent of technology, it has become quite easier now to manage and monitor temperatures remotely. I will also be discussing such smart sensors and devices for chickens that every chicken lover loves on this site and will leave a link here when that blog is ready. It will be a useful and joyful read as these devices make your work a hell lot easier.
Regions where it is too hot, install proper cooling devices for chickens to maintain the coop’s temperature.
Temperature for Chicks
Babies of every living creature on planet earth are sensitive. Be it humans or chickens. As we all know that chicks have immature feathers, therefore, chicks are much more sensitive to the cold than adult chickens. Chicks are very prone to the cold at the early days of their life and these days are the most important time in every chicken’s journey. If exposed to cooler temperatures, they can suffer from serious illness resulting in their death. Best brooder having best brooder design ensures that the chicks get the optimal temperature during their few weeks after hatching. Kudos to the technology that you can monitor your brooder temperature and humidity using smart devices made for chickens. It is recommended to maintain the brooder temperature between 90-95 degrees Fahrenheit. With each passing week, temperature is dropped by five degrees as the chicks grow. The chart below shows the temperature to be maintained during each week after the chicks hatch. After five to six weeks, you can shift your chicks to the environmental temperature of 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. To maintain the proper temperature, install the best heating accessories for chicks in your brooders.
Recommended Temperature for Chicks
| Chicks Age | Temperature |
| 0-7 days i.e Week 1 | 95F |
| Week 2 | 90F |
| Week 3 | 85F |
| Week 4 | 80F |
SUMMARY
Adult Chickens: They are most happy when temperature is between 67F-75F. Temperature above 75F should be avoided. In regions where it is too cold, don’t worry. Just ensure that your coop is weatherproof and has appropriate bedding material. No direct wind comes in the coop. I don’t encourage the use of direct heat on chickens in severe cold regions. This makes them fall ill more when exposed to outside temperature. Once, the chickens adjust according to the temperature, they will be okay with it.
Chicks: Chicks should be given utmost care during their early days. Please keep the temperature of your brooder according to this table.
When can chicks go outside? It’s after week 5-6 since their birth. But it is not recommended to take them out to environmental temperature when the difference in brooder’s temperature and outside temperature is significant.
