I'm new at this and need some coop advice

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Burkerts

Burkerts

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Jul 22, 2014
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I'm new at this and I am trying to figure out what kind of lighting or heat will be required in my coop this winter. I am reading they need a little extra light in the winter to keep laying. I am wondering if I should hook some type of lighting up to a timer and will I need any heat lamps. I live in Lehighton, Pennsylvania and it does get cold during the winter
 
Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. The answer to your question is going to depend on several factors.

First, who you ask? Some members are going to argue that you should give some supplemental lighting and heat, and others are going to argue against it.

Second, it depends on what kind of chickens you have. Mediterranean class breeds (all white egg layers) are not as cold hardy as American, English, and Asiatic class breeds (all brown egg layers) and can be especially prone to comb frost bite, so some winter heating is probably a good thing where Mediterranean class breeds are involved. In the case of the other breeds, I think it is unnecessary. I've raised many of them in very cold weather and haven't had any health problems.

Third, it depends on the type of layers you have. Light is a much bigger factor in laying (or lack of) than cold. In the short, darker winter days even the laying of most American, English, and Asiatic Breeds will drop off considerably. Some of the English class breeds, such as Australorps and Orpingtons do not seem as much affected by the short winter days. Also, my Black Sex Links (which are hybrids) have always laid quite well even in areas with short, winter days. Depending on the breed of chickens you have, you may want to put some florescent lights on a timer to come before the winter sun rises to extend the length of their exposure to light.

Good luck with your flock.
 
As usual, Mr. Oshay has great advice for you. I can only add that it also depends on the size of your coop and how many birds are in it. We live in Northeast Pa. so it is a bit colder than it is in Lehighton. We have an 8 foot by 8 foot coop with a variety of layers. We do use a 250 watt heat lamp set on a timer that we use for the winter. Typically we use it from Nov. thru March. We set it to come on at around 4:00 am and off around 8 or 9 am. This works well for us.It can get quite cold in our neck of the woods. Good luck with your flock.
 
Just one additional thought on the winter cold. The temperature is not as much of a factor as the dampness. You need to make sure your coop is dry and draft free. I raised Black Australorps in northern Kansas where one winter the temperature reached 30 F below zero, and with a dry, draft free coop, and no supplemental heating or lighting, they did just fine.
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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Michael X2 I keep Black Australorps and I do not add any heat or lighting and up here at 7,000 feet, sub zero temps, the hens just keep on laying as if it was a nice spring day! So yes, it does depend on the breed.

Adding heat really isn't healthy for the birds. You don't want to keep the coop warmer or much warmer than the outdoor temps as the birds need to go outside every day for good respiratory health. If the coop is too warm, they will be unable to leave the coop til winter is over. This is very bad for their mental physical health. Chickens can adapt to brutally cold temps if given the opportunity as long as they stay dry and in a draft free space in the coop.

When the birds breathe and poop all night, moist air is being released. This warm moist air needs to go somewhere, and generally it wants to rise. So what you want to do it is put in good venting in the eaves of the coop. About 1 square foot per bird in the eaves on both sides of the coop. You want your birds to roost low to the floor in relatively quiet air and all this moisture from the pooping and breathing will rise up and be sucked out this positive air flow and out the roof. If you do not have adequate venting, this warm moist air is going to rise toward the ceiling and freeze and fall back down on the birds as frost or even water and make the birds very cold and even give them frost bite. I know it will be tempting to close the vents on a 5 degree night. But unless there is a ripping wind that will cause the air around the roost bar to move too much, you want to leave your vents open.

Now, should the over night low be predicted to get down 30 or more degrees below your average over night low, you might then want to turn on a heat lamp on them. Not enough to heat the coop but just enough to raise the temp around them 10 or so degrees. Use a red or infra red bulb so it does not disturb sleeping cycles. And always permanently attach the lamp to the wall. Do not rely on the clamp as it can fall and cause a fire.

Good luck and enjoy this great new adventure you are on!
 
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I have a 6' x 8' x8' which is 2x4 walls with osb on the inside so there coop has a barrier between the outside walls. I have 4 4" ventilation holes at the highest point in my coop. Other then the vent holes my coop is draft free once I close there coop up at night. So you think know heating is needed except on the nights where it would be below zero. Do you think I need lighting to keep there laying normal.
 
Burkerts said:
I have a 6' x 8' x8' which is 2x4 walls with osb on the inside so there coop has a barrier between the outside walls. I have 4 4" ventilation holes at the highest point in my coop. Other then the vent holes my coop is draft free once I close there coop up at night. So you think know heating is needed except on the nights where it would be below zero. Do you think I need lighting to keep there laying normal.
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What kind of chickens do you have?
 
My chickens are a hybrid cross between a White Rock egg-layer type female and a Rhode Island Red male. They seem to be great layers they produce almost every day so far. I just want to plan ahead for the winter.
 
Burkerts said:
My chickens are a hybrid cross between a White Rock egg-layer type female and a Rhode Island Red male. They seem to be great layers they produce almost every day so far. I just want to plan ahead for the winter.
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What you have are Red Sex Links. They can be produced by crossing Rhode Island Red roosters with any silver gene hens (White Rocks, Rhode Island Whites, Delawares, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Light Sussex, etc.) and they are all egg laying machines. Hatcheries sell Red Sex Links under a lot of different labels, depending on which silver gene hens were used, including Red Star, Brown Sex Link, Gold Sex Link, Cinnamon Queen, Bovans Brown, Golden Buff, Golden Comet, Hubbard Golden Comet, Isa Brown, Shaver Brown, Babcock Brown, Warrens, Hylines, Gold Lines, Lohmans, Lohmans Brown, etc. The chicks can all be sexed by color at hatching (boys are whitish, girls are reddish), but unfortunately, since they are hybrids, they do not breed true. Good luck with your flock.
 

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