chicken coop heater pictures

[patandchickens]

Quote:
An easier solution is to block off a smaller 'coop within the coop' for 'em, so they have somewhere (with the roost in it) that their body heat will make some difference in air temperature. Can be a temporary thing that you dismantle come springtime. MUCH safer than a lamp

There are some things you can do.

Good points, but to me the very most important safety tips for those who feel they have to heat is:

a) use the lowest wattage lamp you can. Hung near the roost, or in a small space (see above) a regular lamp bulb puts out totally adequate heat and is much less fire hazard than one of those 250W suckers.

b) Affix the heater to at least two separate suspension/attachment points (two different places on the heater and two different places on the coop, using two different chains/tethers) so if one thing fails the heater does not fall.

c) be real, real sure that your wiring (actual wiring and/or extension cord) is up to the job. For wiring, that means the heating device does not overload the circuit and the wiring and plugs are in good shape; for an extension cord, this means use a heavy-duty cord (i.e. maximum amperage rating you can get) that is only JUST as long as needed not longer, and plugged into a household circuit that it will not overload, and don't run multiple heating devices on one extension cord (just cuz there's empty holes to plug into does not mean the wires are necessarily capable of carrying that much current draw without overheating).

d) USE A GFCI-PROTECTED CIRCUIT. If you haven't got one and are waiting for someone to install it for you, there are little portable GFCI thingies you can use. This is not a permanent substitute however.

Pat​

 

[Chicken Woman]

My coop is 8 by8 by 6. It is draft free but not insulated. I am in Billings Montana so it can get 10 below or more on occasion.
I have 2 RIR's , 2 ISA browns,7 assorted banties (all hens).
Should they be able to keep each other warm or should i creat a smaller space ?

It cost enough to heat my house and I don't want to heat hen house if I don't have to, of course i don't want them to get sick either.

 

[Mrs MIA]

They should be fine... just keep an eye on them for any signs of distress.

 

[jubylives]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

They should be fine... just keep an eye on them for any signs of distress.

Ok then what? Everyone says to not heat but what do you do if it it gets so cold they start suffering? You son't dare throw a heat lamp in there. Too dangerous and will pollute the world.


Jeremy​

 

[Chicken Woman]

Jeremy what heat source do you use ? How much do you figure it costs you per month to heat your coop ? A heat panel that some people are talking about is about $115.00 to $145.00 just to buy and then you have the electic bill ! WOW ! IM looking for an affordable heating source that I can connect to my thermostic outlet that will come on at 34 degrees to keep the coop below freezing. Any suggestions ?

 

[jubylives]

All I have is the dreaded red bulb. I'm not too worried about my chickens freezing as I will put another lamp in there. I'm just wondering what do people do if you are not to heat and it gets dangerously close.

As far as cost in utilities, my bill is so high that I'm numb now.

jeremy

 

[patandchickens]

jeremy, there is a difference between heating the coop and having some heat *in* the coop on occasion. Also if you feel you must have some heat *in* the coop at some point, there are a whole big lot of wattages between nothing and 250. A hundred (or smaller!) watt bulb, strategically placed, is much much less likley to start a fire than a heat lamp and may well be perfectly adequate.

So, like, if you have half-grown chicks and waaay cold weather, obviously they may indeed need heat, but boxing in a small 'hover' for them with one or two low-wattage bulbs is a safer way to go than trying to bring the entire coop up to temperature or running a single honkin' big hot bulb.

Pat

 

[Chicken Woman]

That's my concern as well. You won't know untill after they have become sick ! i do think using a thermostatically controlled outlet attachment would help with the bill. i bought one at Lowes for $14.00 compared to some of the chicken supply sites at $43.00.

 

[REELDOC]

Well this is really confusing, use heat, don't use heat. Looks like it becomes a matter of personal preference.

I guess if you look at it as a chicken is a bird and wild birds live through winter you really don't need heat. On the other hand if chickens are happier when they aren't freezin their beaks off, and a happy chicken lays more eggs, then you need a little heat if it doesn't break the bank on your electric bill.

It appears that if a heavy duty extension cord is used with a reasonable wattage heating element the overloading won't be an issue. A heater element such as a panel or ceramic 'bulb' is better than a traditional heater bulb since it won't break into a zillion pieces and expose the tungsten if something hits it. Dust build up is a large concern as well as an adequate redundant hanging method. Selective heating over a roost may serve the bill but frozen water then becomes the concern.

Hmmm.......now why is it that I decided to get into the chicken/egg thing?

 

[jubylives]

Quote:
I understand that. Really I do. I do not "heat" my coop. I apply heat to the are where the waterers are to keep them from freezing.

Quote:
In my coop one or two 100 watt bulbs will do nothing to keep the waterers from freezing. Plus last year when I kept lights on 24 hours (Learned to not do that) I hardly got any eggs at all. That's not gonna work at all as I have a friend at work who trades homemade jerky for eggs

So if heat is not available or politically correct or deemed to dangerous and there is a cold issue, what is to be done. What have others done? Oh and my wife will not let them in the house. Although I do have an old house with the old dungeon basement, I could put them down there so a short spell. May make what goes bump in the night take on a whole different meaning.

jeremy