Fire Safety in your Chicken Coop & Barn - IMPORTANT!

[aoxa]

Now I know everyone thinks that it won't happen to you. I was like that as well. Yeah fires happen, but not to me.

My ignorance was quickly shattered this Monday when we awoke to our barn in full flames. Nothing at all could be done. We lost everything: Two sheep, Four turkeys, Six Ducks, Four Geese, Roughly 100 breeding chickens, 20 chicks and our Livestock Guardian Dog, Clementine.

This isn't a thread trying to get your condolences, though I really appreciate it. I am heartbroken, yes. They were my passion. My dream.

This thread is designed to make you think twice about what you do in your own barn/coop, and to open your eyes to the risks in things you may not even consider a fire risk.

• The obvious - make sure if you have chicks in the barn/coop that you have your heat lamp SECURED. Do not trust the clamps. They can slip off easily and the heat lamp can fall to the ground and catch the shavings on fire.
• Extension Cords - Please, please do not use these if you can help it. If you do have to use them, Make sure you are not drawing a lot of power from them (IE: Don't attach an extension cord to a power block and plug a lot into them).
• DUST your lights and outlets regularly. Dust is a big issue.. You know how much dust a couple of chickens can create.. If dust builds up on heat lamps, or even regular light bulbs the dust itself can catch on fire.
• If you use extension cords, use heavy duty, and only ones meant for outdoors. Make sure they are all intact and have no rips or tears in the coating.
• Another extension cord tip: Do not staple them into the wall to keep out of reach of birds. If you hit the cord itself it can create an issue
• Store baled hay AWAY from livestock. Hay/bedding storage should not be near lights, fans, electrical boxes, heaters or outlets.
• Flammable substances should be kept away from the barn. (We had 5 propane tanks stored in the loft. BAD idea.
• Improperly utilized heat lamps are a major source of barn fires. They are often placed too close to hay and bedding which may ignite quite easily from the heat. Never use extension cords with heat lamps.
• When storing newly baled hay, the temperature should be monitored. Adequate ventilation should be provided for additional drying of the hay. If too much heat builds up, spontaneous combustion can occur. (Never purchase hay that is hot - because it can mean that it was baled too wet. In addition to being a fire hazard, the hay may turn moldy, making it unpalatable and unhealthy for horses to eat.)
• Outlets and switch boxes should be made of metal and have dust- and water-tight spring-loaded covers that close when released. Ground fault receptacles should be utilized for all outlets.

• Please read the following tips other users contributed.

  • If I may, I'd like to also recommend that electrical wiring in barns be enclosed in conduit, and all permanent light fixtures be in cages, especially where the larger livestock might potentially break the bulbs by rearing or rough-housing.
  • And if you can, store hay and bedding in a separate building at least 30 feet away from your barns and house.

  
  Quote:

We went from this....



To this...

Fire can be prevented. Please be aware, and pass the message along.

If I can save any of you from the anguish I feel - I have served my purpose.

 

[ClothespinQueen]

We lost everything in the Bastrop TX wildfires of Sept 2011... so we know all about fires.

We've rebuilt our home and are now in the process, within the next couple of weeks, of building our first chicken coop! (Though I should say that both of us did grow up in rural areas/on farms and both of us had chickens as kids.)

I've read in the comments to this post that many coop/barn fires are caused by heater lamps and dust on the bulbs and... since we've already gone through the fire thing once, we'd REALLY like to avoid the fire issue. What, besides the heat lamp, will work for adult girls? And, can you install a smoke detector in a chicken coop? Our coop, since we are in the hot and humid Texas, will be open on one side with a secure dog kennel for the outer part of the pen. We'll only need a heat source occasionally in the winter.

And, just a thought for everyone... make sure your out buildings are listed on your home owners insurance. You want to make sure you have coverage in case the worst does happen. For that matter - check your home owners insurance and make sure you have enough coverage for your house too and ask them what you need to have to file a claim. Usually, a list of ALL items in your house (down to how many and what kind of undies you have and how many bottle of shampoo - not kidding) including model numbers and serial numbers. Disasters are traumatizing enough but sadly, as we've learned, the insult to injury comes from trying to get compensation from the insurance company.

 

[ReikiStar]

Justine -- thank you for sharing your experience and posting this to help others avoid the unimaginable pain you're going through now. Either we don't think of "what if" scenarios or we put too much trust in things because they haven't given us problems before. Just like a parent needs to baby-proof their home, fur-parents need to fire proof animal homes as much as possible.

I don't know how you can be so clear minded at this time, but the points you made, esp. about the condition of some hay or acknowledging when the breakers are telling you "too much" are really excellent reminders.

Our hearts go out to you and your family.

Looking forward to watching the re-birth of LES Farm.

 

[Sally8]

DH is a volunteer fireman and I have a family member that is a retired fire investigator. They both are adamant "Do not ever use an extension cord for anything" Although I do, I always use a cord far bigger than what I need for power. They mean in the house as well as out. Those little designer cords should be outlawed. Yesterday when we were in Tractor Supply, DH says, "What a fire hazard!" In the center of all the tanks of chicks were a dozen extension cords all over, plugged in to each other, going to the heat lamps for the chicks. My first thought was that the company was not being a very good example. I wonder how many go home and do the very same thing. I know everyone is worried about extension cords but keep in mind so many other factors can cause an electrical fire. If you blow fuses, maybe replace it once but if it happens again, there is a problem somewhere. Chicken dust is not good for us to breathe in and definitely not in a socket. I think electrical fires are the worst. They move fast. Don't be afraid, just be sensible.

 

[3 NH reds]

I to am sorry for your loss and just wanted to add a few items regarding fire safety. I was a volunteer firefighter for a number of years and these are a few things I can recall from that side as well as this one. Remember a large number of fire departments are volunteer especially in rural areas. That means they are in bed just like you and when the pager goes off the must go to the station, get the truck and then get from the station to you. So don't count on the fire department to save your barn. Even a full time department down the street would have problems saving a barn once its burning. So the reality of it is you need to do everything possible to keep it from catching fire in the first place.

Next a lot of farm lanes/driveways are made for things other than firetrucks to navigate. Get with your local fire department to make sure they are able to get fire apparatus from the road to your barn do not assume without verifying it.

A water supply is crucial if you don't live in an area with a hydrant. If you have a farm pond, ask your fire department or local municipality about putting a dry hydrant on it the fire department can access in emergencies if its close to the road, or something you can do for your own property. Again they have to be able to access it with a heavy truck. Yes they carry water but its not enough for a barn fire.

The best prevention is getting heat alarms and smoke detectors installed in crucial areas preferably wired to your house. Again ask your local fire department for advice on specifically what to get and where to put it. They are firefighters because they like helping people. Most of this stuff is free except the equipment. Most fire departments like when people are proactive in fire prevention and are more than willing to do these things. They may even enjoy seeing your farm and meeting your animals! For the little it will cost you to install the heat and smoke alarms, I assure you they are worth their weight in gold if you value your livestock.

I can add one thing about access to your property. We live in a rural area and we can't see the nearest house. My neighbor had put up a locked gate, he even locked it when he was home. We had no crime in the area but I guess he felt safe like this. One day he had a stroke and called 911. When they got there they could not get in. The extra time it took to find a way around and get him out to the ambulance almost cost him his life. We did loose a town hermit who had used a bulldozer to block him in, same thing but because of this he died while they were getting to him. The point of all this is to make sure emergency responders can get to you

 

[Jakoda]

I am so very very sorry for your loss, how devastating hugs to you
I am fire paranoid myself, won't even use heat lamps , this is good info tho for newbies especially
again, my sympathies
Diane

 

[Herducks]

I am so sorry

I know it is heart breaking. So hard to loose so many.

 

[aoxa]

Thank you guys.

We are now very cautious. Our new barn is going to be decked out with safety features. We're going to have alarms that sound up at the house if anything down on the barn catches on fire in the future.. though it took forever for the fire department to arrive.

There were explosions from the propane tanks. It was terrifying.

 

[Eggsoteric]

Mere words cannont express how terribly sorry I am for your loss.

 

[NanaKat]

Aoxa..so sorry to be reading about your fire and the losses. Your information is so helpful and reminds us that fires can be prevented.

We have several old fashioned pole barns. The main barn houses my birds in a hen house and a brooder room. We have rewired the barn In the past several years with new wiring and enclosed light fixtures. Hubby put in new outlets and installed one up on a rafter for our ceiling fans.

As I left the barn earlier this evening, I noticed a sparrow had constructed a nest of straw, grass and twigs on top of the outlet. I immediately pulled it down and cleaned the outlet.

So adding to the list of things to watch..nests constructed by wild birds near outlets and light fixtures.