Heating Chicken Coop???

[Joel Just Joel]

Ok that’s go to know I guess I will order one of those no light heat bulbs and see how it does and possibly add a couple flat wall heater next to the roosts. I have a new coop that I ordered from cutest coops and it is coming this May! I can’t wait! But right know I have two small windows right up next to the ceiling straight across from each other. They are open about 2 inches on each side for good cross ventilation. They are not near the roosts at all.

Please learn from my near miss this morning! Of course I know better, but in the busyness of life I just needed to keep our chickens from freezing and I got careless. Lesson re-learned: don't place unprotected heat lamps in a way that chickens can roost on them and knock them down onto combustibles! This was smoldering when I got to it this morning.

 

[Bobfein2005]

This is like the heater I use in my main coop. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstay...er-with-Adjustable-Thermostat-White/681622973 It doesn't get hot enough to burn is a chicken jumps onto the top of it. No exposed electric element to catch feathers on fire. In expensive and I only use the two or three lowest settings so it's economical.

Thanks very much

 

[azygous]

When a chicken comes into direct contact with the surface of the bulb, it can produce nasty burns. They should be handled as if they are open flames. Every safety precaution needs to be followed. That scorched floor is a scary reminder, That could have been a chicken.

 

[Joel Just Joel]

When a chicken comes into direct contact with the surface of the bulb, it can produce nasty burns. They should be handled as if they are open flames. Every safety precaution needs to be followed. That scorched floor is a scary reminder, That could have been a chicken.

So true. Didn't want smoked chicken for breakfast today!

 

[21hens-incharge]

@Joel Just Joel

Please tell us that the second lamp in this picture is now OFF.


That proximity to the shavings is not safe at all.

 

[Adolph Otto]

I have 26 hens and 2 roosters, no bantams they live in an 8x10 coop with a small covered run attach and have access to a large electric fenced-in area.

So, 80 square feet, 28 chickens? Do some sleep in the run?

 

[catballou]

Please learn from my near miss this morning! Of course I know better, but in the busyness of life I just needed to keep our chickens from freezing and I got careless. Lesson re-learned: don't place unprotected heat lamps in a way that chickens can roost on them and knock them down onto combustibles! This was smoldering when I got to it this morning.


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How did it get down there? You are very lucky!

 

[beckster01]

When my birds were chicks, they knocked over our ceramic “fire resistant” heating bulb into the pine shavings and it was smoldering within minutes Ever since, I’d rather have cold chickens than cooked chickens. They aren’t happy about it but seem to stay warm enough. But after this last storm they got spoiled by me bringing their food and water into the coop every day They refused to go outside until I spread straw over the snow in the run. Divas!

 

[Huntmaster]

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@Joel Just Joel

Please tell us that the second lamp in this picture is now OFF.


That proximity to the shavings is not safe at all.

That light fixture that fell doesn't look like a heat lamp fixture either it looks like a regular incandescent light fixture. That can cause a fire without falling. @Joel Just Joel

 

[Joel Just Joel]

That light fixture that fell doesn't look like a heat lamp fixture either it looks like a regular incandescent light fixture. That can cause a fire without falling.

You are right, of course, that one of those was a plain incandescent light fixture with reflector. However, it had adequate clearance and was theoretically safe while it was clipped on the roosting box. That illusion of safeness faded when roosting chickens knocked the clip loose. I was in a hurry setting it up, like I said, and took a risk that chickens would not knock down the hot lamp. Won't be making that mistake again!

FWIW, that fixture is now in the trash and will be replaced by some of the other wonderful tips suggested by others in this thread: Mylar bubble wrap, Cozy Coop flat panel heaters, and oil-filled radiant heaters on low temperature setting.