How do you heat your coops

[eeftheman]

I would insulate it and getting a heat lamp or two
I have had chickens die over winter because of the temp

 

[Our Roost]

Great argument coming from the negative debate side not choosing to use any form of heat other than chicken feathers and freezer proven poofed eider down. Aaaah the "comfort zone" question! Lets just say that my birds prefer to stay in their nicely designed warm coop verses braving the cold outdoors. I actually read the article posted about ways to keep your coop warmer with and without the use of heating sources. Nothing negative within it, just facts! It didn't promote either, but showed both sides of the coin so to speak. Great ways to tighten up your coop and provide more "Comfort" to your flock that lives within it year round. It touched base on drafts, ventilation, freezing water and a whole lot of other valuable information that keeps hardy never need heat chickens more stress free and "Comfortable". And yes, it helped me find a better "comfort" zone for my chickens. I didn't even have to buy a sweater for them or a heater!

"Drafts and Frost bite are issues so your coop doesn't need insulation but should be draft free and well ventilated". This comment really makes good sense! It explains very well how to get rid of the draft by letting more air in. Don't be confused by drafts and proper ventilation. They are 2 different animals. A draft is unwanted air leaking through where you "dont" want it to and ventilation is letting air in and venting it back out where you "do" want it to. Drafts are blocked by caulk, tar, insulation and other methods. Cross ventilation is generally outfitted near the roof of a coop to take in fresh air and expel moisture. odors, and amonia fumes from within the coop that can all contribute to frost bite and other infectious maladies.
Put some "positive" thought into what you do and always keep an open mind! Dress warm and don't forget your hat, boots, and gloves!

 

[4 the Birds]

We add brooder lamps to the coops during the Winter months. 15 of our birds are molting and half naked so they can choose to lay near the lamp or elsewhere in the coop. Our pop doors and downwind upper vents are always open. I have Farmer buddies that pretty much do the same thing.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Some people heat their coops to 70º F during the winter months. If the hydro should fail they bring their birds into the house until the hydro is restored. That sounds like a good method if you want to supply heat to your birds.
They get excellent egg production and happy hens.
If you are allergic to feathers or bird dandruff I suggest to dress warmly and stay outside until you can return your birds to the coop.

 

[Our Roost]

70 degrees faranheit? I don't even keep the inside of my house at that temp unless its absolutely freezing out! For me to bring 25 birds into my home would be ludicrous. If your coop is set up properly, free from drafts and correctly ventilated, not much if any heat is needed for your birds to fare even the coldest winters. I have 2 thermometers, one being inside the coop and one outside the coop. My inside coop temp has rarely dropped below 30 degrees f. while the outside temp was - 20 degrees. Generally speaking, I used only a light bulb and 2 low voltage heat lamps properly wired to take the chill off on colder days and nights dropping below normal temps. My biggest fear for my birds is frost bitten combs and damage to feet appendages. A lot of moisture comes from them breathing out warm air vapors along with excess moisture from fecal waste and toxic amonia buildup. You really have to keep a clean coop and properly ventilate to prevent this problem from happening to your chickens. Chickens are creatures of nature, great survivors, and we provide for them so they can provide for us. We may have domesticated them somewhat, but they can live on their own without much help. Keep it simple and only use heat when and where you need it when necessary. Freezing water might be a good example to use heat for the right cause.

 

[enola]

I have kept chickens in VA, WV and SC. I have never heated my coop. I do put lights for heat in my brooder in the winter. I have a home made heated base under the gravity waterer. With light for 13 hours a day I get eggs year 'round.

Proper ventilation and not overcrowding your birds goes a long way toward making your birds happy!

 

[Our Roost]

Dear enola, your doing good! When are you moving to Michigan? Much colder here!

 

[enola]

Michigan is a beautiful state, but much too cold for me!

I am going to the chicken house now......I will see what the girls think about moving. (wink)

 

[OldGuy43]

Some people heat their coops to 70º F during the winter months. If the hydro should fail they bring their birds into the house until the hydro is restored. That sounds like a good method if you want to supply heat to your birds.

You really have to keep a clean coop and properly ventilate to prevent this problem from happening to your chickens. Chickens are creatures of nature, great survivors, and we provide for them so they can provide for us. We may have domesticated them somewhat, but they can live on their own without much help. Keep it simple and only use heat when and where you need it when necessary. Freezing water might be a good example to use heat for the right cause.

Hokum, by hydro I'm going to assume that you mean hydro-electric.

That reminded be of a huge ice storm that hit the Midwestern US in about 1967. No electricity, no phones, roads impassible, water froze in the pipes. I knew some folks that kept a commercial dairy herd of about 200 head. As we all know a dairy cow, to keep producing needs to be milked twice a day, so that means using milking machines.

No electricity means no milking machines. These folks had to milk 200 head, in freezing cold twice a day for over 45 days. What really broke their heart and spirit was the fact that the only thing they could do with the milk was give it to the hogs. No way to store or ship it.

The point is that if you don't let your birds get used to cold and the power goes out what do you do? Build them a bonfire?

OR, I agree on all points. Particularly the one about keeping a clean and dry shelter. Freezing water at night doesn't worry me much. Chickens roost at night. The ducks have their pond.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

This is such a "hot" topic! It always brings out the most vehement of opinions.

One thing I learned through my long winter last year when I "needed" heat at -30 F for one special needs Rooster -- most of the more experienced chicken ranchers on here would have probably culled anyways. The Healthy Hens did just fine in the bitter cold. Although it didn't stop me worrying about them. If you are a good animal keeper and practice good husbandry-- you care for your animals in the harsh elements. To be honest in my minimally insulated coop (roof only) it probably only knocked the temp up about 10 degrees or more in the coop anyways. And probably wasn't needed at all, retrospectively. The fluff and downy feathers developed by those birds over the winter was amazing. I picked up a lost feather this spring and just examined it and it blew me away how well fortified my birds were for the winter with their plumage. This feather was much more dynamic than others I had picked up the fall before.

IDK. There's two different ways of doing things on here with the cold. And it really depends on what kind of chicken owner you are...I'm not here to judge...but I think the strong opinions come from people who really care about their own birds and from those that really want people educated about their own birds.

Warm moist conditions giving way to disease and loss and not having birds acclimatized to ferocious winters lead to sad emotional losses. These people need more education and to let go a bit and let mother nature work out acclimatizing their birds. Will it hurt to throw a heat lamp in an uninsulated coop one or two nights that draws near -30 F? Probably not. If your birds have already grown out their winter Fluff. But minimizing the risk of fire needs to be attended to then as well.

I think it comes down to your birds' purpose or what you have chickens for. Farm? Pets? Food? Show? Do you have large combed breeds--more susceptible to frostbite and nipping off the points? Do you care if your rooster gets a winter dubbing? I think everybody's chicken keeping experience is different by their own coop design, chicken breeds selected, reasons for getting them, and how they deal with illness in the flock--nursing to health or culling. There's lots of differences sometimes to weigh...but don't underestimate the similarity in chickens and their ability to deal with the cold--which they're pretty darn good at.