My story of finding and building the best heater

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aart said:
Will it be contained within the coop to recirculate or will it draw outside air?
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The idea is to make no modifications to the coop. So if you happen to have an existing ventilation for example - the inner recirculation will help to draw fresh air naturally without causing a draft. However if the coop is in a need of fresh air (according to my research it might happen if the coop is located down between hills or in the area where the winds are not strong enough to cause the entering of fresh air via ventilation holes in coop) - I can add a hose that connects outside to the heater, so it will draw fresh air (just the right amount, though).
 
The best feature would be the ability to directly wire to a battery. I have no electricity in my coop, so I have solar panels and batteries. A converter eats electricity, so it's so much better to be able to wire directly to 12v DC power.

A water heater like that would also be appreciated, by quite a few people, I think.
 
Debbie292d said:
Hiya, and welcome to BYC!! :frow

We heat our coop to 35-40F with a thin, oil-filled heater by NewAir. It has the capability to heat it way higher, but we don't. Features it has that I like, for chickens, would be the same for dogs.

Oil filled, so no hot coils.
Thermostatically controlled.
Safe if it tips over. (Ours can't tip over.)
Legs so it can be placed on a shelf and secured.
Totally sealed/encased so no dust/dander can get inside.

Cons: It is too hot to the touch for a chicken or a dog so has to be placed and secured out of reach for them.
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I use the same thing & made a wire "salt box top house shape" frame cover to keep any critters from trying to perch on or over it. Later, when I built coop#2, I included a hallway with coop sections to accommodate more Roos with their own hens, so middle of the hallway was perfect to set up the heater, no one could get to it, yet it kept the entire 12x24 coop at 37 to 45 degrees, which is what I wanted. In a hatchery room I used one to keep it 60 degrees & broody mamas hatched & raised there chicks no problem. I also set one up in a spare bathroom when I got chicks but didn't have a broody mama. Chicks were set up in the bathtub (puppy pee pads lined the tub) & the heater was set up a few feet from the tub. I had a feather duster dangling from the tub spigot & they'd huddle & nestle under there at night. The bathroom was a wonderful 85 to 95 degrees & I could gradually make it cooler as they grew, then move them to the hatchery room which is 6x6. I set the heater elevated up on 3 cinderblocks in the hatchery room, so the wood chips on the floor stayed on the floor. The chicks could jump up on the blocks but they never tried to jump up on the heater & I added the wire cover later anyway. We do not get brutal cold winters here, but when it does dip into the teens or 20s, it can be for a week or a month, so this option has worked great. For my flock in general, I just have water heaters in the coops to keep water from freezing. I find that my chickens put off a lot of body heat naturally & also humidity, so I control the coop by openings & closings of the north, south, east or west windows, based on wind & weather conditions, but there is usually always a window that will be opened, so humidity does not build up. It's worked out great. The only time all windows were all closed was during a hurricane. Keeping the coop dry inside is crucial whether it is summer or winter. We use Sweet PDZ & wood flake chips, & some compressed wood pellets, especially under poop perches & spend 15 min to scoop big poo up when we collect eggs, as less wet poo accumulated means better conditions in general.

Another option friends use for their adult critters...water heaters to keep water from freezing and a Cozy Flat Panel heater gadget to snuggle against. They set one up in the dog box for their dog, too. The dog box is built so it is a bit elevated & they line it wood chips, too. The dog house is set up underneath an elevated deck so he does not get any snow under there but can still see everything going on.

Your winters are much more brutal than here in Delaware, but maybe these ideas can give a little help.
 
Liz Birdlover said:
I use the same thing & made a wire "salt box top house shape" frame cover to keep any critters from trying to perch on or over it. Later, when I built coop#2, I included a hallway with coop sections to accommodate more Roos with their own hens, so middle of the hallway was perfect to set up the heater, no one could get to it, yet it kept the entire 12x24 coop at 37 to 45 degrees, which is what I wanted. In a hatchery room I used one to keep it 60 degrees & broody mamas hatched & raised there chicks no problem. I also set one up in a spare bathroom when I got chicks but didn't have a broody mama. Chicks were set up in the bathtub (puppy pee pads lined the tub) & the heater was set up a few feet from the tub. I had a feather duster dangling from the tub spigot & they'd huddle & nestle under there at night. The bathroom was a wonderful 85 to 95 degrees & I could gradually make it cooler as they grew, then move them to the hatchery room which is 6x6. I set the heater elevated up on 3 cinderblocks in the hatchery room, so the wood chips on the floor stayed on the floor. The chicks could jump up on the blocks but they never tried to jump up on the heater & I added the wire cover later anyway. We do not get brutal cold winters here, but when it does dip into the teens or 20s, it can be for a week or a month, so this option has worked great. For my flock in general, I just have water heaters in the coops to keep water from freezing. I find that my chickens put off a lot of body heat naturally & also humidity, so I control the coop by openings & closings of the north, south, east or west windows, based on wind & weather conditions, but there is usually always a window that will be opened, so humidity does not build up. It's worked out great. The only time all windows were all closed was during a hurricane. Keeping the coop dry inside is crucial whether it is summer or winter. We use Sweet PDZ & wood flake chips, & some compressed wood pellets, especially under poop perches & spend 15 min to scoop big poo up when we collect eggs, as less wet poo accumulated means better conditions in general.

Another option friends use for their adult critters...water heaters to keep water from freezing and a Cozy Flat Panel heater gadget to snuggle against. They set one up in the dog box for their dog, too. The dog box is built so it is a bit elevated & they line it wood chips, too. The dog house is set up underneath an elevated deck so he does not get any snow under there but can still see everything going on.

Your winters are much more brutal than here in Delaware, but maybe these ideas can give a little help.
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Very helpful. I love your profile picture.
 
hi there! Fellow Canadian :)
I don't heat my coop at all, it's on the smaller side and I have a small flock. We did have some cold days -20ish but overall it doesn't get too unbearable here for my girls as long as the wind is kept off of them.. I am not sure what I would want in a heater that isn't offered on such a think like a mountable panel heater (If I had a barn or bigger coop where it could be hung). An auto shut off timer after 8 hours should be standard, no? Anyways, best of luck w your project.
 
Oh yeah...just to add. When building the coops we did insulate them. I can tell the difference big time. Going into an insulated shed or coop, it tends to be cooler in summer & warmer in winter, naturally. When going into a shed that is not insulated...stifling hot in summer & frigid cold in winter. Insulation makes a huge difference in natural comfort level. Most winters I do not need a heat source at all here for the coops, just water heaters that do not really heat up water, they just keep it from freezing. Summers we hit triple digits, so a closed motor fan & access to shade are invaluable. It is not hard to take a shed & just finish it inside with Insulation & a cover wall using lauan. I then painted everything with good quality Benjamin Moore exterior water base paint & it holds up well inside with chickens. Caulking joints & Painted wood surfaces also deter mites setting up, but I still spray surfaces 1x a year with Permethrin & dust with some Prozap monthly, especially perching areas & nest boxes. Good insulation in construction will really help, I was amazed at how much so.
 
Liz Birdlover said:
Oh yeah...just to add. When building the coops we did insulate them. I can tell the difference big time. Going into an insulated shed or coop, it tends to be cooler in summer & warmer in winter, naturally. When going into a shed that is not insulated...stifling hot in summer & frigid cold in winter. Insulation makes a huge difference in natural comfort level. Most winters I do not need a heat source at all here for the coops, just water heaters that do not really heat up water, they just keep it from freezing. Summers we hit triple digits, so a closed motor fan & access to shade are invaluable. It is not hard to take a shed & just finish it inside with Insulation & a cover wall using lauan. I then painted everything with good quality Benjamin Moore exterior water base paint & it holds up well inside with chickens. Caulking joints & Painted wood surfaces also deter mites setting up, but I still spray surfaces 1x a year with Permethrin & dust with some Prozap monthly, especially perching areas & nest boxes. Good insulation in construction will really help, I was amazed at how much so.
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I've never heard of Prozap. I've been religious about Food Grade DE twice a month (realistically once a month :rolleyes:) and whilst never have mites/lice which you'd think they would since they free range same places as squirrels, chipmunks, and wild birds, albeit, they get SLM (scaly leg mites) about ever two years. I've resorted to thinking the DE must be great at all the other mites/lice, but not so good about those.

I just wonder if Prozap would do a better job on the SLM. Maybe a little of both?
 
Debbie292d said:
I've never heard of Prozap. I've been religious about Food Grade DE twice a month (realistically once a month :rolleyes:) and whilst never have mites/lice which you'd think they would since they free range same places as squirrels, chipmunks, and wild birds, albeit, they get SLM (scaly leg mites) about ever two years. I've resorted to thinking the DE must be great at all the other mites/lice, but not so good about those.

I just wonder if Prozap would do a better job on the SLM. Maybe a little of both?
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The one thing I need to remedy better is more dry pen space for dustbathing. There are always mites out & about but the dustbathe is the key! Right now with such rain, my pens are quite wet, even with added bark chunk mulch. Mud seems to encourage bumblefoot & mite activity. If mites do end up on the flock, they will be carried into the coop & migrate from the bird to the night perch & live in the crevices. I regret not covering at least half of the pens but I was thinking fresh air & sunshine, not tons of rain lol. Live & learn. Prozap is just a powder form of permethrin. Amazon has a 3 pack pkg.
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