Eggsakly
Chirping
- May 5, 2015
- 200
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I used a heat lamp for my coop this past winter, but my coop is within a shop/out-building on my property. It's a one-room cabin, actually, that is not heated but it does have electricity. My coop has tons of ventilation, including one large space covered in hardware cloth that could be either a door or a window if the coop were outside, but for now it's just a screened opening. The heat lamp is outside of the window/door and shines onto the water and kept it thawed most of the winter, all but those coldest -23F days we had earlier this year. This is a photo I took during construction, and the "barn" hasn't been tidied up yet, but you can see it here.
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Yes, there is a risk here, and I plan on doing better next year, but . . . my pullets began laying right at the winter solstice and I have been overflowing with eggs ever since. No one, including my rooster, has frostbite. I see a LOT of frostbitten chickens in Alaska, and I find that sad. I only lost a couple of eggs to freezing, even during the coldest days - my nest boxes are inside the coop, not outside. And . . . maybe this is most important of all . . . I sure was a lot more comfortable this past winter being out there visiting, tending to, cleaning up after, and otherwise keeping chickens! It probably cost an extra $50 - $60 a month in electricity, which, along with safety is why I'll do better next winter, but a little heat in the coop added to quality of life for both me and the chickens in multiple ways, in my opinion.
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Yes, there is a risk here, and I plan on doing better next year, but . . . my pullets began laying right at the winter solstice and I have been overflowing with eggs ever since. No one, including my rooster, has frostbite. I see a LOT of frostbitten chickens in Alaska, and I find that sad. I only lost a couple of eggs to freezing, even during the coldest days - my nest boxes are inside the coop, not outside. And . . . maybe this is most important of all . . . I sure was a lot more comfortable this past winter being out there visiting, tending to, cleaning up after, and otherwise keeping chickens! It probably cost an extra $50 - $60 a month in electricity, which, along with safety is why I'll do better next winter, but a little heat in the coop added to quality of life for both me and the chickens in multiple ways, in my opinion.
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