Sponsored Post Tips From Nutrena: The Heat is On, But is heating the coop really necessary in winter?

[MaPa26]

I guess you could say we spoil our girls, yet they are not strangers to the cold. We had one of the coldest springs that Kansas has had in decades. We had snow in May, when we had already moved them outside. They had a little cedar doghouse that we covered with an old sleeping bag to help keep out the howling wind. When we built their coop, we planned ahead and provided a couple of fixtures for infrared heat lamps, just in case. The coop is 6 X 7' and the ceiling is high enough above them that they won't get overheated from them. One is over the roosting area and one is over the metal nesting boxes. I also use a deep layer of pine wood shavings. I keep water in the coop so they have access to it all night. With a low temperature of six degrees, last night, their water was a bit on the slushy side this morning. The wall thermometer, over their roosting bar, was at 42 degrees. We have six hens and we are still getting six eggs per day. They also free range in the yard. Every morning, they are waiting at the door of their pen, to get out and "play".

 

[Mudking79]

So after reading this, should I assume I definitely don't need to put a heat lamp in my coop? I live in south east texas, and the coldest it gets here is typically high 20s, RARELY.

 

[Utard]

So after reading this, should I assume I definitely don't need to put a heat lamp in my coop? I live in south east texas, and the coldest it gets here is typically high 20s, RARELY.

I would say people in Montana and Alaska should consider it but the rest of us it is basically pointless to heat a coop. Unless you live in an area that commonly gets down to 10 degrees and have a once in a hundred year cold snap and it is going to get down to -30 then yes maybe heat it just for the cold snap. But other wise it is just a waste of time, money and resources.

 

[blucoondawg]

I am in Northern WI and we do get some very cold weather and nasty wind chills, I don't heat my coop and didn't insulate the coop because if insulated the walls must be covered or the birds will eat the foam or at least tear it apart, and I don't want to go through the added expense of interior wall coverings. I do plan to hang a heat lamp just for the occasion it drops into the -20 or colder range, then I will turn on the lamp for some temporary relief until it gets back to the normal winter temps of 0 to upper 20s. So far we have had some -10 nights with no problems without heat.

 

[gwydiana]

I live in San Diego, CA and even though we have amazing weather, I've felt the need to buy a reptile heating rock for my lone chicken in her coop. The other girls won't accept her as a latecomer so I had to buy her a coop for just her alone. She doesn't have any sisters to huddle/cuddle with so I fear that she's cold as well as lonely at night The least I could do is buy her a warming rock.

 

[oletymer]

you can introduce her to the other girls in a strange space like a large dog kennel thats new to all of them for a few hours,
Pecking orders will change, may have to do it a few times until she's accepted

 

[JAG0105]

Thanks so much for this information. It really answered a lot of questions for me.

 

[oletymer]

We all learn new things every day

I was told to do this and it works for me...

 

[cluck cluck 123]

You don't really need to heat it but if you do you get more eggs.

 

[blondiebee181]

I have a smallish coop as it is and 4 hens in it. The only thing I do is cover the mesh floor with a thick layer of straw and they seem to do just fine. They don't like snow all that well, so they don't like going out and walking in it. I also swab my Leghorn's comb so it doesn't frostbite or get chapped. Winters can be dry here. I have 2 ducks that would probably spend their nights outside if I let them, they are super tough, but I do put them up in their straw-bedded insulated dog house before I go to bed each night. My biggest struggle is the water thing....I have to bust up ice each morning.