I know heat lamps can be a heated (no pun intended...) topic. Some people think they are the best thing since sliced bread and some think they are nasty, vile, creatures. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I am trying to form my opinion on heat lamps, so I would like to hear when/why people hang up heat lamps without people bashing people and putting them down because their opinions differ. I, personally, last year, turned it on every time it got below freezing. My chickens hardly went out last year because they didn't like being blasted with cold air after a warm, cozy coop. There were several times when I almost lost some chickens because they were so used to the warmth and I either forgot to turn the lamp on or the electricity went out. So, this year, I haven't turned them on at all, and it's gotten into the low twenties. My chickens are doing GREAT, even better then last year, and haven't shown many signs of "I'M COLD!" even though technically, they are colder now then they were last year. So I am trying to NOT use the heat lamp as much as possible. Now, (To finally get to my question) I am wondering if there is a point when taking the risk of a power outage is just as great as not providing heat, because say, it's -20. Clear as mud?
your chickens will be just fine 
