Anyone keep a heat lamp in the coop during the winter?

[Relleoms]

A a search on cookie tin heaters.
Seems this may be a viable solution with a thermocube installed.

The problem I’ve had with heated bases, including the cookie tin, is the water “up top” froze, so there was nothing to refill the heated reservoir. It was fine when temperatures hovered around freezing, but worthless as temperatures dropped near zero.

 

[chickens really]

Hello from Alberta, Canada..Brrrrrr!
I run a heat lamp and use a rubber livestock bowl on bricks to keep my water from freezing.

 

[Mosey2003]

The problem I’ve had with heated bases, including the cookie tin, is the water “up top” froze, so there was nothing to refill the heated reservoir. It was fine when temperatures hovered around freezing, but worthless as temperatures dropped near zero.

Yeah, then you'd have to put a heat lamp above it too. By the time you go to all that trouble you could have just bought a heated waterer and been done.

 

[RonP]

The problem I’ve had with heated bases, including the cookie tin, is the water “up top” froze, so there was nothing to refill the heated reservoir. It was fine when temperatures hovered around freezing, but worthless as temperatures dropped near zero.

My modified cookie tin, see link in my signature, has a 50W flood light. 5 gallons remained unfrozen at -9F, the lowest recorded temperature recorded in my coop to date.

Hope this helps.

 

[cmom]

My brother lives in northern Michigan and uses a heated base under his waterer. He has never mentioned having any issues with it. Not sure how he keeps his horses water from freezing. I'll have to ask him.

 

[50-45-1]

I'm in northern Michigan. I opted for no electricity in my coop. It's a walk in coop. Coldest days in winter I go out each morning, take waterer to coop filled with warm water. Evening, bring waterer in house. They dont drink or eat overnite anyway. There are very few days water is frozen during the day.

 

[itsmyguess]

This being my first winter with my four Buffs I learned the hard way not to leave the water in the coop , had to do some cleaning. I live in Will county IL, we hit 19 degrees a couple of nights now . I did the old cookie tin with a 60 W bulb during the day Outside I leave there water in the run.
At night I just put in the garage, the coop is behind the garage it works fine.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I’m considering it this year.

I was also. I live in Canada and the coldest it ever gets is -40º but with cold hearty birds I could not see the point.

 

[Toothpick]

Wowzer! Thanks everyone for the replies. This was really eye opening. I think I'll scratch the heated coop idea and go with a heated water pan of sorts. We have a local TSC so I'll pop in there and check them out.

Thanks everyone!

 

[lutherpug]

I also use a stock tank heater in a 5 gallon bucket. Works flawlessly.