Anyone use unconventional heating methods?

[Beaker99]

I never thought I'd consider heating my coop, but this last cold snap had us below 20°F for several days. We have our first case of mild frostbite. Coop is ventilated.
I don't want a heat lamp. I was considering something like heated pipe wrap on the walls or under the bottom. Just curious if anyone has some unconventional method for low level heat?

 

[DobieLover]

Please post pictures of your ventilation.

Frostbite should never occur in a properly ventilated coop with the temp only down to 20°F provided the birds didn't somehow go to roost wet with a subsequent drastic temp drop.

My flock has experienced several low single digit nights and none of the 21 birds have the slightest hint of frostbite, including some gals with good sized single combs.

 

[Beaker99]

Please post pictures of your ventilation.

Frostbite should never occur in a properly ventilated coop with the temp only down to 20°F provided the birds didn't somehow go to roost wet with a subsequent drastic temp drop.

My flock has experienced several low single digit nights and none of the 21 birds have the slightest hint of frostbite, including some gals with good sized single combs.

Sorry. My post was confusing. The highest for 10 days was 18. We were single digits or below for several days. -10 two consecutive nights.
The frostbite is only on one bird, with the largest comb. It's still yellow, so I think it's fine but I want to avoid this in the future. Maybe more ventilation instead of heat?

 

[TesoroSena]

I found rotating heaters that just plug in but are fire safe a while ago, I believe are on Amazon. I recommend a fire safe heater, they rlly help! I have had a fire start before with heat lamps so I like that better. Hope this helps

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Insulation is unconventional and I use 3 inch foam core in the walls and floor. I have plywood/metal roof uninsulated. It makes the difference when temps are in the teens to zero. No frostbite, peace of mind, works for me.

 

[Debbie292d]

We have a few weeks of subzero temps here and knew we'd be raising silkies and frizzles so planned to heat it when we built it inside an Amish steel-roofed shed. The coop is rocked. The heater is a thin oil-filled heater plugged into a GFI outlet. The biggest issue was not wanting their 5-gallon nipple bucket to freeze as I sure didn't want to lug water back and forth twice a day. We keep the coop 35-40F.

Another issue here is humidity. Right now it's 80% outside, but in the coop 62%. That's accomplished by us using horse bedding pellets on the floor, a nipple waterer, stall freshener where they perch, a heater, and a digital exhaust fan. We had to learn the hard way the first year when it was nearly raining in our coop.

 

[Dim2000]

What is the ideal heater for you?

 

[Dim2000]

I never thought I'd consider heating my coop, but this last cold snap had us below 20°F for several days. We have our first case of mild frostbite. Coop is ventilated.
I don't want a heat lamp. I was considering something like heated pipe wrap on the walls or under the bottom. Just curious if anyone has some unconventional method for low level heat?

Hi Beaker99. How does the ideal heater looks to you? I would like to invite you to my thread (My story of finding and building the best heater - https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-story-of-finding-and-building-the-best-heater.1612601/ ), where the ideal heater can be discussed, and I can have participant's feedback taken to the Canadian manufacturer finally to come up with better alternative.