Calculating heat energy

[r709shackleford]

Hi,
Heat is a big concern in cold climates, and many times I have seen the figure of 10 watts per chicken posted on the forum. It is accepted/assumed that 10 watts of power is how much an average adult chicken produces.

My question:

1. How many watts of does a bantam chicken produce? Would it be 5 because an adult bantam is about half the size of a normal chicken?
2. How many watts does a duck produce?
3. And really tricky:...How is the 10 watts per chicken calculated? Or who knows the scientific study that came up with that data.

Just curious about #3. I'm only after 1&2 for my coop purposes.

Tnx

 

[Hazard]

What the heck are you talking about?

Watts and Chickens? Watts is a unit of measure for electricity.

I guess I gotta go to Google on this one....

 

[Hazard]

Ha! Ok, I see what your doing. You have assessed the BTU output of a chicken and are trying to translate that to a respective heat source output in your coop.

I guess in Alaska you need to think about that kind of stuff.

Sorry, no help to you, but enjoy the free bump!

 

[Roxannemc]

Hi,
Heat is a big concern in cold climates, and many times I have seen the figure of 10 watts per chicken posted on the forum. It is accepted/assumed that 10 watts of power is how much an average adult chicken produces.

My question:

1. How many watts of does a bantam chicken produce? Would it be 5 because an adult bantam is about half the size of a normal chicken?
2. How many watts does a duck produce?
3. And really tricky:...How is the 10 watts per chicken calculated? Or who knows the scientific study that came up with that data.

Just curious about #3. I'm only after 1&2 for my coop purposes.

Tnx

Well 10 watts seems would be like 7 chickens would be 70 watts right? Dont over think it.
So how many more watts do you need in the bulb you use to make them comfortable?.
Thing is doesnt seem to take into account how cold it is outside and then INSIDE your coop without ANY heat. or with the 70 watts from 7 chickens and say a 60 watt bulb also
. Might just birng it to zero if it way below or up to 80 if its warm.
Think you just need a thermometer in there tell how warm it is and how you want it .... trial and error.(I never heard of this watt thing either. I think its just a way to let you know they put out SOME heat themselves so you dont need too much ...except maybe in someplace REALLY cold! like you are.Good luck!.
.

 

[CoopChick719]

Hi,
Heat is a big concern in cold climates, and many times I have seen the figure of 10 watts per chicken posted on the forum. It is accepted/assumed that 10 watts of power is how much an average adult chicken produces.

My question:

1. How many watts of does a bantam chicken produce? Would it be 5 because an adult bantam is about half the size of a normal chicken?
2. How many watts does a duck produce?
3. And really tricky:...How is the 10 watts per chicken calculated? Or who knows the scientific study that came up with that data.

Just curious about #3. I'm only after 1&2 for my coop purposes.

Tnx

Thought you might find this BYC thread interesting--started by a fellow Alaskan in response to someone Florida.
Think it's too cold for your chickens? Think again... (https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/421122/think-its-too-cold-for-your-chickens-think-again) Best Wishes from Maine!

 

[CoopChick719]

Hi Shackleford,

One more BYC link for you on heat & the coop. I am a newbie but found this article very informative!! Hope it helps!
Winter-Coop-Temperatures (https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/winter-coop-temperatures)

 

[r709shackleford]

Ha! Ok, I see what your doing. You have assessed the BTU output of a chicken and are trying to translate that to a respective heat source output in your coop.

I guess in Alaska you need to think about that kind of stuff.

Sorry, no help to you, but enjoy the free bump!

Yeah, It makes more sense to use BTUs. However, I have only seen Watts used for a reference. Anywho, this is something I am just considering out of curiousity. I wanted to know how to calculate my coop watts/btus. For example 10 adult chickens = 100 watts. 10 bantams (5 watts/ea) = 50 watts. 5 ducks ( 10 watts/ea) so total would be 250 watts produced just from my animals. These are all just guesses.

Well 10 watts seems would be like 7 chickens would be 70 watts right? Dont over think it.
So how many more watts do you need in the bulb you use to make them comfortable?.
Thing is doesnt seem to take into account how cold it is outside and then INSIDE your coop without ANY heat. or with the 70 watts from 7 chickens and say a 60 watt bulb also
. Might just birng it to zero if it way below or up to 80 if its warm.
Think you just need a thermometer in there tell how warm it is and how you want it .... trial and error.(I never heard of this watt thing either. I think its just a way to let you know they put out SOME heat themselves so you dont need too much ...except maybe in someplace REALLY cold! like you are.Good luck!.
.

I have a thermometer/humidifier in there. We recently had a cold spell lasting about two weeks when it was about 0 or colder. With wind at night it was about -25 below. I had two 250 watt heat lamps. So then that would be about 750 watts of heat in my coop (refer to my math in above comment). With all my birds, and two heat lamps it was only about 10-15 degrees above. So 750 watts made a difference of about 30 degrees. This is all just estimating. Help plan the electric bill.

Hi Shackleford,

One more BYC link for you on heat & the coop. I am a newbie but found this article very informative!! Hope it helps!
Winter-Coop-Temperatures (https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/winter-coop-temperatures)

Tnx!