CAUTION- Hang your HEATLAMPS high. GRAPHIC Story

[Bossmode]

Howdy chicken friends!

I just wanted to throw a word of caution out there if you are running heat lamps in the winter.

!CAUTION!
*This morning I walked into my coop to a gruesome scene; One of my 5 month old little hens got her head caught between the heat bulb and the 'bulb protection bars' and literally burnt half her head off. It was the most awful thing I have ever seen.*

I THOUGHT my heat lamps were high enough, tho wanted them to be low enough so my 3 recovering chickens could get as much heat as possible during the cold winter nights.
Apperantely the lamp was JUST low enough for the poor girl to tippy toe into the trap and die of a painful, slow death. I feel miserable and like a d*mb*ss.
She had no chance to get out as it was super tight and her feet were barely touching the ground.

I got lucky her feathers did not catch fire as my whole chicken barn would have burnt down before I known it. The lamp literally burnt a hole through her skull.

Please make sure this does not happen to you, learn from my mistake, as I did not think that this could ever happen. This chick should be alive and did not deserve such horrible death.

 

[cj7495dzya]

Howdy chicken friends!

I just wanted to throw a word of caution out there if you are running heat lamps in the winter.

!CAUTION!
*This morning I walked into my coop to a gruesome scene; One of my 5 month old little hens got her head caught between the heat bulb and the 'bulb protection bars' and literally burnt half her head off. It was the most awful thing I have ever seen.*

I THOUGHT my heat lamps were high enough, tho wanted them to be low enough so my 3 recovering chickens could get as much heat as possible during the cold winter nights.
Apperantely the lamp was JUST low enough for the poor girl to tippy toe into the trap and die of a painful, slow death. I feel miserable and like a d*mb*ss.
She had no chance to get out as it was super tight and her feet were barely touching the ground.

I got lucky her feathers did not catch fire as my whole chicken barn would have burnt down before I known it. The lamp literally burnt a hole through her skull.

Please make sure this does not happen to you, learn from my mistake, as I did not think that this could ever happen. This chick should be alive and did not deserve such horrible death.

I have mine up high and I don't think my hens can get up to them they are away from them

 

[featheredplanets]

I’m so sorry you and your hen had to go through that, it’s such a sad situation

There are often stories on here about coop fires, my heart goes out to all the owners and pets that suffer. But sometimes it’s just safer to do what you can to keep your girls protected without using heat. I hope you’ve made changes to your setup that will keep your other hens safe but please don’t beat yourself up about it, most lessons are learned the hard way.

 

[aart]

OhHorrors!!

between the heat bulb and the 'bulb protection bars'

Pics of this might help.

Googling average temps in BC, you don't need a heat lamp.
Lowest average temps is not even below freezing.

 

[Ridgerunner]

OhHorrors!!

Pics of this might help.

Googling average temps in BC, you don't need a heat lamp.
Lowest average temps is not even below freezing.

Try Fort Nelson BC. The expected low for tomorrow is -16 C, or 3 F, well below freezing. It's not averages where you get in trouble, it's the extremes. British Columbia is a big place.

I don't know what Bossmode's coop looks like or the flock make-up but it is highly likely additional heat is not necessary. At some point additional heat may be a benefit but typically this is not it. But that can vary based on individual conditions.

Bossmode, it is a timely warning. Any method of adding heat to a coop presents risks. You need to take proper precautions. Hopefully someone can learn from this.

 

[Bossmode]

Pics of this might help.

Googling average temps in BC, you don't need a heat lamp.
Lowest average temps is not even below freezing.

I'm not here to debate whether I should run a heat lamp or not, this is a word of caution and up to every individual themselves.
I have ran heat the past 4 years, and we did have -37° celcius last week, this is a no brainer as I have sick chickens. I try to look after them as best I can and some people might never run heat no matter how cold it gets. Each their own!

So those are pictures of the bulb and cage I was talking about. There is no room for them to get out if they wiggle themselves in. The heat is too much to give them any time.

I was contemplating of removing the guard all together, but if the light/bulb ever falls it will start a fire for sure.
What I thought was high enough for the chickens to be safe, was not. Consider this only has happened to me 1x in 4 years, but still should be an eye opener as it CAN happen!

Anyways hang them high enough so they won't get caught by just stretching their necks.

 

[2 many chickens]

Oh no I am so very sorry.
Exactly why I don't use heat lamps in the coops.

 

[featheredplanets]

Is there anyway to put galvanised mesh or chicken wire over the guard so they can’t put their head in it? My lamp had a guard but with smaller gaps

 

[Bossmode]

Is there anyway to put galvanised mesh or chicken wire over the guard so they can’t put their head in it? My lamp had a guard but with smaller gaps

That is a brilliant idea and definitely would be easy do-able!
Either way from now on I am hanging them higher, but yes, if you have tiny day old's, that will prevent them from getting in all together.

 

[Cryss]

OhHorrors!!

Pics of this might help.

Googling average temps in BC, you don't need a heat lamp.
Lowest average temps is not even below freezing.

X2!! I have never heated my coops even when my coops were horrible TSC coops and am in my 3rd winter. There are too many horror stories about fires. My birds have never had a problem and rush out the pop door at dawn to enjoy even the coldest day in the open. They all wear down jackets that their Mother Nature gave them. We can occasionally get down to below zero temps here. Chickens flap and jump and fly and fuss and scatter dander, dust, shavings, and feathers. These can cause a fire. They can even knock down a heat lamp.
The only problem you have now is that your birds have lived with heat and not been acclimated. As seasons start to cool it stimulates feather growth. By the time it’s seriously cold they have lovely down jackets. It’s a bit late to let them try to acclimate now and could freeze to death in an unheated living space. If you have a heated garage that would be a safer alternative for this winter.
Perhaps someone else could have a better alternative.