Chickens don't want the heater - seems weird

[WIchix]

I guess I don't really have a question so I figured I should post this here, in Random Ramblings. This is my first winter having chickens and I was VERY nervous when I saw the weather forecast. It stayed below zero from Thursday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. The worst was Thursday night at -29F. The radiant heater was hung on the wall at the end of a roost bar. The roosts are 6' long and they huddled on the opposite end of the roost bar at night. During the day, I would move the heater to ground level, still hung on a wall. I never really saw them by the heater. Whenever I go into the coop to work on something and I have to take my mittens off, the chickens love to peck at them. I put some old mittens in front of the heater thinking that would attract them to the heater, in case they didn't know they could warm themselves there. They pecked at the mittens when I first put them on the ground but then the next few days, when it was still below zero, I didn't see them by it. At night, when the heater was back up at the end of the roost bar, they would huddle at the other end of the bar. I think that's a little weird but I'm new to chickens.
I have 5 chickens, Isa Browns.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chicken feathers are very warm. They probably don't want any extra heat.

 

[WIchix]

yup. it looks like that is the case. -29F just seems extreme, but that's just me, but I'm not a chicken... well, in the literal sense

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

yup. it looks like that is the case. -29F just seems extreme, but that's just me, but I'm not a chicken... well, in the literal sense

I always think it's like when I get all suited up to go out in those temps with my multiple layers of thermals I personally would be uncomfortable dressed like that and sitting next to a heater too.

 

[Mrs. K]

Yep, Chickens produce a huge amount of heat. They can trap that heat, or let it dissipate into the air. This is why extreme heat can cause more problems, than cold.

Listen to what your chickens are telling you, they don't need it.

 

[FrostRanger]

You have to remember that chickens are basically wearing a down coat, as long as they are dry and can get out of the wind they can handle some surprisingly cold temps. Now, -29 is on the lower end of what I would let ride but if they are saying they're too hot with heat, then I would go with that until they indicate otherwise. I don't believe in if you're cold they're cold as what's cold is highly subjective. Rather, they're cold when they say they're cold. Usually animals are pretty good at indicating when they're too cold if you pay attention

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Mine have made it very clear over the last few days that, unless it's windy or heavy precipitation (or both), they want OUT of the run to go about their daily backyard business. At night, as long as they're not wet, they just pile into the coop and maaaaaybe roost a little closer than usual.