Circadian rhythms and chickens?

[LovinMyPeeps]

I have added red heat lamps to my coop in order to off set the horribly cold nights we have here in northern NY, but when I went outside (not in the coop) to put out the trash at 12:30pm my roosters crowed their heads off when they heard me. Is the light going to disturb or damage my chickens somehow? Is there a better way to keep them warm?

 

[PurpleChicken]

Chickens do not need heaters. Give them a draft free coop and extra hay and they will be fine.

Your red heat lamp is a fire hazard and waste of electricity. To answer your question, yes it can hurt your chickens. Chickens are supposed to molt and the light may prevent this. Messing with the sleep cycle can also compromise their immunities.

 

[patandchickens]

There are lots of things you can do to help the coop be warmer. A heatlamp would be my LAST choice (in fact, to me electrical heating is the last-choice *type* of option, but if you ARE using electric heating, there are much safer options than a heatlamp).

See the 'cold coop' link in my .sig below for discussion of things you can do.

The very first thing, though, is to make sure you NEED to be doing something. Are your chickens actually showing any signs of coping poorly? If not, just let them be

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Chickenaddict]

Depending on what breed the chickens are I would have to disagree about them not needing heat. I sold a serama rooster to a friend and when the temps dropped below freezing the little guy died! I use a radiant ceiling mounted heater in my coop and it seems to work well, I think it is safer then a heat lamp in a straw filled coop anyday.