cold and chickens

How old are your chickens? Did they sleep in the coop before you put the lamp in there? My chickens never had a lamp once they were fully feathered. Good ventilation is more important. A poorly ventilated coop that lets humidity build up will cause more harm than the cold. And chicken respiration causes a lot of humidity. My girls go thru nights in the teens with no lamp and no problems.

 

Last year I tried using a heat lamp and my birds did not like it they prefer to huddle up together so I stopped using it as when I checked on them in the wee wee hours they would always be awake so i think the light stopped them from getting to sleep, try leaving it turned off tonight and check to see if they have gone in before you leave for work
it would be better if you could shut the coop up at night to keep the heat in once they are roosted if they go in that is

 

Although you don't state where you live, how many and what size coop you have or the age or what kind of chickens you have...most chickens do great with no heat at all. They are covered in down you know, which is why they are probably escaping to the cooler perch instead of the coop. I live in NNY and we've already had a hard frost... I've decided not to heat the coop and mine fair just fine. They spent all day the other day in sleeting rain, outside...the coop was open, but they were happy to be outside scratching in the mud. The only time I see them retreat to the coop is when it is really windy, they just don't like the wind. There are plenty of threads on here about heating or not heating your coop. We get down into the negative 30's and I'm just going to use "deep liter" and heat their water so it doesn't freeze. I have a 10x10 coop and 30 chickens...its really warm in there. I don't plan on heating my coop at all. I have good insulation, but better ventilation..which is very important. Good luck, but I think your girls and boys will do just fine without the added heat lamp.

 

If your birds are fully feathered no need for a heat lamp at all in Florida. Might be closer to needing a/c

 

I'm sure a heat lamp isn't necessary - my girls have had zero change in production and it has been getting below freezing overnight for awhile now here in Northern Nevada. I don't plan on doing any "weather proofing" other than maybe wrapping the outer sides of the coop and one side of the pen in plastic since we have atrocious winds. Chickens handle cold weather well, except maybe some less cold-hardy breeds. In general, though, I think 50 degrees with a heat lamp is too warm and doesn't allow your chickens any chance to acclimate.

 

Mine spent the entire day outside yesterday, it was right around freezing here. 32F, or 0°C. Every time I checked they were laying outside in the dirt! In Florida I wouldn't be concerned about providing heat in the winter.

 

Unless they are not fully feathered out there is no need to heat a coop in florida. I'm near Tallahassee and I don't even have a coop. Mine are in open air pens.

 

Yeah ...mine seem to like the colder weather too ....it's been about 50ish degrees here at night and 70 during day too ( which is unseasonably warm for this time of year here in PA ) I was worried about cold too ..but they seem to like the cooler weather more ... I wouldn't worry yet and probably living florida (lucky hens ) your winter shouldn't be too bad for them ...I have read on here chicken owners not heating coops up at even 20 degrees and say their chickens are fine