Cold chickens.....when to use heat lamp?

[JJCURETON]

My coop was attacked by a Big Horned Owl which killed two of our hens. Owl had attacked all our hens pulling out feathers. Now we noticed that even our flock are loosing more feathers. We think they are attacking each other starting with the trama they went through with the owl. Thought about separating all of them until the can calm down. Does anyone have any ideas? The Owl ended up in the coop. This did not happen outside. Thanks for any help you can give us.

 

[JackE]

The old way that you mentioned was to toss the poor darlings out in the cold cold snow and let them dine on what ever they found laying around in the hoof prints of the cow, the horse, and the pig.

There never was a predator problem back then because any and all vermin were shot on sight so as you can imagine adequate ventilation was a non starter because any and all chickens ranged as free and as unrestrained as the Smallpox virus.

The farmers' garden was located far enough away from the house place so that depredations by the chicken flock wasn't an issue, or else hog wire or field fencing was erected to keep the poor darlings at bay.

Never never never forget however that any and all varmints from the smallest to the mightiest were as apt to wind up in the stew pot as was a sliced carrot, diced onion, or a striking hen.

Well, the coop design is over 100yrs old. I'd say that is a representation of the old way. Maybe some half a$$ed people just threw their chickens out in the snow. But not anybody that was in business, and was counting on the eggs, or the birds themselves for food.

Never a predator problem, huh? Yeah I'm sure every pred was just seen, and shot on sight. I'm sure way back then nobody lost a bird, in your imagined utopia.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

The commercialization of the chicken began about 100 years ago. Up until that time there was first no scientifically formulated feeds to keep laying hens or Spring chickens healthy year round. nor was there any vaccines or other medicines, The only way to accomplish it was to toss the poor poor darlings out into the cold cold snow and force them to fend for themselves. They found enough goodies hiding in the weeds or living in the barnyard dung to stay relatively healthy. That is why no one use to confine their cattle, horses, swine, sheep, etc. Split rail fences instead were erected around every crop field to keep Old Dobbin and Bossy the Cow from eating the crops. The median egg production per hen was about 80 eggs per year or a shade over 6 dozen.

It is what it was and the good old days are better dead and buried.

 

[JackE]

The image below is a good indicator of the relative importance chicken farmers place on good or adequate ventilation.

THIS, is the post I was answering. You show a modern chicken house/coop, and talk about ventilation. I, post a pic of a coop, based on a 100yr old design. Coops. of THAT design were used by commercial poultry farmers. Although the coops they used were much larger, and could house something like 500 birds, each.
We were talking about coop ventilation, and you go off on some tangent, about throwing the birds out into the snow, and leaving them to fend for themselves. Picking through hog and cow crap, to get a meal. Man, talk about going off subject. You took a hard left and tied off the wheel.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

THIS, is the post I was answering. You show a modern chicken house/coop, and talk about ventilation. I, post a pic of a coop, based on a 100yr old design. Coops. of THAT design were used by commercial poultry farmers. Although the coops they used were much larger, and could house something like 500 birds, each.
We were talking about coop ventilation, and you go off on some tangent, about throwing the birds out into the snow, and leaving them to fend for themselves. Picking through hog and cow crap, to get a meal. Man, talk about going off subject. You took a hard left and tied off the wheel.

We were discussing the importance of ventilation in the housing of poultry. If you will only return a few posts and reread what I said. What I posted was written with understanding and with a considerable amount of both time and work that involved tending to chickens. And by the way chickens love no meal better than a fresh warm pile of cow, horse, or hog crap. If you were a free range chicken up to the middle part of the 20th Century and even continuing to today, Cow, Horse, and Pig poop was what there was for dinner. Similar to this ad aimed at us humans. You beef farmers forgive me, but its what's for dinner.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

My coop was attacked by a Big Horned Owl which killed two of our hens. Owl had attacked all our hens pulling out feathers. Now we noticed that even our flock are loosing more feathers. We think they are attacking each other starting with the trama they went through with the owl. Thought about separating all of them until the can calm down. Does anyone have any ideas? The Owl ended up in the coop. This did not happen outside. Thanks for any help you can give us.

Big Horned Owls taste JUST like chicken.

 

[WilOak]

Hey there Folks-


I am somewhat new to having chickens other than being around my grandmas small flock years ago,

Here is what I have

4 Barred Rock Chickens. 22 weeks old
A small starter Coop:
Dimensions: 83L x 33.5D x 52.5H in
Product can be found here: http://www.hayneedle.com/product/boomerandgeorgetreetopschickencoop1.cfm

I live in Virginia and we can get down in the single digits in the winter. With that said I have a few simple questions.

Should I give them a heat lamp or just a waterer that is heated?
How far should a 250w bulb be from the chickens? i.e. 18 inches?
Should I place it in the coop or in the run to keep the water from freezing?


Any insight or tips are appreciated!

 

[RPClark]

Hey there Folks-


I am somewhat new to having chickens other than being around my grandmas small flock years ago,

Here is what I have

4 Barred Rock Chickens. 22 weeks old
A small starter Coop:
Dimensions: 83L x 33.5D x 52.5H in
Product can be found here: http://www.hayneedle.com/product/boomerandgeorgetreetopschickencoop1.cfm

I live in Virginia and we can get down in the single digits in the winter. With that said I have a few simple questions.

Should I give them a heat lamp or just a waterer that is heated?
How far should a 250w bulb be from the chickens? i.e. 18 inches?
Should I place it in the coop or in the run to keep the water from freezing?


Any insight or tips are appreciated!

I wouldn't add heat, except perhaps a heated base for the waterer. I'm in my first first winter of having a flock (1 roo and 14 layers). We have been below zero on several nights and are in a windy place. I provide a coop for the birds; it's out of the wind and dry. I don't insulate; they take care of that themselves.

I think they're happy with the setup. They started laying at 22 weeks of age as the cold weather and short days really hit. They're fat and sassy; I'm getting 6 eggs per day on average and I think all of the layers are in on the action.

Give them a place to get out of the wind that's dry, has decent ventilation, and has an ice-free water source and you'll be fine.

 

[rosemarythyme]

3 folks here in recent weeks have had their coops burn down when their heat lamps/heaters had issues. Not worth doing IMO. And a heat lamp likely won't be enough to keep the water from freezing.

A heated water bowl or a heating unit inside your waterer, depending on what type of waterer you have, should do the trick. As the poster above me mentions, a draft free but ventilated home with access to non-frozen water is all you need.

 

[Hokum Coco]

3 folks here in recent weeks have had their coops burn down when their heat lamps/heaters had issues.

Hardly a year goes by without a "COOP FIRE". Electricity is a fact of life and as long as it is used in a responsible and safe manner a lot of coop fires can be prevented.

Whether chicken need supplement heat or not becomes irrelevant.
Some chicken owners will continue to provide it.

If we could get manufactures to provide a "SAFETY CHAIN" in addition to the hanging bracket or at least a warning of the need of one on brooder and heat lamps it would go a long way in preventing "SOME" coop fires. Coop fires are also started with incandescent bulbs as well that were in need of a "SAFETY CHAIN".


Another safe guard would be to have people use "GROUND FAULT" outlets (are code now in all bathrooms) when running extension cords to their coop or out buildings. The inconvenience of loosing power to your out building is far better than what can happen. Chickens do attract rodents which can initiate fires through extension cords.




SMART Chicken owners can ill afford "NOT" Employing both of these safe guards when running electricity to a coop especially when using extension cords. Many times either of these two devices would have went along way in preventing most coop fires.