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

[Wildsky]

My Coop is pretty big. 20X7 or 8. I have 12 chickens, 4 are bantam.

The back side of the coop is insulated, the roost is up against the back. there is a barn or shed on each of the sides. Two windows, the chicken door and human door (with glass inset) on the front side of the coop.
I'm using the deep litter method, but not much build up yet - I have two bales of hay in there to take up some space, I had them across the width of the coop but changed it to put them one on top of the other - right next to the roost.

We have never used heat, the chickens are still pretty young, the standards are 21 weeks old. The bantams are around 30 or so - the bantams are laying, between the 3 hens we are still getting 1 egg a day on average.

Oh and the outside temp last night was zero, with wind chill down to -13. edit to add, the coop floor is dirt/sand under the shavings and poop - I think there is a layer of hay on the floor as well, under the last lot of shavings and poop!

 

[Smitty's Farm]

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I didn't know it was going to freeze so quickly in the run today. I didn't even check the temp when I went out there this morning to let them out of coop & feed them. I always in the past have offered them food & water in the coop & run, b/c typically they spend most of their time outside in the run. They seem to prefere to eat & drink out there, but I suppose they will go inside if it freezes and they get thirsty. They really like being outside. They even hung out there when it snowed a few weeks ago. They will usually eat & drink inside (I guess) until I let them outside to the run, but then they are out there unless they go in to lay, then at dusk go inside and eat & drink in the coop before bedtime.

 

[MTtroutwithwings]

It's ok Kim, I have a water bowl on the outside run too as well as the 3 gal waterer inside but it is a huge heated water bowl I inherited, left behind the previous owner of the property we bought. The girls like having them both and they empty them both every other day so it's nice to have the extra supply. See, another example of spoiled chickens! lol.

To: Ozark hen, Thanks! Your right, it is an addiction! My friends back in Denver think I've bought the "funny" farm!"

I just tell them not to knock it until they've tried it!

 

[Smitty's Farm]

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Wow! That is weird! I learn something new on here everyday! I love this site.
Thanks!
Kim

 

[Smitty's Farm]

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Welcome to BYC!

My flock definitely like having their food & water supply in the run, b/c they are pigs and want it close to where they are hanging out.

I might have to invest in a heated water or heat base or something if the weather continues like this. Both of my waterers are 3 gallon plastic ones with the red base.

 

[Cheryl]

This is a more controlable than the thermo cube... http://www.kkontrols.com/poth8ftco.html I am using the thermo cube and wish it turned on before hitting 35

 

[jjthink]

Hi Cheryl - Thanks much for that link. Do you know if that device can be set so it turns off above a certain temp and turns on when a certain low is hit (that is, whether it can be set with a temp limit at both ends)?

We were in the teens today with windchill and my 2 refused to go out so I kept their chicken sized door shut to at least keep the wind out (and it will be colder yet tomorrow). Their coop is a small building (4 x 6 x 8) inside a larger stone building (22 x 22). The large room might have been 30 degrees (they are cold in this temp yet don't tend to hang out in the coop during the day) and their coop (inside that larger building) with it's one ceramic heat lamp (125 watts, very efficient and no partying issues because it's just heat, not light) was over 40, so tonight they will be comfy compared to outdoors. Actually, once I close that coop door at night it probably goes closer to 50 which is why I'd like to get a thermostat control thingy, so I don't overcook them.

 

[cristina33]

It is gosh darn cold here in MA! The wind chill is 2 degrees. Today I added a bail of hay to my coops and put more insulation on the ceiling and put some on the walls and covered them with a tarp. I have a metal shed so in the winter its like and ice box and in the summer its a hot house! But since I added the insulation it helped out alot in the summer it was not really hot in there at all. I went out tonight and it was not to cold at all. I was rather suprised at how warm it was. I have BO and RIRs they are all rather hardy birds! I also put down more shavings in the silkie coop and gave them some hay! Everyone was snug as a bug in a rug when I tucked them in!

Take Care and Stay Warm!
Cristina

 

[Cheryl]

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Not sure about that, but the phone number is right there on the site!
Yes, it really is cold in New England today...and even colder tomorrow!

 

[Wildsky]

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Not sure about that, but the phone number is right there on the site!
Yes, it really is cold in New England today...and even colder tomorrow!

There is something you can plug it into and then into the wall, which will turn it on at a certain temp and off at another..... I can't remember what they're called.