Cold In Cook

[mconro]

Good morning.
I am writing from Cook, MN which is in NORTHERN Minnesota. We have some very cold winters here and presently have 37 chickens. The chicken coop is insultated but we want to add a heater. We have read that you can use an ceramic heat bulb which will give the heat without the light or fear of fire. The only one I can find is for reptiles. (I HATE snakes!!!) Does anyone know how true this information is and can I use a reptile ceramic bulb or is there a special bulb for chicken coops? (I really am not as stupid as this sounds!!)

Thanks so much for any help you can offer!!
Myia

 

[swordgeek]

I use one like this; http://www.agway.com/catalog/home_and_garden/general_hardware/light_bulbs_and_heat_lamps/12100093_infrared_heat_lamp_red_250w.html

And have the metal shield that goes around it. Same one I used when they were chicks - now I clip it onto a high spot in the corner of the coop and only turn it on for a few hours on *really* cold days.

 

[carrlr]

I agree with swordgeek. I use it in my brooder as well. The light provides heat, but the birds don't seem to be bothered by the red light like they would be by a white light. Just make sure to keep flammables away.

 

[mconro]

thanks! I know that sounthern IL doesn't see -40 degrees in the winter. How about MA?

Thanks again!

 

[swordgeek]

The coldest we get is maybe -10 most winters, with daytime temps in the single digits. In which case... you might want to run it more often, or get two? As long as their water doesn't freeze (and the heater under the galvanized waterer fixes that) and you keep out the drafts, they're pretty cold-hardy creatures, and they generate a lot of body heat on their own. I do close the trap door to the run on the colder nights as well, but don't run the heat lamp unless it's going to be frigid all day and night. And my coop is pretty big, so I only need the one lamp. YMMV!

 

[carrlr]

Agreed, Southern Illinois doesn't compare to winters in Minn or MA. Haven't lived here my whole life. If it makes any difference my lights are on a thermostatically controlled outlet. Which means they kick on when the temps are between 35 and 40 degrees. Assuming you have a well insulated and sealed coop (no drafts), the lights would only kick on occassionally to "warm" things up. Ok, if it's -40 they might stay on a lot longer.

Added: I'm assuming you have birds suited for cold climates as well.

 

[boxermom]

mconro, I live in NW IA. We get cold too. Last winter, we hit -36* w/o windchill. The coldest my barn got on the chicken side was 10*. We don't heat because of my fear if the elec. would go out, then what? We used the cookie tin heaters for the water and filled the waterers with warm water. They worked very well. I also fed warm "oatmeal/table scrap/bird seed mash" every morning. My birds did very well. I do have a light source that comes on in the early am, but it is only a 100 watt clear light. They hang out under the light, but move freely off of it. They like the warmth, but don't need it. I won't lie, I was very nervous last year as they were my first chickens, but they did very well. I am ready to do the same again this year.

 

[Miss Lydia]

this was a big topic last year with so many of us having very cod temps. most everyone said not to use heat. I did break down and use the red bulb for my heat lamp. But most of my chickens would go outside even when extremely cold. I was so worried they would get sick or freeze to death but they did great.

 

[hiker125]

I have 3 week old chicks that I plan on moving out the the "big girl" coop in 4-6 weeks or when they are fully feathered.

The coop's roof and floor are insultated and the sides are tight. About that time our night time temps should be in the upper 30s to 40s. Will they need additional heat at night? If so, for how long?

I dont want them to become dependent on the heat, but I don't want to remove it too soon either.

Thanks.

 

[Mrs. K]

Actually, I think you would do better to move the chicks out now and let them adapt to the changing temperatures gradually. Animals are able to withstand some pretty cold temperatures, if they are accustomed to them. It is a big change that will get them. At three weeks, they should be pretty sturdy. If you are putting them out now, they will actually grow a thicker coat of feathers.

I would be rather leary of keeping them in and under heat now, and then putting them outside in colder weather later.

I do not add heat to my coop, but I do have good wind protection, I do close the coop up tighter than in the summer, and in SD we are more dry as for humidity. I DO feed my girls more food in very cold weather. THAT is what they really need. Food = energy = heat.