COOP HEATERS

[FutureChickenMan]

Howdy y'all.. I got an email asking about a thermostat for these heaters. Here's a link to a thermostat that would work but you will have to wire it in yourself.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=77978-49285-MS26R&lpage=none

If you don't have lowes or home depot, you're looking for a 120/240 volt mechanicle electric baseboard thermostat. They should be around $15. As for wiring, if you know how to install a light switch or a lamp switch you'll be able to install this thermostat in an "in line" fashion.

 

[newchickmom]

Hi!
I'm new to chickens too but I'll tell you what I have done. My coup is 8X16 and I have 2 red heat lights. I hung 1 at each end right over the middle of the roosts. This has been keeping the temp above freezing when its really cold, so the water doesn't freeze. This should be plenty warm enough for the chickens (26 black australorps)

 

[CovenantCreek]

I ordered the thermostatically controlled outlet from Shop the Coop -- it was pricey, but for plug n play convenience you can't beat it (unless you can find it elsewhere for less). It turns the heater on at 35 degrees and off at 45. I don't think my horses' heated water buckets are that efficient. Of course, with low temps in the 50 this week the chickens haven't needed their nifty new set up..............

 

[KrisRose]

CovenantCreek- I have the Thermocube and it works very well. I'm really sold on the flat paneled heater and am waiting to check out Chickflick's when she gets hers.
The downside to the Thermocube is that it freaks the chickens out when it turns on the red heat lights in the middle of the night

. Thats why I want to go with a heater that does not produce light. Everybody is up and having a party when I check on them before I go to work, which is at 5:30 in the morning, pitch black outside and they should be sleeping. My little EE is suffering because of this. Purdy is at the bottem of the pecking order and is getting a little ragged looking from being in a confined space with bullies and a horney Roo.

 

[cajungal]

Hi
I can tell you the heaters work...We bought 3 of them for our house a few years ago..
The don't get hot to the touch and there safe...
Were thinking about taking one out and adding it to our coop,when it gets real cold..

The ones we bought are called Econo heaters..

All you do is screw them to the wall and plug them in...And you're done...They can also be painted!
Here the link~You'll probably have to email them for a price~~

http://www.econo-heat.com/productspec.html
Blessing

 

[Cheryl]

Yes they will be happy to get into the coop...my chickens are going to get hunch backs in their basement box!!! Just kidding...They are so funny, I open the cover to feed them and they will all try to jump into the pail that contains their food...only 3 can fit now! I need to get a picture of the 3 butts up in the air!! So DH put heater into coop to see how it works, got it up to 45 degrees the other night. So once again I need everyones opinion!!! They are now OMG 12 weeks old, can they handle that in New England? Right now we are getting snow...and it is about 19 outside.

 

[KrisRose]

Cheryl- At 12 weeks they should be able to handled the lower temp's. What you should consider is the change from your basement tem's to the coop tem's. My basement is aroung 60 degrees and the coop is about 30. Thats a big drop and then add the stress of the move to the coop.
Mine freaked out when they were moved!!! Somethings can't be avoided and I was so happy to get them out of the house

.

 

[richard perkins]

Help wanted!!!!

This is the first year I have raised chickens, so I am on a trial-and-error basis here... so far, so good... I could use all the help I could get from more experienced chicken people. I live in western NY. There's 8" of snow on the ground now. My chickens are in a chicken tractor I built this fall. It has a run of 4' X 8' X 2', and a housing unit 4' X 4' X 4' with roosts and nesting boxes inside. I wanted to get the tractor inside my garage, but I waited too long, and now the chickens are stuck outside until there's a thaw and the snow goes away. The chickens are protected from the wind when inside the housing unit. I have scattered wood shavings around the chicken run so they're not always standing on snow and ice (and their own poop). I have a 40 watt bulb burning inside the housing unit whenever the temp is below freezing. The 2' high space between the run and housing areas is open. (I tried putting up a cloth screen over the 2X4 opening into the housing, but they keep pulling it down. I'm working on closing the opening but haven't succeeded yet. Some sort of rod holding the screen will be necessary.) I am building a larger coop, but it won't be ready for 2-4 weeks, depending on the weather. Maybe not until spring. The chickens seem to be doing just fine. But my question is: does anyone have a guess as to whether my described arrangement will work when the temps outside go below 20 degrees or so (which they will, and soon)? (Minimal definition of "work" = chickens won't die.) Is a better heater really necessary -- or just a nicer option for the chickens?

Also, one of my RI Red hens has her comb partly gone...she looks awful -- black marks on her head. I think the others (especially my one rooster) are picking on her (literally). She seems to be on the bottom of the pecking order. Even so, she's laying an egg per day. I don't think there is anything I can do about her treatment other than isolate her (which I can't do). So, any recommendations? Is this just the way things are with chickens so I should learn to live with it?

 

[KrisRose]

Richard- Are you using a white 40 watt?? If so, just changing to a red will help your hen out. The red light is not as visible but, as I found out, they can see very well. I know lower wattage red can be found in pet stores for reptiles. With the small space you have you would want something with the low wattage.
It would be best to cover that opening, some people have used the plastic to cover rug runners or old carpet if you can't get it sealed with wood.
If possible I would forget the rod and use a 2x4 or 2x3 and attach the carpet/plastic right to it. Screw the sucker in and go inside and warm up with hot chocolate.

 

[Cheryl]

How long have "you/anyone" used a thermo cube? I have the flat panel heater, but DH doesn't trust the thermo cube...so of course the chickens...ARE STILL IN THE BASEMENT!!!!