Do i heat the coop or not?

[kphollenbeck]

We live in western Montana. Where the winters are harsh, with feet of snow and negative temperatures regularly. I have one coop right now but purchasing another because I've increased my flock. Do I need to add a heat source to my coops? I've read you can do either but I feel so bad knowing they're out there without any heat.

 

[black_cat]

In most cases, no, you do not need to add a heater. If you add one too early on, they will not be properly acclimated to the cold, and if the power goes out, you can lose your whole flock in one night. Unless you have young chicks, for most of the time you don't need a heat source. I will tag @aart though, who is the chicken master and knows much more about cold winters (and chickens!) that I do.

 

[Folly's place]

Check on your state's thread, and look at @Alaskan's articles too. Add pictures of your coops, and what breeds of chickens do you have? Here in southern Michigan we only have heaters for the waterers, not the coop.
Most often heating the coops themselves is not needed, but it just depends. It is safer to have coops that are well ventilated, maybe insulated, at least the roof, and protected from the north and west winds.
Mary

 

[Ridgerunner]

Here is a link to Alaskan’s article.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

we all have our own conditions, flocks, set-ups, and goals. There area lot of variables, I think Alaskan goes through many of them well.

 

[aart]

Add pictures of your coops, and what breeds of chickens do you have?

Yes, pics please....if you want advice on ventilation.

We live in western Montana.

Welcome to BYC! @kphollenbeck
Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[neo71665]

Proper ventilation is more important than heat for most bird breeds. If you have a good dry coop big enough for your flock they can get out of the weather nature will take over. They know how to do the rest.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

None of my coops are ever heated, and I have maybe lost one hen to the cold in over 10 years. Units more important to have proper ventilation, no drafts and to keep them dry

 

[Folly's place]

We now have a whole house generator, and so power outages aren't as big a concern for us any more. No more 2am gasoline runs to the small generator out back!
If your coop is heated, and the power goes out, your birds won't be happy!
Mary

 

[Lightning Bob]

We’re in Vt, probably not Mt cold but close. I’m new to the discussion here but not to wintering chickens. We do use a heated waterer outside the coop. We also use lights (not heat lamps, but CFL or LED inside plastic trouble lamps) to provide about 14 hrs total light on average (daylight + artificial) so a couple hours at each end of the day. This helps keep egg production going, and it also adds just a touch of warmth.
On those minus 25F wind chill days (you know the ones) the chicks do stay inside, and if it continues overnight I might leave the lights on. I’ll also place a feeder and heated water bowl in the coop. The top vent is always open but wind-proofed. Other winter days (above zero) the small coop door is open and they‘ll venture out, even into a foot of snow (though I’ll shovel a path to the food and water).
We‘ve never used a heater or heat lamp, and learned the importance of cold-weather ventilation early on when some hens got frost-bitten combs from high indoor humidity / ammonia levels.
Hope this helps. Stay warm!

 

[Alaskan]

We live in western Montana. Where the winters are harsh, with feet of snow and negative temperatures regularly. I have one coop right now but purchasing another because I've increased my flock. Do I need to add a heat source to my coops? I've read you can do either but I feel so bad knowing they're out there without any heat.

Interior Montana (from what I have heard) can get cold... but I now can't remember if the cold of which I heard was -20, or -30, or what....

My rule of thumb from what I have seen from Alaska chicken keepers (some areas get to -60F), is that if your temps stay below -20 (real temp, not windchill) for more than a week, some kind of heating is a safer choice.

But, there are many ways to provide heat, some don't even need electricity...

As Ridgerunner mentioned, I do go over heating choices in depth in my cold weather coop article.