Do You Heat Your Coop? (Poll) LATEST UPDATE PG 15

[gumpsgirl]

Nope! It's been in the teens and twenties at night here and they all seem to be doing just fine and dandy.

 

[curliet]

The answer would have to be technically yes, I guess, red heat lamp for night time over the waterer.

As to the discussion about geographics, maybe some of the other Michiganders would chime in on this one. We live in an area surrounded by large bodies of water, and have lots of wind. Our conditions may not be quite as cold, but are more humid (if that's the term you use for cold moisture.) Sometimes cold and damp is worse than cold and dry. The small amount of warmth that the red bulb generates doesn't warm the coop, but seems to help to dissipate some of the moisture in the air. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part, haha.

 

[ChickenSmitten]

This has been a big debate and I decided adding heat was for my benefit, not my girl birds!

So no, except for two heated waterers.

it has already been down to the single digits and everyone is fine and come out to chicken around all day under their "porch roof" that keeps a snow free zone outside.

by the way Bluey, I usually am weaing my old blue snowpants and purple uggs and my sons old black down coat with the taped up tear.... when I go watch winter chicken TV.

 

[Clay In Iowa]

Quote:
So are you going to break that down into geographical regions?

If you don't break it down it's like asking "do you wear a winter coat in December" In Florida No In Alaska yes.... it will make a difference.

How bout you break it down by USDA zone and cross reference it with coop size then add in wind exposure and finally reference the R value of the western wall vs southern window exposure. THAT would be valuable.

 

[Gloria]

Yes, when it is down in the teens and below
Michigan
14 chickens and 4 ducks
6x9x8 coop
insulated

I think that's everything, right?
When I seen my 17 week old pullets shaking from the cold I decided it was time to turn on the heat lamp!

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
I think we have a volunteer here! HI CLAY!

 

[Montana-Hens]

Heat - No
Insulation - Yes
Heated Water Dish - yes

 

[BeardedChick]

Colorado

Heat - no
Insulation - some
Heated water - not yet, but maybe in January

 

[Chirpy]

Colorado.


Heat - no
Insulation - no
Heated waterer... I wish but no

 

[babsh]

Quote:
Well bluey from what I've noticed the northerners (I wanted to use another word, but didn't want to start the Civil War all over again) think it just doesn't get cold here in the south. The truth is that it gets plenty cold, just not for months on end like it does in the north.
Anyone that doesn't believe that is invited to the snow party that we will be having at my house come Wednesday morning.
I don't use heat and won't. My chickens are far better off being acclimated to cold temps naturally then to get used to a warm coop only to have the power go out; which it does quite regularly this time of year.

I will admit to being quite surprised at one point in my life to find out that it is much colder than i thought, in the south, in January. I figured it out when looking for a place to go on vacation in the winter.

However, for us (MN), if it snows we are happy because it means it's WARM enough to do so. You don't get a lot of snow when it is -30F; it's too cold. We go weeks without seeing positive digits on the thermometer. Last night I went out and it was a beautifully "warm" 20 degrees F. At this point, that is a warm day and will be for the next several months. That's why we northerners grin and wink when we hear folks declare - "it gets cold here. last night it got down in the 30's."

Re coops- I do have a heater, but I am very new to this and after reading everyone's responses I have chosen to keep it off, so far. I do have a heated waterer and our coop is insulated. 5x7 coop, 10 chickens.

Barb