Fire in the Coop

[buffo1]

A couple of weeks ago our hen house caught on fire from a faulty heat bulb. My daughter saw the flames and screamed for us to us to save them. We lost only one hen. Now I'm scared to give them any heat. I've been carrying out water everyday. My girrlls were so traumatized by the fire and now they're so cold. If they were going to die of a heart-atttack, they would have done so now.

 

[cw]

sounds like you are lucky to have chickens do they have any type of coop?

 

[The Sheriff]

Wow, I am so sorry but so relieved that you saved most of your flock. This makes me all the more determined to get that last heat bulb out of my breeding coop. Thanks for sharing your news. It will probably save many chicken lives.

So sorry.

Mary

 

[WriterofWords]

You were so lucky to have saved most of your hens, I'm sure it will take them awhile to get over it. It's hard being human and having to make these decisions on heat for birds, knowing that we put them in danger trying to keep them out of danger.

 

[Dar]

I have a sealed oil heater in the coop... its just a 700W, its enough to keep the water from freezing (for now) and we are sitting at -10C (@9am) my coop temp was 3.4C

but the sealed oil has no open element or heat source, no source of ignition.

but then again I have been criticized for my coop before so this is just how I do things and its not highly recommended by a few ppl

 

[greyhorsewoman]

So sorry for your loss, but glad it wasn't any worse. Chickens do quite well in cold weather if the coop is ventilated, but draft free (except for some of the coldest areas). Our coop is unheated except for a few extra hay bales along the windyside (our coop is up on blocks). What works better is a water heater. We use a galvanized water heater (raised above the floorline) under our galvanized waterer and it works great. Chickens need ready access to water to prevent dehydration more than they need heat. It worries me that for a couple of extra degrees, we put our chickens and property at risk to fire. Heating devices around hay, bedding & dust are often a recipe for disaster.

 

[Dar]

Quote:
I have wondered about this...

many people say they can handle the cold as long as its not damp.... but when the water is warmer the the surrounding air wont that cause water vapor? and creating a moisture problem? i have been debating using my heated dog dish but have wondered

 

[Hillsvale]

mjsdhs... very sorry for your fire but you saved most of your girls so that is a bright light!

I have similar climate, do you have pictures of your coop.. I would love to see your set up. I am under construction now and am absorbing everything people in similar climates do for their flock.

Thanks. and good luck with your restoration.

 

[Dar]

Quote:
Hillsvale... It was not my fire...

but i do have pics of my coop.. i will PM them to you so we dont hijack the thread

 

[CityChook]

Quote:
First, let me say to the OP that I am very very sorry that you had trouble with your heat and lost a bird. That is very difficult and traumatic, especially when there are children involved. I hope that you are able to find an alternative source of heat for your chickens that you can be comfortable with and that your birds can grow to trust again.

I'm in an extreme cold climate. A good friend has 6 birds and a shed-sized coop with an flat panel oil-filled heater, screwed onto the wall. She was able to keep her coop 20-30F all last winter which is pretty darned impressive when out temps dipped to -30F. Her DH got it at Home Depot, it cost less than $60 and plugs into a basic outlet. I'm considering one myself.

I'm not in agreement with being critical of other people's coop arrangements. There are just so darned many differing variables involved that what works for one may or may not be right for another - but that certainly doesn't make it wrong. We are all here to learn from each other, folks. mjsdhs, I'm sorry that you feel like you've been under fire.