Fire Safety in your Chicken Coop & Barn - IMPORTANT!

[faerieannette]

I am so sorry for your losses :-(



I do have some newbie questions. I just hatched my first chick this morning! I plan on having a small portable coop in the back yard for about 4 silkies. I bought a heat lamp and was planning on using an extension cord. Now I am terrified. How else am I supposed to power it?


Thank you,

Annette

 

[what did I do]

I am so sorry for your losses :-(



I do have some newbie questions.  I just hatched my first chick this morning!  I plan on having a small portable coop in the back yard for about 4 silkies.  I bought a heat lamp and was planning on using an extension cord.  Now I am terrified.  How else am I supposed to power it?


Thank you,

Annette 

Once the chicks are older they do not need any type of heat even in the winter. We have some very cold days but the chickens do just fine. We leave ours locked in when it is cold or snowing so their feet don't freeze but they stay warm in the coop even on the coldest days. BTW, it is snowing here now. Even the little silkies will do just fine out in the coop. If you think you need heat, just run electric wire under the ground with a plugin where the chickens can't get to it. I would go for some other type of heat source if you choose to heat the coop in the winter. We do keep a heated dog dish in the coop during the winter but that is all.

 

[aoxa]

Once the chicks are older they do not need any type of heat even in the winter. We have some very cold days but the chickens do just fine. We leave ours locked in when it is cold or snowing so their feet don't freeze but they stay warm in the coop even on the coldest days. BTW, it is snowing here now. Even the little silkies will do just fine out in the coop. If you think you need heat, just run electric wire under the ground with a plugin where the chickens can't get to it. I would go for some other type of heat source if you choose to heat the coop in the winter. We do keep a heated dog dish in the coop during the winter but that is all.

Exactly this.

Let me clarify that the heat lamps were not the cause. It was wiring. Could have been the fuses or even the mice chewing through the cords.. The point of origin was away away from our heated brooder.

 

[escape]

Thanks for sharing all the info!

I am so nervous about fires that I even put a security camera on the brooder. (We already have them throughout the barn, but we now have one on the brooder too and - the monitor in the house is left on all night with the audio turned up high enough so that if the horses get upset, it will wake me up.)

I can't imagine how hard this was for you. I'm so sorry!

 

[aoxa]

Thanks for sharing all the info!

I am so nervous about fires that I even put a security camera on the brooder. (We already have them throughout the barn, but we now have one on the brooder too and - the monitor in the house is left on all night with the audio turned up high enough so that if the horses get upset, it will wake me up.)

I can't imagine how hard this was for you. I'm so sorry!

I'm glad you are being nervous. Your nervousness will pay off!

I wish we had of had a baby monitor in there. We will in the future!

Thank you for your condolences.

 

[BlueMoonFarm]

Thank you so much for the words of wisdom. We are building out our coop right now (first time with chickens), and I've made some changes to the plans based on your suggestions. I am so, so very sorry for your loss...my heart truly goes out to you. The thought of fire terrifies me. What a terrible tragedy for you to endure. I admire the strength you are showing in the midst of your deep sadness.

 

[aoxa]

Thank you so much for the words of wisdom. We are building out our coop right now (first time with chickens), and I've made some changes to the plans based on your suggestions. I am so, so very sorry for your loss...my heart truly goes out to you. The thought of fire terrifies me. What a terrible tragedy for you to endure. I admire the strength you are showing in the midst of your deep sadness.

Thank you

 

[3 NH reds]

Exactly this.

Let me clarify that the heat lamps were not the cause. It was wiring. Could have been the fuses or even the mice chewing through the cords.. The point of origin was away away from our heated brooder.

So sorry to see what happened to you. This is close to home I run extension cords out to my coops for brooder lights and heated floating water heaters. I changed my outlet from GFI to a standard last spring because it tripped and a brooder light went out killing Turkey chicks.. . You are so right about getting the right cord for power, bigger is better getting a 12 gauge extension cord may be costly but it is safe. I have seen GFI outlets/cords and I think I will get one to make things safe.

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Shock Buster 6-ft 4-Outlet 12-Gauge Outdoor GFCI Extension Cord with Built-In Circuit Breaker

(2 Reviews)

 

[aoxa]

So sorry to see what happened to you. This is close to home I run extension cords out to my coops for brooder lights and heated floating water heaters. I changed my outlet from GFI to a standard last spring because it tripped and a brooder light went out killing Turkey chicks.. . You are so right about getting the right cord for power, bigger is better getting a 12 gauge extension cord may be costly but it is safe. I have seen GFI outlets/cords and I think I will get one to make things safe.

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Now that's one thing that sucks about GFIs.. If it is tripping though, there should be a reason. One that you should look into fixing.

Our new brooder room is going to be heated to 55, so we can run eco-glows. We are still researching the best ways to heat that little insulated room.

If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to contribute.




This is the plans. The entire building is quoted to be insulated, but we have decided only the brooder room will be heated. Just because we do not want to use heat lamps, and want to go with the ecoglows and they will not run in our cold temperatures.

 

[aoxa]

http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=18266&cat_id=173
I just wanted to throw this out there for heat lamps. A fire safety sight recommended this one as the only heat lamp they would recommend.



Quote: http://firesafetyinbarns.com/20-electricalapps.html