Had a fire in my coop this monring!!!!

[faykokoWV]

I just read some posts yesterday recommending a smoke alarm for the coop if you use any type of heat. Scary!! Did you have the wire safety cover on the heat lamp?

 

[fowler_chick]

yes i did...i have a vent right where it it so the wired is pulled through the vent and runs over the top of my coop and out to the outlet. i just worried that they get cold out in this weather...normally i just leave a light on for a few hours,

 

[patandchickens]

If a person really wants a smoke alarm, please at least get one made for BARNS. They are significantly more expensive, but have some reasonable chance of *working* in a high-dust environment. Household ones simply DON'T work there. It is not an issue of 'keeping them clean' and all that, they just do not get along well with dust. They are notoriously USELESS in barns (lots of false alarms, but tendency to ignore actual fire).

Also those in northern climates will need a hardwired (house current powered) alarm unless you want it to simply not work during the winter. Again, it is not really a matter of 'replacing the batteries frequently' or anything like that -- at like -20 F, AA batteries just *don't* work.

Really, this is not theory or wishful thinking speaking here, this is 35+ years of working in horse barns will a variety of smoke-alarm systems.

Pat

 

[CityChook]

oh my gosh, you are LUCKY. I am very glad to hear that the damage wasn't worse...

I really hope that folks heed the advice given on this thread.

 

[ColoradoMike]

Yikes! This is exactly why I've resisted having any power whatsoever in my coop. I think I'll be running a proper conduit/wire out near my coop and having an outdoor power outlet in order to power a heated dog dish - which I think I'll just position in the run... I s'pose I'd be able to heat the coop if we get a serious subzero cold spell, but I'd rather not - I'm paranoid about a coop fire...

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

glad things turned out ok - would be horrible to lose the flock and the coop, also.

I always use chain on my heat lamps - just regular dog chain, strung through an eye hook on a rafter, then hooked to itself (so it is adjustable up and down for either brooding in the coop or for extra heat in the winter).

meri