Have to make a decision - to heat or not to heat

[patandchickens]

I don't see that the wind matters. There is (well, there SHOULD be) no wind-chill indoors, which is where they'll be at night and if they feel too cold outdoors. What matters is the temp and the humidity.

In fairly dry air, with a well-ventilated dry coop and no other health problems, I really don't think there's much of a problem with single digits without heat.

If there is something about any of the chickens that makes you think they're extra prone to frostbite, or if your coop is a bit damper than one might ideally like for one reason or another, then some people would decide to err on the side of cautionary heat (others would just keep a close and frequent eye on things).

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Countrywife]

ole bear is a house dog- idiot dog was running around the yard this am and wouldn't come in- cold air up his pattoty.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I "borrowed" this from another post. You might enjoy it.

http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm21 … lizzrd.flv

I suggest you do whatever makes you comfortable. They are your chickens and you have to make that decision. I can't imagine you doing what anyone else tells you anyway, unless it is what you have already decided to do.

 

[elmo]

Another factor to consider is how easy (or not) it would be to safely rig up a heat lamp in your coop at this point. You don't want to be trading the risk of frostbite for the risk of a fire!

I built a wire cage to go around my brooder lamp, fitted it with a 100 watt lightbulb, then I attached it to my coop frame with about a dozen wire twists, plus I looped the cord around a rafter, too. I don't have shavings in this coop, just sand --no fire risk there.

 

[Fancie]

Okay I might get stabbed

I have 3 bramba bantams, They just don't use the coop. They have taken the habit of flying up into the malberry tree to sleep and often spend most of the day there or if they are hungry they stand by the garage door. We have had nights with the wind chill at -25 and they seem fine. No heat. They don't look like the most comfertable chickens in the world, but I think it is mostly because they don't like the snow.

They have access to a draft free "box" inside the shed but they don't use it.

I haven't let my chicks out and they stay in the garage. It probably gets just a little above the freezing mark in there some days. But I don't think they will go outside till feb. at earliest.

 

[Wildsky]

Our high today is -2 with windchill down to -25. Tonight will be way colder and last night was -12 (I think the windchill was in the -30range)
I don't heat the coop at all, my girls and boys do fine, I'd rather not chance a fire or them getting toooo used to having that extra heat.

They are fully equiped with down blankets.. they'll be fine!

 

[RocketDad]

Quote:
I rebuilt a 2' roost I made for the run, and screwed it to the wall. Gives me a 2x2 to clamp lights to, and I screwed a power strip to it (upside down to keep dust out). When I had everything setup I used cable ties to strap the useless clamps to the board. I also dressed the excess wire up.

I also put a cheap space heater in one nest box. I secured the cord so that even if it comehow comes out it can't hit the floor, then shoved some hardware cloth around it and secured it with screws.

No matter how much work it is to safety things off, remember: It only takes one brief outbreak of "stupid chicken disorder" to ruin everything.

 

[Amethyste]

Quote:
Yup thats my thinking... Heat is great! But how well would the chickies do if the power goes out and they are not acclimated to the temp? Could be fatal to some birds... and the fire risk scares the bejeebers out of me.

Me? I figure they come equipped with their own lil heaters (feathers) and they huddle together nicely and cover their feet with their chests (I use 2x4's) so they are fine. No frostbite, no heat, no issues in over 5 years.

I do admit last year I did put in heat for them tho for 2 weeks...but I was down to 2 older birds (over 5 yrs) and I was worried that it was too cold for just the two of them (at 4 degrees F) to generate enough heat on their own in the size of the coop they were in. It was freak weather and the snow was very deep, and would freeze at night....we never get snow that deep here! The coop was made for between 10-12 birds, so with only 2 old hens, it gets a bit roomy and empty. But when there are more than 2 birds they generate quite a bit of heat. I usually run with between 7-10 birds and its been no problems at all, even when it was getting close to 0 F.

 

[HennyJenny]

We have an expected low here tonight of -20. I'm not sure what to do. I do have a 125 watt heat lamp in there now and I have been putting big hot water bottles out there every night and that's been working out ok - for the temperatures we've had which have been 0 to -10 for what seems like forever now. But -20 really - I guess I'll just do what we've been doing and hope that it's going to be ok. What's really stupid is that next week we have one day with a forecasted high of 40! I wish the chicken Gods would just tell me the right thing. I would feel terrible if something happened to my birds.

 

[gritsar]

Well, I've never used heat with the chooks and I don't guess I'll start now.
I gave them a warm bowl of oatmeal before they went to roost. That'll have to do them.