Heat...am I just a softie?

[Ema]

It gets pretty cold here where I am at....trust me. last year we hit -45 for nearly 2 weeks.

My girls didn't have a heat lamp and they did wonderfully fine. Just be sure there is plenty of ventilation, no cold breezes on the birds and trust me they will do just fine and dandy.

frankly if you heat them and then the power goes out you take away their ability to regulate their body temps to the outdoor conditions. In the end you will end up endangering your birds more because they will not be acclimated to the weather.

In the end it truly is your choice, what ever makes you sleep at night, if you do end up heating them be sure to take every precaution necessary. if by lamp..tripple hook it and make sure you have a mesh wire screen below the lamp in case the lamp bursts.

Ema

 

[Beekissed]

Others may feel different, some are talking about how to cut corners on food? Come on, if you want your birds to give back don't you have to belly up to the bar? Heat in the winter, proper food and basic hygiene must be done. Right?

Nope and nope. Too fat birds develop reproductive problems like sporadic laying, eggbound issues, prolapse, etc. Bellying up to the bar might make you feel better about them but it makes them have shorter lives, shorter laying span and possibly dying a painful death.

As WY mentioned, God provides for weather defense on most every animal if humans just stop meddling...that is why they are covered in fur and feathers.​

 

[wyododge]

Quote:
One thing I have learned working in the oil patch...

ALWAYS TRUST A CANADIAN!!!

And in addition to -45 you have humidity up there too right? We are dry as a bone down here, so not as bad.

 

[Ema]

Quote:
One thing I have learned working in the oil patch...

ALWAYS TRUST A CANADIAN!!!

And in addition to -45 you have humidity up there too right? We are dry as a bone down here, so not as bad.

the humidity here int he winter is something else, I wish it was dry, the humidity kept me busy adding more ventilation throughout last winter. Having to change the litter in that cold sort of sucked lol. but my girls were as happy as they could be if it was too cold they stayed in the coop I gave them a cabbage and some scratch and throw some hay pellets and straw in the coop and they were busy for hours on end

Ema

 

[hensandchickscolorado]

Quote:
"Ma'am, put DOWN the heat lamp."


This makes total sense. Thanks! I will let them be. I don't want to mess with mother nature. I might add another roost in case the one they have is too drafty...it's right near the vent.


Thanks all--I am feeling much better!!!

 

[featherz]

Got very cold here last winter ) (-26F). And I have NON cold hardy breeds (leghorns, young pullet bantams, etc). Guess what? All did fine. No heat at all. I ran out each morning when it was double digit negative thinking I'd have chicksickles. They didn't even seem to notice - just dived into the food as usual! Don't use a heat lamp!

 

[buffbrahmaboy]

This will be my first winter with chickens. I was going to heat the coop when the temperature dropped below -15C (5F) but have now decided not to. I think the important things are: good litter, water in liquid state, wide perches so feet are protected, good ventilation, and draft protection. I'm concerned the pop door may freeze shut and will run heat tape around it if necessary.

 

[pawsplus]

I've used a heat lamp for YEARS and it hasn't messed up my chix. It's way up in the rafters of their very tall coop, above their preferred roosts. It's a big building and just a 250 watt bulb, so it's not increasing the ambient temp significantly. It just takes the chill off the roost area. Where I live it gets below 20F at night plenty of times, often into the lower teens, and it's very damp all winter. I just feel better letting them have a little comfort. After all, human beings used to live without heated houses, too--we survived, but we also appreciate the comfort of our warm houses!

I have the light on a timer so it only comes on at night, and if it warms up into the 30s at night I unplug it.

 

[Judy]

An excellent thread from last winter on this. IMO the first post says it all.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=421122

 

[ryan820]

Quote:
I live in Parker, just a few miles from you, and have to say it really hasn't been THAT cold! My chickens stepped out on Saturday into the snow and promptly returned to their coop where they ate and bocked all day long, dry and happy.

Wyoming guy said it right that you have to let them adapt to their new situation....just like 40 feels like punishment to us at the end of summer, we finally adapt so that 40 feels like 'get naked and sun tan' weather in the spring when it finally comes.

Your birds will be fine... Heck mine were fine even though they apparently hate snow! We got six inches of it here on Saturday!