HoundsNTrout
In the Brooder
- Jan 10, 2023
- 15
- 4
- 29
I'm fairly new to this forum, I have aquired a half dozen Shamo's and Asils and live in Central Upstate NY. We have had -20F couple weeks ago for a few days. SO it can get cold. I have 30 laying hens with a small ceramic heater in thier coop for when its that cold. I don't even bother when its above 10F or so as the shed is pretty sealed up ( with circulating fan ) .
Anyway, with the Gunkei, they need SOME heat. Not too worried about the Asils, but may put some sort of heat in their coop as well. For those crazy cold times.
Right now they are in a heated shed , two sheds not being used right now. Keep it at 45-50 ish.
I need the sheds back for this Spring for other things.
SO, I have already designed and have lumber all ready for these birds to be attached to an existing barn, so the smaller living quarters will be up off the ground maybe 4 feet and will be 2X2X2 with latching door for when its super cold. It will have like two compartments sort of within there, one with a roosting bar, the other just straw/shavings. Same set up I currently have them in, with exception of the entire shed is heated. I will have a ramp and fenced in area outside the barn for them too . In addition they will be let free roam half a day or whenever I am home. I'm retired soo.
ANYWAY....LOOK.....A CHICKEN... so I want to heat just the smaller area where they will be most of the time in Winter and into early Spring. I don't want to use a heating lamp I'm afraid of burning the barn down. Don't want that. But I still am considering it since they heat pretty good with smaller watts 80W bulb.
What other options are out there for this purpose? I also am looking at reptile pad heaters but the chickens seem to sleep on the roosting bar, not the bedding surface. OR can I simply not have a roosting bar of sorts? ANd just sleep on the bedding with heating pad under it? My idea was sort of thin luan or something to keep them from pecking at it.
Thanks for any other ideas.
Anyway, with the Gunkei, they need SOME heat. Not too worried about the Asils, but may put some sort of heat in their coop as well. For those crazy cold times.
Right now they are in a heated shed , two sheds not being used right now. Keep it at 45-50 ish.
I need the sheds back for this Spring for other things.
SO, I have already designed and have lumber all ready for these birds to be attached to an existing barn, so the smaller living quarters will be up off the ground maybe 4 feet and will be 2X2X2 with latching door for when its super cold. It will have like two compartments sort of within there, one with a roosting bar, the other just straw/shavings. Same set up I currently have them in, with exception of the entire shed is heated. I will have a ramp and fenced in area outside the barn for them too . In addition they will be let free roam half a day or whenever I am home. I'm retired soo.
ANYWAY....LOOK.....A CHICKEN... so I want to heat just the smaller area where they will be most of the time in Winter and into early Spring. I don't want to use a heating lamp I'm afraid of burning the barn down. Don't want that. But I still am considering it since they heat pretty good with smaller watts 80W bulb.
What other options are out there for this purpose? I also am looking at reptile pad heaters but the chickens seem to sleep on the roosting bar, not the bedding surface. OR can I simply not have a roosting bar of sorts? ANd just sleep on the bedding with heating pad under it? My idea was sort of thin luan or something to keep them from pecking at it.
Thanks for any other ideas.
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