Heat Lamp & Cold Weather

[aart]

took me almost an hour with baking soda to stop the bleeding

It's corn starch, or flour, that helps best with bleeders.

 

[ZoobysChicks]

Thanks for the input from everyone! I do have the lamps secured so as to not fall into the shavings and have KFC instead of eggs.. Regarding behavioral issues, we had a serious issue with one of our Blue Wyandottes. She went after an Isa and bit off half her comb, took me almost an hour with baking soda to stop the bleeding.. We moved her in a separate cage away from the others and is doing extremely well now and then moved her back in to the coop after several weeks. I put her back in with the other chicks and watched to see how they would interact and had to move the Wyandotte to the cage, away from the others, because we noticed she was bullying several of the chickens as well as the Isa again. I don't understand why, since we got all 8 chicks at the same time and they have all gotten along just fine, Never an issue. We moved them into the new coop about 2 months ago and started using the heat lamps in the last 40 days or so, so maybe the 24-7 light has created issued for them after all.

Wha wattage light bulb do you use?

 

[Tahai]

I agree with everyone else about the heat lamps. Not needed, especially with the breeds you have. Wild birds survive just fine, and they have less protection and feed than our chickens do. Humidity (created by heating a coop with a heat lamp) and wind blowing directly on them are the real enemies. (Ventilation is hugely important) I feed my hens scratch grains with corn in it on really cold days to help them stay warmer at night. (-20 is rare for me, but not unheard of. My temps in the winter go from 40's to negative teens on average - Usually sticking in the 20 to -15 range.) Getting rid of the lamps will also cut your electricity bill down.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Humidity (created by heating a coop with a heat lamp)

Where in the world did you hear this? Do you have any kind of science to back up this statement. I understand some people really hate heat lamps and will dream up all kinds of things to say against them but where does this come from?