Heat lamp & coop temperature

[cmom]

My girls are spoiled I put a heat lamp on if it gets below freezing.

 

[dftkarin]

whaaaa! So many people heat their coops! I have an uninsulated and slightly drafty 3'x5' coop with no electricity and therefore no heat or light. This past week the temps have been below 0 at night and I worry about my 4 cold weather chickens - but I thought I read that as long as the coold air wasn't blowing directly on them - they would be okay. I have started feeding them a half-cup of cracked corn right before it gets dark - with the hope that it will provide some extra oomph. It worries me that so many other people are adding some heat, am I endangering my sweeties?

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Yes, with my new insulation & two 250 watt lamps--along with about 30 birds in there & some fermenting poo--it was 41 in there, yesterday (26 outside!) I've completely stripped the coop twice but my MIL suggested I remove the worst spots & turn over the straw, adding only a little fresh...because of the fermenting poo helping out? So far, so good...it does not smell in there and everyone seems okay...I even opened their run yesterday--but only the cochins & brahmas venture outside--oh & the Muscovies & Cayugas. No one else comes out...

 

[anniegirl1962]

Great info! I have 6 girls and worry about this winter.

 

[Izzymoon]

We turned the heat lamp on, we were using a heat lamp made for reptiles, red, and 50watt. They were very confused and stood on guard at the door and weren't sleeping. (We turned it off) We have been using a regular light bulb which comes on at 2am till dawn so that they still get their 16 hours of sunlight, and it's working beautifully. All 5 are laying everyday

I did lose one RIR (Betsy) this winter, I think she had a heart attack, but not sure. All the others seem fit and happy.

I have been amping up what they eat like more corn, which I just use frozen thawed cobs and kernels for extra body heat and bread, oatmeal, cantalopes, pears and peaches, along with their daily organic feed.

If it's a bitter morning I'll get the water luke warm, so they can get their body temps up. If they feel cold I grab them and hold them for a few minutes, till I can feel their warmth. They don't like that too much but it works.

We get our first bigger snow tomorrow they say, I might let them out to play in it, depending on the temp.

I'm taking the advice that too much heat can be a bad thing, and just trying to find natural ways to create warmth for them.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Fire and outages are two draw backs to supplying electricity to a coop. I live in Canada no heat no electricity 3 inch drop from roost to poop board temperature 12 Fahrenheit last night NOT factoring wind chill with over a foot of snow. I have 6 Golden Comets going on 4 years old 3 eggs a day I do not know what the coldest temperature they have endured in the 3+ years they have been with me but I am guessing it has been well below -10 Fahrenheit. Not factoring wind chill no problems.The metal shed is my chicken coop (it is insulated and well ventilated). The other picture was taken yesterday.

 

[backyardcelia]

izzymoon, what sort of reptile heat source? lit? i was also thinking about that idea because it's easy to set up solar source... but i am also worried about fire. i only put on a 150 red bulb during a crappy day (they seem to appreciate it), and only if i am home. but we haven't had the worst of the weather yet, so i don't know what to do... i've got a towel in the cracked open/vent window at night. other than that, i'd be much more concerned about them becoming used to it and then losing power.

 

[Izzymoon]

hi,
it's made by Hagen
75w infrared basking spot
(I said 50w sorry)

It's just a bulb, which you put in a regular socket. We bought one at home depot for a couple bucks. The light we got at the pet store for lizards and repitles. Simulates sun, to help with digestion etc.
Because the girl's combs are changing color at the tips today, I am trying both lights at once to come on at the same time (2am-till daylight) and hopefully it'll help keep them warmer. My coop is pretty open, I have vents all along the top of the coop and the run door is open with nothing to block it, so they are pretty exposed even when inside. It does keep the wind out.

e have an extension cord running from the house to a block (6) cord outlet, which has a trip/breaker if anything should go wrong. We have the light and this bulb on a different plug. I can try and get a photo. The lights are out of range of the hens and any flamable materials (ceiling and on the side above roost) Also the light only stays on for a few hours 2am-7am. I'll run out before it gets dark here and take a photo


Here's the link to another brand with the same concept:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...D=691917009&catargetid=1570169943&cagpspn=pla

 

[Izzymoon]

timer wrapped in plastic, and behind timer is orange plug with 6 otlets and breaker switch
all wrapped in heavy plastic outside of coop



inside light (not directly against wall) on it's own timer






The girls on their roost showing how far away from lights they are. The infrered light is not directly
above them. I'll likely buy a shade for the light, and cut it in 1/2 to put on the plain bulb, just so it's
not so bright, but generally they go down and drink and eat when they wake up

Also on the same plug system is a light bulb under the waterer, so the water never freezes.
I don't see anything here that would cause a fire or hurt the birds. All the extensions are made for the outdoors

 

[backyardcelia]

very handy! thank you it reminds me i need to tack up my lamp cord (painters tape is currently doing the job!) i had been thinking of one of those reptile mats(!) ...i have a similar set up w/o the timer(so that is very helpful info), in fact it's funny how similar our ladies and coop interiors look (sans blue painters tape, of course!). if i get a generator i might consider some more light, more often. besides, i don't mind if they don't lay in the dark winter months, but i just feel like every being enjoys being a little hobbit-y!