Heat lamp & coop temperature

[Rustywreck]

My chickens are spoile too, and have an electric heater.
A couple days ago the thermostat wasn't working and temp inside was 100 degrees - single digits outside.
They have a new heater that should keep it about 40-50 degrees.
Two heat lamps did seem to work to keep the place warm until I replaced the heater though.

 

[vermontgal]

Hey "I have WHAT" -

Check out this type of thermometer - wireless max/min. Sit in your house and see the temperature in your coop - and know how cold it is in your coop at the coldest moment of the night. I have two and LOVE them.

There are many models out there; look around for your best price & features you want.
http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/7034/index.php

 

[digitS']

Quote:
Okay, 15 to 16 watts per chicken . . .

"Commercial Chicken Meat and Egg Production" (you can find it using Google book search), page 837:

61 BTU's per chicken (5 pound, broiler chick)

61 BTU's = 17.8 watts

Hey

!!

Those Cornish X broilers eat a lot. So, we would expect slightly lower wattage from a laying hen

.

Steve

 

[Mrs MIA]

It has been getting down to -25, -30F here the last week... 25 birds in the 8x8' coop with one 250w heat lamp (I have several 12 week old chicks in there) keeps the temps above 0F, at which several of my girls voluntarily slept on the outside perch. I agree, though, that 4 girls and a heat lamp would probably not make that much difference...

 

[silkiechicken]

Great! And not only are they each 15W heaters, they make great humidifiers and composters. Chickens are great!

 

[vermontgal]

Last night it was 25 in the coop, WITH the heat lamp on (but not pointed directly at my thermometer probe). It was -12F outside.

I think I am going to get one of those Thermocubes that turns on at 0 and off at 10. The low temp ones are meant for block heaters - wish I'd known about those when I had a diesel VW! I'll install the Thermocube on the outlet that is outside the coop. So when it gets to be 0 F outside, the heater will click on. That seems about right. It has only been below 15 inside the coop when the temp outside is below 0F.

Tori, do you have single-comb chickens that are outside in the single digits, or are they rose/pea combers? I currently have 3 single combs and a pea-comb EE. I got the EE by mistake, but I think I like her best. I am thinking of swapping out a BR and the NHR in the spring, for a Wyandotte and a Rosecomb RIR, if I can find the latter anywhere. The other BR I like too much to get rid of.

I'm not worried about the chickens themselves, I'm just worried about their combs. I don't want frostbite and I don't want to dub.

AND with this post - I just hit "Chillin' with my peeps" which is just about right for this time of year!

 

[mountaintopchicken]

I think I am going to get one of those Thermocubes that turns on at 0 and off at 10.

Wow! I didn't know they had those! I usually don't heat my coops but I am getting in some chickens from down south by mail this coming week. Don't want them to have to face the worst of our temps here before they're acclimated (I'm in Vermont too...), but I also don't want to heat to coop too much. I think I'll attach it to a small ceramic heat emitter instead of a light, though, because I don't like to mess with their hours of light exposure.

Found the Thermocube you were talking about on Amazon for $10.50 : here .​

 

[vermontgal]

Hi Mountaintopchicken - Yes, I am headed toward a heat emitter, too (also infrared). I really wish there were a Thermocube that was on at 10 and off at 15. That would be perfect. I have not found any programmable thermostats that go below 45F. I should ask my energy-geek friends, though. Stay warm! (Where in Vermont are you?)

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
I used to have white leghorns outside, but I gave them away this year. The only single combs I have are my Dorkings, and they're closed up in the breeder's coop (it's currently 11.7°F in there, and yes, I worry about frostbite a little bit)... All of my layers, with the exception of the RIRs, are rose or pea combed, and they do really well. Wyandottes, Light brahmas, Ameraucanas, etc.
I've got the thermocubes with the 35-45°F range, but at these temps they stay on all the time.

 

[mountaintopchicken]

vermontgal - I'm in southern VT, near Manchester, near the top of a mountain (hence the name...).

I used to live in Burlington, then Bristol, though, so I've spent some time in Montpelier, esp. at the cute little movie theater (it's still there, I hope?).