heat lamp in winter

[Fowl97]

i live in connecticut and i have 4 pullets. i was wondering if i need a heat lamp for them in the winter if so where and will they stop laying in the winter. any advise would be appreciated. thanks

 

[faykokoWV]

laying during winter is more related to breed and light rather than heat. I know some use just a light bulb for heat. I personally used a heat lamp last winter and plan on using one again this winter. Any night/day under 32 and the heat lamp was on.
My chickens actually started laying in Dec last year and layed on average 5 days per week each. The breeds I had at that time were Black Star, GL wyandotte and Light Brahma. I have all new chickens this year so I guess we'll see how they do.

 

[Fowl97]

do you reccomend a heat light or pad if light what kind of bulb

 

[Judy]

I'd suggest you do some reading in the coops forum. Chickens tolerate cold much better than heat, and do not need heat just because it drops below freezing; far from it. In your climate, a well designed, well ventilated but non-drafty coop should be sufficient. Light in winter is used by some to improve laying during winter, but that will also decrease the number of eggs that hen lays over her laying years.

Some will stop laying in the winter, and some will lay right on through. It varies with breed, but also with the individual hen.

 

[Fowl97]

Heres a couple pics of my coop. I plan on covering the window with plexiglass in the winter.

Thanks.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

I used a heat lamp in my big chicken house last Winter. It was on at night when temps went below freezing and was a red one hung from the wall and positioned over the roosts. Kept them all comfy and had no frozen toes or combs.

I have mostly EE's and several White Rocks as well. Had eggs all Winter....not as many but enough from 40+ hens. lol

 

[mamagardener]

I also wonder about this, I wasn't planning on using any form of heat for my 8 girls this winter. I just hope they will be okay. They have good draftfree windows for light. I hope that is good enough.

 

[Smoky73]

I used a heat lamp for years in my coop until one darn near burned down when a heat lamp cam unattached to the holder and fell into the wood shavings. Actually I suppose I did use a heat lamp the next year but that was it and hubby rigged them so they could not fall anywhere, ever.
But, thats not my story really.
When I was using heat lamps, It seemed I had many birds with colds over the winter, which to me meant they were too cold and needed it- the cold was making them sick. And I have some single combed bantams and they would get frostbite every year no matter. After that last year, I stopped using a heat lamp just to see how they did. And imagine my surprise after that first year we had no sickness and no frostbite!
My part of colorado is dry, and we do not usually get much in the way of snow but it gets fiercely cold, a few times int he winter, for weeks- below 0°F
Its been a few years now since I removed all heat lamps and my Dutch bantams never get frostbite anymore and I rarely have a sick bird in winter. Actually it got so bitter cold again this winter for a week that all my silkies actually had FROST on their backs in the morning. All lived and all were fine.

Oh I also have to add my reasoning on no heat lamps. See, I think that the heat from the lamp, and the cold around it, mixes together and causes condensation, and thats what causes the moisture that makes the frostbite and sickness. If you have really bad windows in your house (I had for years) what happens in winter? The outside cold meets the glass and the heat on the inside meets the glass and you get moisutre and or ice on the window pane.

 

[faykokoWV]

Quote:
ddawn is definately more of an expert than I am so obviously take what she says to heat. I was probably a little over protective.

In answer to your question though, I used the same red heat bulb I use for my chicks. My coop is 8x10 so its bigger than yours and probably not as cozy. I would think you could get by with a drop light (a work light with a cage) on just the very coldest of days. I stuck a thermometer in my coop so I could see just how cold it was in there vs outside.


I love your little coop. You wouldn't happen to have some written plans you could email me on that?

 

[patandchickens]

You are very unlikely to need electrical heat if your coop is well designed and well managed. Good (tho draft-free) ventilation is very important -- what frequently gives chickens frostbite is HUMIDITY, not cold per se. In an underventilated, humid, condensate-y coop you can get frostbite at not much below freezing, but if you correct those problems most breeds are good for well down into the single digits and often well below. I wouldn't say you are likely to definitely need heat until the temperature INSIDE THE COOP (which is usually warmer than outdoors on the coldest nights) gets down to like twenty BELOW ZERO... and actually a number of people don't heat at those temperatures either and have little or no frostbite.

Really truly, GOOD MANAGEMENT for a dry coop is the key.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat