Heat Lamp on all night?

[Derek Kwas]

Hello, my family and i have 4 chickens roughly the age of 9 months old that are laying eggs. With the cold temperatures that we are experiencing here in Illinois we've been keeping the heat lamp on all night for them that's roughly 4 feet off the ground. Is this ok? Will it hurt them? Is there anything you suggest? **These chickens are placed under our deck, so very little (if any) snowfall, rain gets in and on 2 of the sides (That gets the most wind) we have lattice put up to help with the cold winds, and we have heated water bowls**

 

[Better Than Rubies]

Hey there!
The heat lamp I doubt would hurt them--and lots of people use them. But, take extreme caution: They can cause fires.
Your chickens, depending on the breed (but I'm assuming you have heritage or brown-egg laying breeds), should be just fine in the cold. Mostly people use them to get more eggs, I think, as most hens' laying slows down in the winter. But, not even being a year yet, your chickens ought to be laying decently this winter, perhaps?

 

[aart]

Hello, my family and i have 4 chickens roughly the age of 9 months old that are laying eggs. With the cold temperatures that we are experiencing here in Illinois we've been keeping the heat lamp on all night for them that's roughly 4 feet off the ground. Is this ok? Will it hurt them? Is there anything you suggest? **These chickens are placed under our deck, so very little (if any) snowfall, rain gets in and on 2 of the sides (That gets the most wind) we have lattice put up to help with the cold winds, and we have heated water bowls**

Welcome to BYC!

Heat lamps are very dangerous, especially when your coop is right next to your house. It's best to let the birds acclimate to the cold, they are pretty tough. The first winter with chickens is hard on keepers until they learn from experience just how tough those birds are.

Posting some pics of your coop inside and out would help us help you make any improvements for 'weathering the weather'...haha!

 

[Derek Kwas]

The first image is of the back that gets most of the wind, as you can see we covered it with lattice, but they still seem to hang out there during the day. In the second picture is like there "kitchen", thats where their food and water is as well as the heat lamp that we've been keeping on all night. As you can see its about 4 feet off the ground because the fencing to the left is 4 feet. The cage where all the food is at is also connected to their coop. Is this what you wanted?

 

[aart]

A pic from outside showing the whole set up would help too.
And where do they roost to sleep?

 

[JackE]

NO WAY would I have a coop, under my house's deck, with a heatlamp in it. Something happens, and you could EASILY lose your house. Unless you have some kind of thinly feathered, exotic breed, chickens don't need any help keeping warm. They are built to handle the cold. Get that lamp out of there.

 

[Derek Kwas]

The chickens coop/sleeping area is to the left of the cage there. I will post a picture showing the coop from the inside and outside tomorrow because its gotten dark out.
Also, with the temps right now they are in the negatives around -5,that's the reason we keep it on during the night.
*Thanks to all who have chatted with me *

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hello, my family and i have 4 chickens roughly the age of 9 months old that are laying eggs. With the cold temperatures that we are experiencing here in Illinois we've been keeping the heat lamp on all night for them that's roughly 4 feet off the ground. Is this ok? Will it hurt them? Is there anything you suggest? **These chickens are placed under our deck, so very little (if any) snowfall, rain gets in and on 2 of the sides (That gets the most wind) we have lattice put up to help with the cold winds, and we have heated water bowls**

Want to say Welcome to Backyard Chickens only thing I will add please listen to what the others have already said

 

[Derek Kwas]

Here is the front of the coop for ya.
*sorry for the late reply, school started*