Heat Lamp Question

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Enh, it is like with horses. Your typical horse's ideal thermal comfort zone (once winter fur has grown in) is, like, 20 F to maybe 45 F, ALL of which would be way too cold for us. And most healthy horses are in fact happy as clams down to 0 F or so (and adequately comfy considerably lower than that) as long as they have are dry and can get out of the wind and have plenty of hay. You can SEE this, as your typical furried-up horse will not retreat into a shed, or bug you about putting his jammies on, til it gets really quite cold. You just have to LOOK at how the animals are ACTING, instead of pretending what-if-that-were-me.

It hasn't gotten below about 22 F in my chickens' winter housing yet (and alas they have no outdoor run, as I slipped a disc as I was about to get rolling on construction) but honestly I have seen ABSOLUTELY ZERO sign that they mind the cold and I am positive they'd be fine MUCH colder. As long as the air is not humid, anyhow... if you have ventilation issues and get condensate/frost, problems might occur.

Those of you who worry about cold, have you considered building an insulated hover over their roost to help retain body heat at night? You could use that mylar bubblewrap stuff. Have not tried it but have seen it recommended, and it is no fire hazard and doesn't use electricity.

Pat

 

[Charlie Chicken]

And just think, before we know it summer will be here and we can fuss & fume & fret about how hot and miserable our chickens must be!

Now there is an area where chickens do need our help. After we cage them up in the coops we have built for them they do suffer from the heat and we must provide adequate ventilation (the more the better in hot climates) but thats a subject for another day.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

I think everyone just worries, b/c these chickens are thought to be more than the farm livestock for just eggs & food.......they are pets. It's so sad to lose a pet. BYC members have lost chickens due to severe cold weather & severe hot weather last summer. Some member's chickens have already received frost bite. For first time chicken owners we are just seeking the answers to keep our pets healthy & safe. I did a ton of research before getting chickens and not one book gives you the guide lines of what is to cold for our feathered friends. It is vague in all of my books, only stating that an infrared red heat lamp may be added. It's very frustrating! First time chicken owners just need the reassurance. I worry everytime the temps dip in the single digits. I can't help it.

 

[Charlie Chicken]

Yes, there are plenty of references that mention that heat lamps "can be used" but they fail to mention that the chicken's natural ability to maintain health and hardiness will be compromised. To make matters worse, when we add heat lamps we are totally screwing up their environment. They now have 24 hours of daylight which throws their egg laying cycles which are based on light all out of whack. Sleep deprivation also becomes a factor because with lights shining all the time they can no longer tell day from night.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Quote:
Yea, I know! I know I read a thread on here a while back that talks about the adding of supplemental light to acheive the required light for laying (12-14 hrs) that it actually shortens our feathered friend's life. I think there was also some talk of causing them cancer. I think to much light can be stressful to them.

I worried the very first night that the temps were dropping in the single digits, so I added a clear infrared heat lamp. Can't help it...I'm a worry wart and didn't won't to wake up to popcycle chickens. Well, I ended up pulling the plug b/c they were party chickens. They were having a good ole time!

So then I asked members about the red infrared heat lamp and I guess it just depends on the chicken......some settled to sleep and some were partying.

I think it would be best to use the ceramic heat lamp that doesn't emitt light to take the edge off if needed in extreme situations. Some people use them just over the waterer so the water won't freeze. I'm not sure if it is strong enough to radiate enough heat through the coop to effect the chickens. ???????

 

[KrisRose]

Usalbrechts- I also live in southeast Michigan and I do add heat to my coop.
My coop is 10x12 (insulated and well build) and I use 2 red heat lamps. On a O deg day my coop is at 20 deg. If its very windy (yes, it does make a difference) my coop will be about 15 deg, perhaps a little lower.
You can get red heat lamps at Lowe's or Home Depot for about 10 buck's. There is a difference between clear and red. The red will also disrupt the sleep cycle but the clear throws much more visible light.
When people hear that you heat your coop they think it's at 70 deg and your chickens are wussies and will die if the electric goes out. No they won't, this is just to make them a little more comfortable (they DO NOT like the extreme cold) and save my Roo's comb. I don't care what was done 100 years ago, they had no options.
The bitter cold spell we are have will change in a couple of days. It will cycle between mild winter weather and deep freeze conditions. I use a thermo cube to shut off my heat lamps when the temperature changes. Its not what I was looking for but it will do for now. The thermo cube is on at 35 deg and shuts off at 45. This is set, for me, too high. I would like something to click on the lights at about 20 and shut off at 30.
For your coop one light is probably enough. To know for sure you need to get a thermometer. They are pretty cheap.
Good luck and Howdy Neighbor.

 

[MissPrissy]

Smitty's Farm :

Yea, I know! I know I read a thread on here a while back that talks about the adding of supplemental light to acheive the required light for laying (12-14 hrs) that it actually shortens our feathered friend's life.

It does not shorten their life. It shortens the years they can produce eggs. The egg plant gets burned out early.​

 

[jjthink]

Ceramic heat lamps provide heat and no light, so there are no night time partying issues. They are available in a variety of wattages. Been using them for years. They can usually be found anywhere that supplies for reptiles are sold, including Petsmart.

I have 125 watt and 250 watt ceramic bulbs. Because now I have an insulated - and small [4' x 6' x 8' tall] -coop that resides inside a larger building that serves as a windbreak, the 125 watt in the coop has been easily doing the job. Even tho it's suspended from the coop ceiling well above the water, water has not yet frozen, even when only 3 degrees outside. When I was tending to chickens in a small coop not inside a larger building, sometimes I had to use 3 of the ceramic heat lamps when it was really frigid out to achieve the same effect - just ran an extension cord to the coop.

Before that coop had heat, I lost a beauiful roo who couldn't endure frigid day after frigid day - it wasn't in him. It was sad. I ultimately brought him indoors but it was too late.

My roo of the past 7 years is outside freezing right now (14 degrees right now) - I can tell he's miserable - and hope i can get him through the winter. Maybe it's his age as he used to tolerate cold better (just like me!). He'll be able to relax tonight in relative comfort (our winter actually hasn't been that bad so far but he does not like temps below freezing - he just doesn't - and this will be our coldest week thus far). His young hen friend doesn't seem to mind the cold (except that she was miserable and freezing while molting, as one might expect). They vary in their tolerances, much as we do. If the power goes out sometime, I'll bring them inside if need be, an option when there aren't that many. For those with a boatload of birds, it's a horse of a different color!

All the best everyone.

JJ

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Quote:
It does not shorten their life. It shortens the years they can produce eggs. The egg plant gets burned out early.

Thanks, Miss Prissy! I remember reading it when I first joined, but couldn't remember what was said about it.

 

[KrisRose]

Yes, the light issue is the reason I will be changing to a flat panel heater. It just needs to warm up a hair for me to go put it in the coop

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JJ- Sorry to hear about your Roo's.