Heat lamp vs Heating Pad

[YvonneBack]

And how do that chicken manage to NOT grow a down coat. Could it be that she was too hot and therefore didn't grow one. That happens when "people" decide their birds are cold. Just saying.

It's not that she couldn't grow the down coat only that she had had such a serious and complete molt that she lost pretty much everything. But as of this writing the down is coming back, lots of feather shafts so she's beginning to not look like shes from another planet.

 

[WindingRoad]

It's not that she couldn't grow the down coat only that she had had such a serious and complete molt that she lost pretty much everything. But as of this writing the down is coming back, lots of feather shafts so she's beginning to not look like shes from another planet.

So she will be fine when Calli freezes over. LOL

 

[YvonneBack]

I will opine on this, as well. I was born and raised in the San Francisco bay area... your chickens do NOT need supplemental heat in this area. I would be more concerned with the humidity level rather than the heat. The drier, the better. Knowing the fog increases the humidity in the area, which is what truly contributes to the chill rather than air or wind chill factors, you'd be better off using a dehumidifier to keep them warm.

Chickens body temperatures are in the 100s, normal. As someone stated, they put in a sealed oil heater in one corner of their coop, and the chickens avoided that area... because it was too warm for them, even with one in full molt (which also makes me wonder... you stated your chicken is only 8 months old, but going through a molt already? It's usually not until their second fall that they go through a molt). The best test? As the ones found with the heater, it's like finding the sweet spot in a brooder, where the chicks are distributed evenly under the heat, rather than huddled together to stay warm, or are spread out away from the heat source. Your chickens will show you if they are cold or not.

That being said, I now live in North Dakota, where we go into the negatives in the winter, for weeks at a time. So, I just installed a Comfort Cozy radiant wall heater... it doesn't operate on the floor, has a zero clearance back, even though I have it on a frame that keeps it several inches away from the coop wall, so it is above the level of the chickens' access. It is plugged into a ThermoCube tap, that doesn't allow it to activate until it goes below 45F. So, when the ThermoCube activates, the heater comes on, heats the room to an ambivalent temperature of 59F (the lowest it will go) on 750 watts (low setting). But when the room temperature rises to 45F, the ThermoCube deactivates, thereby turning the heater off... fail-safe mechanism. I only use the heater, really, to keep the room warm enough to keep water liquified, not to heat the chickens, because they'll do just fine. They go outside into the snow on their own during the day, so I know they can tolerate the wind chill factors here. I plan on installing a couple of solar panels next Spring/Summer on top of the coop (an 8x12 shed) so that I can use that as the electrical source instead of running an extension cord from the house, making the coop independent.

Not sure where you got that Chelsey was 8 months old. Don't believe I even mentioned her age (she's 5). And yes, the fog that we get (though minimal since we are not that close to the ocean) was factored in to my thinking. Anywho, all of you who agree on not needing any heat source I hear what you are saying and I thank you for the time you took to advise me. It's a small world in that my siblings were born in Bismark and by the time I was born we had moved to Minnesota but still I spent many summers and several winters in N.D so I know what cold truly is. Sounds like the set up you have with the Thermocube is a good plan. thanks for your opines.

 

[YvonneBack]

I concur with the sentiment of not needing an extra heat source. Chickens survived for thousands of years in the wild and in captivity prior to electrify without heat sources. Now grant it some breeds are more tolerant with extreme temperatures than others, but I would not think being where you’re at would be a need to worry. Good luck.

Thank you, appreciate that.

 

[LUVMESUMCHICKNS]

With winter coming, this weekend we dusted off the heat lamp and checked the wiring to make sure it was ready to go when chilly nights arrive here in the Bay Area of California. Now I know it cannot possibly compare to the 'real' winter many chicken lovers on this forum have, that being said, what with Chelsy deciding to go into full molting she is gonna get chilly in the house with her bff without some heat source. Every winter I worry about the safety re the combination of straw and heat lamp even though the lamp is a good 4+ feet over the straw bedding I still get worried. Is a heating pad a better idea? and if so, what about the possibility of scratching and pecking at the pad? Or do you think the heat lamp is fine? I have two roosting bars so they can either get close to the lamp or scootch away from it.

OK I have lived all over CA and then the East Coast. Now Missouri with harsh winters and low sunshine.
WE NEVER EVER add heat to the chicken coop. Neither do we add light. Chickens have a natural ability to cuddle or stay inside their coop and manage to get through their normal
yearly cycle. For coop bedding we use HEMP it is easier to clean, has a nice fragrance and Chickens seem to love it. For the run we use STRAW(Deep about 5 - 6 inches). They go through their molting laying fewer eggs but once the molting is done...we get eggs all year. Chickens are strong birds. I have seen "farm" chickens fly up into the trees to stay off the snow while avoiding predators. We have 4 two year old chickens and get eggs year round. They are very healthy. The best info I got from the breeder was black oiled sunflower seeds with regularity (Cleaner vents) and diatomacious earth to avoid mites and stuff. Sorry for the long reply!

 

[britinpa]

This year we are trying out the Cozy Coop.
https://www.cozyproducts.com/products/cozy-coop

I have heard good things about it’s safety, uses less wattage, and the birds can warm when they want.

I was considering one of these, then I saw a horrendous chicken owner review on Amazon, where she included a picture of one of these burnt out, and it killed 8 of their chickens. They said it didn't burn down the coop, but it was full of the smell of burnt plastic, the remaining chickens and the run smelt also, and it left the coop unusable.

 

[lvkatiebc]

I've lived in California most of my life and now I live in Colorado. My birds have been through 3 winters just fine without any heat source. I do make sure the entire coop is secured from any drafts. I've learned from an older farmer that if you leave the manure in and cover it with hay it will act as a natural heat source. My chickens were out everyday in the snow as if it wasn't such a big deal. Hahaha. Chickens are cold hardy animals you know. I wouldn't know if that counts for all breeds? But, I am pretty sure everything will be ok if the coop is free of chilly winds.

 

[Chick-la-la]

I live in Georgia and it only gets down into the 20’s, but I give my girls a heat lamp that is about 4 feet from their straw and 2 feet from their roost... the love it. They scootch closer to that side together and go in extra early on cold days. I have a silky in the mix and she definitely needs it, and when they molt, if during winter, I have seen them stay in the coop much of the day on the side of the lamp. I have never had an issue and with the bulb guard over the lamp, I don’t worry. It’s secure, cords are secured and protected with electrical tape. Some chickens tolerate cold better than others. My chickens also continue to lay eggs with the lamp on for 6 hours/night.

 

[izzabee2]

Please define "chilly' in degrees Fahrenheit.
Their feathers keep them warm.
Ventilation is way more important than bedding or heat.
Shavings are better bedding, IMO.
But what bedding works best for you may depend on how you manage the manure.

I also live in the Bay Area CA. It’s hovering in the 50’s at night right now. It CAN occasionally get to 30’s but the coldest it really gets is around 40F. I agree wholeheartedly that supplemental heat is never needed in CA.

 

[Onyxflock]

Thank you, appreciate that.

You've been a real good sport through all of this help! I'm in So Cal Sierras and we get snow & 10 degrees, so Phht to those who = California = endless summer. I agree - Bay Area is damp & feels cold with the moisture in the air. My thinking is if your birds have grown up with the extra warmth, they might be acclimated to it by now. Something safer than a heat lamp, lots of good intel on here - plus that will ease your mind... A Very important thing these days