Heat lamp vs Heating Pad

[Stayc]

Mine dont like snow. I always clear a path 2 my garden where they usually sunbathe. I put extra bedding and a block wind but chickens tolerate the cold the same as heat. I've only had an issue with the water freezing and my feelings of them being cold because I am a worry wart. Anything that provides heat is a fire hazard and these guys know how 2 keep warm!

 

[BarbHoward71]

Just because California is warm compared to everywhere else doesn’t mean critters don’t feel cold. How you cope with temperature changes depends on what you are used to and what your body has adjusted to more than the absolute temperature. Best option would be to offer them heat and see if they enjoy it. If not then they don’t need it. If they do seem to enjoy the heat then, while they might be fine/survive without it, why wouldn’t you want them to have it?

I had to move my baby chic’s because there part of the barn flooded. I forgot to take the heat lamp down as I had another where I moved them to. Anyway long story short I came into the barn next morning to all my adult hens in there stall basking under the heat lamp.

 

[DobieLover]

I thought some chicken breeds cannot tolerate low temperatures. I can’t imagine that every breed of chicken can tolerate below freezing temps.

Seramas, frizzles and perhaps silkies. But in CA they'd be just fine.

 

[shineandrise]

I thought some chicken breeds cannot tolerate low temperatures. I can’t imagine that every breed of chicken can tolerate below freezing temps.

Seramas, frizzles and perhaps silkies. But in CA they'd be just fine.

x2! It honestly is not something to worry about unless you have these specific breeds and you live in a place where it gets much below freezing- Your fine!

 

[TJAnonymous]

One year I put a heat lamp in a small 4' x 6' coop with some young pullets who were about 12 weeks old. It was down in the teens and I was worried they would get cold. They would NOT stop squawking their displeasure. So instead I put the lamp on a timer so it would go ON for one hour and then OFF for one hour during the overnight hours only. Same thing happened....they raised such a ruckus over that damn lamp that I was worried my neighbors would complain. So out came the heat lamp..... I've since moved to a new farm and had some new chicks being raised in an empty stall. I DID put a heat lamp in there until they were about 8 weeks old and I moved them into a new coop with the adults. The stall was 10' x 10' so they had PLENTY of room to get away from the heat if they wanted. I had the lamp secured so there was NO WAY it could possibly get within range of the bedding (pine shavings and some straw).

 

[Carson213]

My undergrad degree was in zoology. Are wild birds dying during the cold weather where you live? If not, the chickens won’t either. BUT, if your coop doesn’t have adequate air circulation...like open air windows to dry out the bedding...wet bedding or condensation/ice on roosts can kill. I would add more venting not heat.

 

[Carson213]

One year I put a heat lamp in a small 4' x 6' coop with some young pullets who were about 12 weeks old. It was down in the teens and I was worried they would get cold. They would NOT stop squawking their displeasure. So instead I put the lamp on a timer so it would go ON for one hour and then OFF for one hour during the overnight hours only. Same thing happened....they raised such a ruckus over that damn lamp that I was worried my neighbors would complain. So out came the heat lamp..... I've since moved to a new farm and had some new chicks being raised in an empty stall. I DID put a heat lamp in there until they were about 8 weeks old and I moved them into a new coop with the adults. The stall was 10' x 10' so they had PLENTY of room to get away from the heat if they wanted. I had the lamp secured so there was NO WAY it could possibly get within range of the bedding (pine shavings and some straw).

i thought this meant hens not pullets...my bad

 

[Carson213]

heat lamp is the worst no matter what. if you have chicks or pullets...bulb dies...chickens die. the heating elements that they go on top of or under are way better for fire safety...which is a small risk...having a heating light bulb burn out would be a bigger risk. i use the hot plate they can go under...but only until they have all of their feathers...then i use nothing...but i have a handful of chickens that keep each other warm.

worst case scenario...sadly...it only costs you $3 per chicken to figure this out.

 

[DouglasB]

Deep bedding material,hay,straw,pine shavings, a few suitable ones, would be fine. Remember a chickens normal temperature is higher than ours and if they want they can nest in the bedding. My guess is they will stay on their roost together! But it wouldn't hurt. Keeping the coop dry and ventilated and no drafts on the birds where they roost is important. My two cents.

 

[cstronks]

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.

There is certainly no need for heating, unless you have chicks which would be highly unusual. Chickens are extremely hardy and need to be kept away from drafts. As long as you have a coop that blocks draft, the hens will be just fine. I tend to think the benefits of a heat lamp in a wood, sawdust/hay filled coop will neverrrrrr outweigh the risk...