Heat Lamp

[ChickenGirl3]

Hey Everyone,
I got a new heat lamp that you can dim should I leave this one all night? I dim it really low ( I use hay ) and should I put It closer to them or father away from them? Also what do I feed them I winter? I usually feed them scratch and laying feed mixed, is this fine?

 

[Olive Hill]

How old are they?

 

[woodmort]

I suggest you read this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=411434&p=1. And this one https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=420995 You might want to reconsider using the heat lamp entirely.

 

[chicknmania]

WE don't dare use a heat lamp or any heat source at night or when we are not home. Too many things can happen, it's just too big of a fire risk. We do use a heat lamp for our young birds that are not fully feathered out yet, sometimes during the day when it is very cold. But that' s when someone can keep an eye out.

 

[chicknmania]

Also, we feed cracked corn or scratch mixed with corn in the winter, helps to keep them warm. And we try to give them a snack in the middle of the day when it is cold, too.

 

[ChickenGirl3]

My chickens are laying not at the moment, we are having snow tomorrow. I have a special heat lamp I can dim it at night I leave it on all day but can it still cause fires?

 

[sharol]

I'm sure anything electrical can cause fires. However, there are safe ways to mount heat lamps. If you secure it firmly to the side or top of the coop (not using just the clamp, but using screws and whatever else you need to make it firmly attached, and IF you make sure it isn't close to wood shavings or other combustibles it won't be any more dangerous than using a fireplace or a spotlight in a house. The trick is securing it so it won't fall on something and cause a fire. As I read it, most fires are caused by one of three things. The bulb unit falls onto the shavings or straw and ignites them. OR. The bulb explodes and the sparks created ignite the shavings or other bedding materials that are close to the light. OR. The socket of the bulb overheats because of using a non-ceramic socket with a heat bulb. You use a heat lamp over the brooder with no problems. Right?

After much waffling, I put a heatlamp (actually my brooder light) in the coop and aimed it in the general direction of the roost that the girls prefer to use. It doesn't aim directly at them, but it keeps the air in the vicinity a bit warmer. I put it on a Thermo Cube (the on at 20 off at 30 one) so it only runs when it gets really cold out there. I read all the arguments about chickens not needing auxilary heat, but they WERE cold the morning it got down to 16 a couple of weeks ago, so I decided to use heat.

If you leave it on all day, they will be accustomed to it and be miserable at night when it is even colder. You don't say where you live (or I don't remember it from your personal info). How cold is really cold? We get lots of snow when it is in the upper 20's and lower 30's. That isn't particularly cold for the girls. Mine are out puttering around the flower garden when it is 25.

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[ams3651]

I have a red heat lamp firmly afixed to a rafter over the roost. Its about 3 feet away from them and mounted so it will not fall. This will be the 3rd winter using it with no problems. I only turn it on when temps drop into the teens. I know they will be ok without it but I would hate to go out and find a frozen chicken. I also add corn and BOSS to feed in the winter. On very cold mornings or evenings I will cook up some oatmeal with leftovers and corn. THey love the warm treat.

 

[hamilton]

This is my first year with chickens... I have a 12 x 12 shed with 12 chickens...There is a large wooden box in there 2' x 3' that they can go in if they want...just the polish goes in...... I put 2 bags of shavings on the floor and many roosts for them to sit on...We made a small doggie door for them to go out in a small area that is away from the weather... I am not planning on using any heat.... They get many treats through out the day...

Sometimes hot pasta or oatmeal.. They also have hay to nibble on and I will be adding some straw this weekend....There is one large window for light and we will be putting plexiglas over the top of the door for light... Keeping fingers crossed they will be fine this winter... Also putting a light on from 4-9 am

 

[Miss Lydia]

I bought a heat lamp from Premier1 and it is awesome. check it out