heat lamp

[CherMoz]

Thank You my fellow Cheesehead. Good to know. What did you do about freezing water? And did you still get eggs? And nobody had any frozen giblets-I mean digits-uhm, waddles, combs, or feet?

Good morning,

We made a couple of the cookie tin water heaters such as found here: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/11/make-cookie-tin-waterer-heater-under-10.html
There are other types of heaters for the water as well. We had extra waterers that we kept in the basement to switch out those mornings that it was so cold the water froze even with the heaters. That was only when it was well below 0 overnight (too many last winter).

We only got eggs from pullets from late fall (Nov., Dec.). The hens started laying again in January. That was with supplemental light.

No frozen giblets (

) here. Our coop is well ventilated. From what I've experienced, it is when there is a lot of built up moisture inside that causes frostbite.

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

You've received some good advice already. Good luck with your flock!

 

[Wyandottes7]

Welcome to BYC!

We're glad to have you.

You've received some good advice above.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

As stated above, chickens don't need added heat to the coop. Not only is it dangerous as they can start fires, but chickens come with built in heaters and feathers. If they have time to acclimate in the fall, they can survive the most brutal of temps. Lots of members here from Alaska keep chickens in uninsulated, no added heat or electricity what so ever with average over night lows of Minus 40.

The most important factor in keeping your birds warm in the winter is good ventilation. You want to keep your birds roosting low to the floor in quiet air and 1 square foot of vent space per bird in the eaves of your roof. While your chickens are sleeping, there is a lot of moisture building up from all the pooping and the breathing. This warm moist air needs to go somewhere. With good venting, it will rise up and catch this positive air flow and go out the roof. With out good venting, this moist air is going to fall back down on them as water or frost causing the birds to be wet, chilled and get frost bite. Keep your bedding clean and dry, remove all water at roosting time so you are not adding to the moisture in the coop. Dry drier driest. The birds themselves omit heat. So as they all snuggle up together, there is a nice bubble of heat surrounding them. Just make sure to seal all cracks around the roost bar to stop all drafts.

Never close off all venting even on the coldest of nights. If it is going to be a very windy night during the winter, you might close off a few of them to slow down the movement of air. But you still need this moist air to be whisked out of the coop.

Chickens need to get outside everyday in the winter. If your coop temp is too much warmer than the outside air, they will be stuck in the coop all winter. This will lead to all kinds of sickness and respiratory ailments.

If however, it is planning on getting down to 30 or 40 degrees lower than your AVERAGE over night low, then you can add a small heat lamp. So if your average over night low is 10 and it is planning on getting down to Minus 30, you might consider a heat lamp until the temps return back to normal over night lows. You are not trying to heat the coop, only add heat around the birds, bringing up the temp a few degrees. ALWAYS permenantly attach a heat lamp. Do not rely on the clamp as they can fall and cause a fire.

You can also tack an old towel to your roost bar in early winter. Chickens lose heat through the feet. So warm feet mean warmer birds.

Good luck on this new journey and welcome to our flock!

So just let them adjust to your temps as fall turns to winter. Your birds will do just fine if you don't try to keep them indoors too much. Let them decide when they want to come back to the coop and they will appreciate it if you shovel paths in the snow so they can get out for some exercise on those snowy days.

 

[liz9910]

 

[LIChickens]

Welcome to BYC!

You will find a lot of good information here. Keep on asking questions and you will get many good answers.

You may also want to read the FAQ below.

 

[CherMoz]

How are your chickens doing Skinnette? We only got 5 eggs yesterday. Our pullets haven't started laying yet and quite a few hens are molting.

 

[chicky6]

We were dismayed to discover our $450 chicken coop had HUGE gaps in the ceiling and nesting box area, which cant be good in sub freezing temps in PA. we plugged the gaps with the home depot foam tubes cut to length between the rafter gaps just on the outside of the coop roof/walls, and nesting box lid/walls. not airtight, but MUCH less drafty. Hope it works, but havent passed the test yet. I saw a large plastic walk in wire frame/ heavy plastic sheath green house on clearance for $59 at Odd Lot and im SO sorry i didnt buy it. i think that might have provided a GREAT windbreak, air barrier of insulation, but still allowed ventillation.
Im now Looking for how to keep the outside 30 gal water tank with chicken nipples from freezing without using TONS of electricity. Also wodering if the infrared black lights are good for a few hours in the coldest part of the night.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

We were dismayed to discover our $450 chicken coop had HUGE gaps in the ceiling and nesting box area, which cant be good in sub freezing temps in PA. we plugged the gaps with the home depot foam tubes cut to length between the rafter gaps just on the outside of the coop roof/walls, and nesting box lid/walls. not airtight, but MUCH less drafty. Hope it works, but havent passed the test yet. I saw a large plastic walk in wire frame/ heavy plastic sheath green house on clearance for $59 at Odd Lot and im SO sorry i didnt buy it. i think that might have provided a GREAT windbreak, air barrier of insulation, but still allowed ventillation.
Im now Looking for how to keep the outside 30 gal water tank with chicken nipples from freezing without using TONS of electricity. Also wodering if the infrared black lights are good for a few hours in the coldest part of the night.

Gaps at the ceiling level are for ventilation and are actually quite desirable, even in sub-freezing temperatures (in fact, arguably, especially in such temps)

 

[lane leerhoff]

I am new to having a flock and I haven't had chickens in the winter yet, so i didn't know how to keep my hens still laying throw the winter.