Heat Lamps hard on Chicks?

[Lucky Chicks]

I live in Canada and have 12 girls that I love. We install a heat lamp every winter as it gets very cold and is hard on them to survive. Last night we had 8" of snow, but this morning I still had 8 eggs. I read that some are against heat lamps as it make them lay when they need to rest. I'm all for giving them a rest, but if I don't put the heat lamp, the girls will freeze. What should I do?

 

[Kiki]

What does your coop look like?
How much ventilation do you have in it?

 

[lilmillefleur]

There’s a difference between lights and heat lamps.
I say you can install something like a sweeter heater or you don’t even have to heat.

 

[Wezdin]

Red lights will not keep the chickens awake, if you still want heat light in the coop

 

[Courtburr]

If your coop is well insulated, not too large and has a heated waterer, I think they'll be fine. I'm in MN and that's all I had in mine last winter. I think people tend to assume chickens need to be kept way warmer than necessary. They make their own body heat too.

I did acquire two chicks born in late September however, so now have a flat-panel heater and heated perch. I put the heated perch in the main coop and the flat-panel in with the chicks (along with a heat lamp). The chicks are mostly fully feathered out/lost all their down, but not sure when I'll lose the heat lamp as the area of my shed I have the chicks isn't insulated like the coop (which is built out in one corner of my shed). I have the chick's roost positioned over the flat-panel heater and they sit on the end over the heater, so know they're enjoying it. I really like the concept of the flat-panel and will be moving it to the back wall of the coop under the nesting boxes after incorporating the chicks with the others. The adults have figured out the heated perch after several weeks, although it may not have kicked on until recently as it only turns on when the temp falls below like 40 degrees.

The unfortunate thing with heat lamps is depending on the dimensions of your coop, all the heat may be in the ceiling of the coop and the floor very cold. The flat-panel heater can be mounted very low on the wall, providing safe heat more where it's needed.

 

[chickens really]

Hello..I'm in Alberta, Canada. I run heat for my Chickens all winter too. If young Birds they will lay the first winter and not a problem. The next winter when they molt they will either stop or begin again.