heat lamps in the coop??

[Dixiedoodle]

Do I need to have the heat lamps installed in the coop? I am very afraid of fire... I want something that will be safe --not thrown up there.. Should I have a couple of them over the roost? If so, how from the roost is best? Do you have hardware cloth over your bulbs.. I know winter is a long way off but since I am just starting the coop it seems like a good time to incorp. everything now and not later!!Thank you Dixie

 

[Carolina Chicken Man]

Not sure where you are at or how cold it gets. I'm in NC, so it's pretty moderate here. I just started back with chickens and I have some 6 week old chicks in the coop. I ran a heat lamp out there the last couple of nights because it got down into the 30's

For adult chickens, I don't think it will often be an issue here. They are much more stressed by the heat. If it got down into the teens, I would probably have a heat lamp. I don't think the danger of fire is very great.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

I am in NC also! Thanks for the info.

 

[Carolina Chicken Man]

Where bouts?

My grandaddy had probably 50 chickens. They slept in the pine trees year round.

 

[Moonwalker]

I'm in E. TN and the free ranging chickens roost outdoors in the trees, even when the temps go down into the teens. We do use the lamps for the babies but not the adults.

 

[patandchickens]

I think it is an excellent idea to avoid heat lamps when at ALL possible, as they are a significant source of barn fires. If you're 'just' in NC, you should be fine, you can always hang a *regular* (non heat lamp) bulb in a reflector if worst comes to worst but if your coop is well ventilated and not drafty and in otherwise good shape I would expect you'd be fine.

Pat, in Canada now but lived in NC for 6 yrs

 

[mmajw]

I am in Maine and I do not use a heatlamp all winter, I do leave a light on longer at night to give them more daylight. I bought a UV light. A heatlamp is great for extreme cold but my ladies did great all winter without one

 

[Frosty]

I'm in North Dakota, and don't use a heat lamp for adults. I do have a heater to put under their water that keeps the water from freezing down to about -20F (colder than that and I need to keep changing the water). At those temps, chickens with larger combs tend to get frostbite so I usually stick with types with smaller combs. The fire risk is not a chance I want to take.