Heat lamps...

[donrae]

My place is at nearly 6000 feet. In the winter it can get a little chilly, with temps in the negatives F and winds that exceed 60 MPH. The only time I have even closed the chicken door to the coop is when I know it will be below zero and the weather is nasty. Otherwise I leave the door open all the time, and they come and go as they please. While roosting on one of the coldest nights last winter I put my hand into the middle of the roosting pile. Very warm. I'm not worried about my chickens. I add heat for brooding chicks, but the heat lamp is gone when they are fully feathered. (even in April we have 50-60 F daytime temperature differences one day to the next.) I have an adjustable thermostat and as soon as the chicks start to feather, the temp is gradually reduced. I have a heater under the waterer that Is kept in the coop, but it doesn't put out enough heat to warm the coop, but keeps the water from freezing down to about zero. Below that the water freezes.

What I have noticed in my time on BYC, is that for many, chicken keeping is a cool thing to do, kind of a fad for some. Many forget that chickens were being kept on farms long (centuries) before they had electricity and the vast majority weren't heated at all. Chickens have some great instincts, and will know when to go out, when to come in and how to stay warm. They adapt easily without our intervention. Many people think of them as pets, and apply human emotions and feelings to their chickens. That's fine, but in the process, frequently people forget that they are domestic farm animals. My wife was very worried about ours when we first got them. She hadn't been raised around them as I had, and just knew that they would be too cold and all freeze to death. Now she doesn't even think about it, as she has seen that they do just fine, so long as we provide them good food, fresh water, and adequate shelter.

Just my 2 cents.

Yes yes yes!!! They're animals that have lived for thousands of years without electricity or humans taking care of them.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Couldn't depend on a heat lamp even if I wanted to as our electricity is prone to going out, usually when the weather is at its worst. Our temps will take us to zero once or twice during the season but is usually in the 20's most of the winter, rather mild compared to some of the winters I read about on BYC. The girls have a solid coop with good ventilation. I use deep litter and the winter sun should shine right in the back windows to warm things up during the day. They should be set for winter.

I feel like a BIG MEANIE as I've been trying to acclimate them to the coming cold by keeping a few windows open during the night as the weather begins to cool. They won't get rained on and the wind won't blow directly on their roost but I'm trying to get them prepared for what some are saying will be a cold winter.

I'd rather they get used to the cold gradually then have them get used to a heat lamp and we suddenly have no power when we're at our coldest.

 

[yogamebird]

What about red Christmas lights? Attached to the apex of the roof inside, you screw and unscrew bulbs (but not leaving empty sockets) as the outside temp goes up and down. I've never tried this but thought I'd throw it out there. This will be my first winter with chickens. I've heard this was going to be a nasty cold winter!

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Chickens don't NEED outside heat sources as long as they are dry, well fed, and out of the wind

 

[bobbi-j]

Couldn't depend on a heat lamp even if I wanted to as our electricity is prone to going out, usually when the weather is at its worst. Our temps will take us to zero once or twice during the season but is usually in the 20's most of the winter, rather mild compared to some of the winters I read about on BYC. The girls have a solid coop with good ventilation. I use deep litter and the winter sun should shine right in the back windows to warm things up during the day. They should be set for winter. 

I feel like a BIG MEANIE as I've been trying to acclimate them to the coming cold by keeping a few windows open during the night as the weather begins to cool. They won't get rained on and the wind won't blow directly on their roost but I'm trying to get them prepared for what some are saying will be a cold winter. 

I'd rather they get used to the cold gradually then have them get used to a heat lamp and we suddenly have no power when we're at our coldest. 

You have it exactly right. What you're doing is the best thing for your birds. I live in MN, and it got down to 2* the night before last. I didn't even put the windows in the coop. They were just fine in the morning, even my poor hen that's practically naked due to molting. Artificial heat is not your friend.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Thank you guys for all the help, and this is my opinion now on heat lamps -

I strongly, strongly, strongly, suggest not using a heat lamp. I used a heat lamp last year and I nearly lost some chickens because the electricity went out. The chickens, who were used to heat, were suddenly thrust into cold conditions. They wouldn't go outside because they were used to warm and outside was cold. Several got frost bite because the heat lamp evaported the water and poop and made it humid. And, like JackE said, you run the all to real risk of a coop fire. This year, I am NOT using a heat lamp, and my chickens are doing SO much better. They are actually going outside because they are acclimated to the cold. No frost bite, even on my rooster. And, it was -9! And, even during molting and no extra lighting, I am getting 8-9 eggs out of 16 hens. Which is really good.


Bottom line is: no heat lamp unless the risk of not heating the chickens is as great as heating the chickens! Which, in my opinion, would be have to be pretty darn cold. -20 or -30, maybe.

 

[Going Quackers]

Thank you guys for all the help, and this is my opinion now on heat lamps -

I strongly, strongly, strongly, suggest not using a heat lamp. I used a heat lamp last year and I nearly lost some chickens because the electricity went out. The chickens, who were used to heat, were suddenly thrust into cold conditions. They wouldn't go outside because they were used to warm and outside was cold. Several got frost bite because the heat lamp evaported the water and poop and made it humid. And, like JackE said, you run the all to real risk of a coop fire. This year, I am NOT using a heat lamp, and my chickens are doing SO much better. They are actually going outside because they are acclimated to the cold. No frost bite, even on my rooster. And, it was -9! And, even during molting and no extra lighting, I am getting 8-9 eggs out of 16 hens. Which is really good.


Bottom line is: no heat lamp unless the risk of not heating the chickens is as great as heating the chickens! Which, in my opinion, would be have to be pretty darn cold. -20 or -30, maybe.

I think this is good of you to post, REAL experience with heating and then finding it not be the best choice. Hydro going out is a big problem and my major concern on why i don't, i cannot imagine the mess it would cause it would likely go out in the night when it may take a bit for you to realize(as your house temps drop lol)

I do realize some areas get extremely cold, we get cold but there is worse, that said i would hope those places stick to cold hearty breeds and have back up plans if they are forced to heat.

 

[bobbi-j]

Thank you guys for all the help, and this is my opinion now on heat lamps - 

[COLOR=333333]I strongly, strongly, strongly, suggest not using a heat lamp. I used a heat lamp last year and I nearly lost some chickens because the electricity went out. The chickens, who were used to heat, were suddenly thrust into cold conditions. They wouldn't go outside because they were used to warm and outside was cold. Several got frost bite because the heat lamp evaported the water and poop and made it humid. And, like JackE said, you run the all to real risk of a coop fire. This year, I am NOT using a heat lamp, and my chickens are doing SO much better. They are actually going outside because they are acclimated to the cold. No frost bite, even on my rooster. And, it was -9! And, even during molting and no extra lighting, I am getting 8-9 eggs out of 16 hens. Which is really good. [/COLOR]


[COLOR=333333]Bottom line is: no heat lamp unless the risk of not heating the chickens is as great as heating the chickens! Which, in my opinion, would be have to be pretty darn cold. -20 or -30, maybe.[/COLOR]

For what it's worth, I don't even add heat when it's that cold. I do, however, shut the pop door around then.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Quote: I guess I'll have to watch my chickens and see how they do when it gets that cold.* It doesn't get that cold to terribly often here.

*I don't turn on the heat lamp when the chickens fluff up, but are still walking around scratching/eating. They are just taking extra measures to stay warm. It's like you putting on a sweatshirt. It is not a reason to freak out. Just for clarification for anybody reading this, not just you bobbi-j

 

[france4862]

So I'm confused. I have 28 chicks and I have been slowly raising heat lamp they are 2 and three weeks old brooder is in garage when will it be safe to transfer to coop. What about lighting maybe a simple lught bulb would be ok?