Heater or heat panel -10

[NatJ]

Man has NOT been modifying wild birds genetic make-up to make them produce more "perfect" eggs, to have larger drumsticks, breasts. We control chicken breeding and in many instances weaken their sturdiness with those practices.
We have domesticated the chickens. Wild birds survive through "natural selection".

That is a point in favor of selecting cold-hardy breeds of chickens, if a person lives in a cold climate.

It is not a reason to assume that all chickens need supplemental heat at the same temperatures.

For any given person, watching the behavior of their own chickens will give the best information about what temperatures are comfortable for those chickens. If some chickens sit around with ruffled feathers on days at a certain temperature and perk up on warmer days, those particular chickens were uncomfortable at that particular cold temperature. That could be a good reason to offer a heat source, so the chickens could choose a warmer temperature when they feel cold.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Are saying domesticated chickens can handle lower temperatures than their jungle ancestors?

I’m saying that we have seen that organisms adapt to their environments in the wild, and over the last few centuries, I’d think that chickens who are less bothered by cold have been selected by nature, breeders, or both over those more like their ancestors from south Asia and the Indonesian Archipelago.

I haven’t read research on this. It’s just basic biological principles.

 

[Ted Brown]

"In cold regions, chickens can live through freezing winters mainly because people provide insulated coops, dry litter, wind protection, and high‑energy feed, not because their basic physiology is fully adapted to those low temperatures." https://opensanctuary.org/chickens-how-we-got-here/

As much as this thread has been contentious it has caused me think and to delve deeper into the question of heat vs no heat with interesting results. I will start watching my birds more closely and may even buy a radiant heater to experiment with.

I particularly like the various comments above that call attention to the variability of locations and climates. Folks also have their own circumstances to blend into their chicken care decisions. Obvious conclusion is criticisms or absolutes one side or the other is arrogant, insensitive and ignorant.

BYC works as well as it does because most members are respectful, here only to exchange ideas, experiences, opinions. I very much hope that does not change.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

"In cold regions, chickens can live through freezing winters mainly because people provide insulated coops, dry litter, wind protection, and high‑energy feed, not because their basic physiology is fully adapted to those low temperatures." https://opensanctuary.org/chickens-how-we-got-here/

As much as this thread has been contentious it has caused me think and to delve deeper into the question of heat vs no heat with interesting results. I will start watching my birds more closely and may even buy a radiant heater to experiment with.

I particularly like the various comments above that call attention to the variability of locations and climates. Folks also have their own circumstances to blend into their chicken care decisions. Obvious conclusion is criticisms or absolutes one side or the other is arrogant, insensitive and ignorant.

BYC works as well as it does because most members are respectful, here only to exchange ideas, experiences, opinions. I very much hope that does not change.

I wouldn’t necessarily think that their basic physiology has changed to create adaptation. More that increased feathering (including down) and body size have helped toleration of lower temps. Much as leatherback sea turtles have a larger proportion of body fat, which combined with their cross-current heat exchange help them thrive in deep ocean temperatures.

 

[NatJ]

I wouldn’t necessarily think that their basic physiology has changed to create adaptation. More that increased feathering (including down) and body size have helped toleration of lower temps. Much as leatherback sea turtles have a larger proportion of body fat, which combined with their cross-current heat exchange help them thrive in deep ocean temperatures.

And of course there are changes in comb type, and the size of wattles.

Some breeds have them bigger to get rid of extra heat in hotter climates, other breeds have them smaller to retain heat and avoid frostbite in colder climates.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

And of course there are changes in comb type, and the size of wattles.

Some breeds have them bigger to get rid of extra heat in hotter climates, other breeds have them smaller to retain heat and avoid frostbite in colder climates.

I will say that I’m continually surprised by how unbothered my five seem by simple cold. Cold+wind and cold+rain are very different.

My son-in-law routinely wears shorts and sandals in temps below 40°. I enjoy cold weather, but I dress for it.

 

[Mamilo]

Oh, I’m gonna hear about it, but chickens are not “built for the cold”. As soon as the temp drops below 50F, they start to show cold stress. Cold stress means their bodies start to show physiologic changes in response to the colder temps. These changes mean the chicken is now using energy it would normally use for body repair, keeping hormones balanced, egg production, etc., to keep warm. There’s a lot involved but I won’t get into it here. What you need to understand is that yes, chickens should have access to heat when the temps drop below 50F.

I recommend radiant heat such as the Sweeter Heater. It doesn’t heat the air in the coop, just what is under it. If anyone is confused about how radiant heat works, I’ve got a post here on FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GCrcTU4P2/?mibextid=wwXIfr

And you don’t need to heat the whole coop, you just need a spot where the birds can warm up if they need to or want to.

And yes, chickens have survived without heat for hundreds of years yadda yadda yadda. The reason that they had to do that was because we didn’t have the ability to safely heat the coops. We do now and we should. We also used to cut open and bleed people because we didn’t know any better but now that we know better we don’t do that anymore. So a lot of people are stuck back in the dark ages when it comes to chicken care and dig in and insist that it should be done that way because it’s been done that way for hundreds of years. We need to move into modern times. We all should want our chickens to thrive during the winter, not just survive.

Oh, I’m gonna hear about it, but chickens are not “built for the cold”. As soon as the temp drops below 50F, they start to show cold stress. Cold stress means their bodies start to show physiologic changes in response to the colder temps. These changes mean the chicken is now using energy it would normally use for body repair, keeping hormones balanced, egg production, etc., to keep warm. There’s a lot involved but I won’t get into it here. What you need to understand is that yes, chickens should have access to heat when the temps drop below 50F.

I recommend radiant heat such as the Sweeter Heater. It doesn’t heat the air in the coop, just what is under it. If anyone is confused about how radiant heat works, I’ve got a post here on FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GCrcTU4P2/?mibextid=wwXIfr

And you don’t need to heat the whole coop, you just need a spot where the birds can warm up if they need to or want to.

And yes, chickens have survived without heat for hundreds of years yadda yadda yadda. The reason that they had to do that was because we didn’t have the ability to safely heat the coops. We do now and we should. We also used to cut open and bleed people because we didn’t know any better but now that we know better we don’t do that anymore. So a lot of people are stuck back in the dark ages when it comes to chicken care and dig in and insist that it should be done that way because it’s been done that way for hundreds of years. We need to move into modern times. We all should want our chickens to thrive during the winter, not just survive.

I completely agree with you. Chickens are not built to handle the cold. I live in the Montreal area and have a backyard flock of 6 chickens and have installed 2 radiant heat panels in the coop next to the perching bars. It enables the chickens to huddle close to the panels when they need the extra heat. Even the University of Minnesota Extension who have studied poultry care extensively, state that a chicken stresses from the cold below 35 degrees F and that below that temp, supplemental heat should be provided. The heating panels don’t prevent my chickens from doing their chicken thing and going out in the chicken run (covered in tarps) to eat, drink and scratch around. It just makes it that they are more comfortable (and I’m also less stressed!). My chickens are happy and thriving and I plan on keeping it that way!

 

[Three Stents]

I live in east San Diego county and there are times it gets below 32 and over 100. I am insulating to help with climate control to keep my girls "happy and thriving", not surviving. "Now go do the right thing"

 

[Mamilo]

@The Bougie Coop

What real evidence do you have to support your assertions?

@The Bougie Coop

What real evidence do you have to support your assertions?

The University of Minnesota Extension has studied poultry care. They have several articles on the subject, including caring for chickens in the cold. https://extension.umn.edu/small-scale-poultry/caring-chickens-cold-weather

 

[Three Stents]

The University of Minnesota Extension has studied poultry care. They have several articles on the subject, including caring for chickens in the cold. https://extension.umn.edu/small-scale-poultry/caring-chickens-cold-weather

he is somewhat "anti-heat" for chickens. That being said, he mentioned that he "may even buy a radiant heater to experiment with."