Heating a Coop....

[ErnieBerley]

I'd appreciate any feedback on whether a coop needs heating when it gets below 32 inside the coop? I have a thermometer that monitors coop temp and it gets into the 20s inside the coop so far when it's in the 20s outside. I am trying this CozyCoop lcd screen heater that doesn't put out much heat really, it may increase a few degrees but i'm sure my chickens dont mind. Question - does heat hurt inside a coop? when should the coop be heated?

thanks: ) happy holidays !

 

[chickenlittle21]

It depends on how the chickens react to the cold, like if chickens seem to be cold and are shivering i would get a heater and put it in the coop as long as you know it will not start a fire but if the chickens have all their feathers and are not molting or anything they should be fine

 

[21hens-incharge]

In 20+ years of keeping chickens in Colorado I have never had to add heat.

Normally in winter here we get lows in the zero to 10 degree range.

Extremes we have had.......
Lows -16 with daytime highs barely hitting zero for 2 weeks at a time.

We had a power outage that lasted 10 days with lows of -15 and whipping wind. Our highs during that were -4.
If I HAD been using a heating source my birds would have been plunged into that without being acclimated to those temps. They would have had less feathers and it would have been a struggle for them to survive.

It was 4 days before I could locate a generator. Even then I would not have been able to run a heat source in the coop. I needed that for heat in the house.

My advice is to not add heat with your temps being mild.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Most chickens don't need heat in a coop. Chickens naturally grow a down undercoat when the temps drop in the fall. As long as there isn't a wind ruffling their feathers while they sleep on the roost, they will stay warm.

My chickens haven't had any problems in my unheated coop - even at -30*F. The water freezes and I have to deal with that, but as long as they have food and water, they are fine.

The problem with heating a coop is if the power goes out or something happens that you loose the heat source. Since your chickens aren't used to the cold and haven't grown any additional down feathers (since they didn't need them with the heat on) - your chickens will suffer.

 

[ErnieBerley]

In 20+ years of keeping chickens in Colorado I have never had to add heat.

Normally in winter here we get lows in the zero to 10 degree range.

Extremes we have had.......
Lows -16 with daytime highs barely hitting zero for 2 weeks at a time.

We had a power outage that lasted 10 days with lows of -15 and whipping wind. Our highs during that were -4.
If I HAD been using a heating source my birds would have been plunged into that without being acclimated to those temps. They would have had less feathers and it would have been a struggle for them to survive.

It was 4 days before I could locate a generator. Even then I would not have been able to run a heat source in the coop. I needed that for heat in the house.

My advice is to not add heat with your temps being mild.

so even birds like Polish hens and silkies will do ok? thanks !

 

[21hens-incharge]

so even birds like Polish hens and silkies will do ok? thanks !

In your temps yes.
Many people around here keep those breeds as well and do not add heat.