Heating and Cooling

[BarbaKay]

We're in Iowa. We get extreme temps both ways. My coop is 6 x 8 and I have 8 hens. The electricity is hooked up and the lights are functional, including the timer for 16 hours of light during the winter.
Wondering how I should heat this baby for the super cold days and if there is a unit that works both ways - heat and cool? Maybe similar to what is used in small motel rooms? Maybe that's overkill ... HA!

 

[chfite]

If they are not in a drafty coop, they will probably be fine for the cold. Their feathers and their tendency to roost cheek by jowl will keep them warm. Chickens need ventilation, but no drafts.

Chris

 

[BarbaKay]

What do people do for extreme heat? I lost one today because she overheated. I feel horrible and am worried about the others! We put additionall fan in the coop.

 

[girliechicks]

What do people do? I have 2 groups of chickens, 14 six month olds and 8 4 month old. The older ones have a coop that is ventilated and an oscillating fan. They come in during the heat of the day and all stand around the fan. They are fine . The younger ones are in their own run with less accmodations because whenever I try to combine them, the big ones peck them mercilessly. So, the little ones have no fan and the temp got up to almost 100 degrees this week. I declare the babies were panting! I added an additional wood platform that they could sit under, they liked that. I used black plastic to shade an additional side, they seemed to likethat. Then I brought in about a gallon of ice cubes mixed with water. They didnt know what to do with that! But when i came to check on them later, they seemed much more comfortable. So there's my two cents! I hope your other chickens are okay!

 

[Fred's Hens]

What do people do for extreme heat? I lost one today because she overheated. I feel horrible and am worried about the others! We put additionall fan in the coop.

Damp and shade. Without deep shade, the birds will suffer. Hosing down the damp area on those super hot days also helps them a lot. It is very difficult to keep birds confined in a coop during heat spells.

 

[Tambo26]

During hot nights I have fashioned a poor man's air conditioner. A container with a block of ice, a hole in the cover for a battery operated fan to blow in and another hole for the cold air to escape. Works like a charm! I have a wireless thermometer so I can check from inside my house. I do not heat in winter. They do not need it and it's dangerous.