Heating off-grid chicken coop

[Jacob Duckman]

We live off grid in Montana about 12 miles from any electricity. Last week it was -30 here for several days in a row. We lost one chicken and one duck, the other 50 odd poultry are fine. Our coop is well insulated and draft free. But- I think -30 is a little much for them. I would like to find a way to supplement a little heat when it gets that low. Also, it would be nice to not have their water freeze solid in 10 minutes
Anyone use a propane heater? Do any of them come with a thermostat? Safety issues? It would have to be hung from ceiling, wouldnt that defeat the purpose since heat rises? Advice please!

I can relate to your situation, but I think you are approaching the situation the wrong way. You ought to be looking for breeds that are fit for your climate rather than trying to retrofit the climate itself. That's how humans have survived for thousands of years

For chickens, that would be Australorps and Silkies.

For ducks, that would be Rouens and Appleyards. The larger the duck, the better usually.

 

[aart]

I can relate to your situation, but I think you are approaching the situation the wrong way. You ought to be looking for breeds that are fit for your climate rather than trying to retrofit the climate itself. That's how humans have survived for thousands of years

For chickens, that would be Australorps and Silkies.

For ducks, that would be Rouens and Appleyards. The larger the duck, the better usually.

The post you quoted is 8 years old.....but, silkies.... really?

 

[Jacob Duckman]

The post you quoted is 8 years old.....but, silkies.... really?

oops.. johnny come lately over here.

Yep.. Silkies have great insulation.

 

[jodiefoster]

We use an old camper furnace for our smaller coop. It works great. If need be when we hit -40 Celsius we run a gas generator and have heat lamps on. No moisture is added as the furnace is vented outside, it actually keeps it nice and dry in there. We have little bantams and it has never gotten past -10 celsius in our coop doing it this way. BTW we are off grid too.

 

[PetitePlume]

Glad to read about this old ish post! We'll be flying in our winter cabin in the fall and for the first time my chickens will be coming! They'll live in the shop ( under the bedroom) while my partner builds a log coop. For the roofing it will be planks and I'll find a lot of moss and other thing to put on top and a tarp to keep it all dry. Hoping for an other good season snow wise so I can bank it good almost like an igloo. A 3-4 inch plastic pipe will be my ventilation and I am planning to put a 50lbs rock twice a day in there that was kept on the stove. Most likely putting it in an insulated box and the water would sit on it. Poop boards under the roosts and a little door and little window. Won't able to give them extra light since we are in central Yukon and there isn't much for sun during winter. Not counting on the egg production obviously. Just hoping to keep them happy and warm ish and be able to jave them with us!
Am I missing something???