Heating question

[Boothe1992]

I need some advice. Our coop is approx 4'×18"×4'. It's not very drafty if at all. Not insulated. And we have 6 hens in it. They're very. Comfy and not full grown yet. Only about 4 months old. We live in eastern iowa where it gets decently cold in the winters. We are wondering what kind of heater we should use. Type and size. Or if we should be heating at all. Also, can chicken water heaters be used with a plastic waterer?

 

[jreardon1918]

I need some advice. Our coop is approx 4'×18"×4'. It's not very drafty if at all. Not insulated. And we have 6 hens in it. They're very. Comfy and not full grown yet. Only about 4 months old. We live in eastern iowa where it gets decently cold in the winters. We are wondering what kind of heater we should use. Type and size. Or if we should be heating at all. Also, can chicken water heaters be used with a plastic waterer?

I think you can skip heating. My hens in SE Mass do quite well in the cold. You could consider wrapping some of your run with clear plastic to reduce wind/rain/snow. That will also allow the girls more protected space. Here is an article I did a few years ago that describes my winter prep. Preparing the girls for winter

The article shows a 5 gallon bucket with horizontal nipples. That has always worked for our weather.

 

[Boothe1992]

I think you can skip heating. My hens in SE Mass do quite well in the cold. You could consider wrapping some of your run with clear plastic to reduce wind/rain/snow. That will also allow the girls more protected space. Here is an article I did a few years ago that describes my winter prep. Preparing the girls for winter

The article shows a 5 gallon bucket with horizontal nipples. That has always worked for our weather.

Thank you very much

 

[K0k0shka]

You don't need heat. People on this forum raise chickens in Alaska with no heat and they do fine. Chickens are outdoor animals, they don't need heat. And a drafty coop is not a problem, in fact you want as much ventilation as possible in all weather, including winter. What you don't want is strong wind blowing directly on the chickens - enough to ruffle their feathers and open them up, breaking the bubble of warm air underneath that insulates them from the cold. So if there's a crack somewhere and air is getting in, but isn't ruffling any feathers, that's fine. More fresh air! Wrapping the run with some sort of wind block helps with that, too - to stop strong winds that blow their feather shields open and let the warm air out. Wind blocks will make the run more appealing to the chickens so they spend more time outside, and less time inside the coop. They really prefer to be outside, so that will help them a lot.

 

[Mrs. K]

Even a tote laid on the side, or plywood put together in a V will give wind protection, and it would also let your birds get out of sight of each other, which can help birds get along.

You are short on space, and as you said, your birds are not full grown, so you are going to be shorter on space. They might work things out and be fine, but adding platforms, roosts would use more of the vertical space, and give them ways to get away from each other.

If they start to be mean, you will need to address this, if they get along great.

I too would not add heat, but I would add more clutter, and more wind breaks.