heating

[Wes in Tx]

My backyard I don't add heat to any of my coops unless there is chicks under 4 months old in them. It has been down in the single digits here before and I have never lost a bird to the cold. Now all that being said in different parts of the country where it gets say down to the 20s and stays there for ever then I would turn hear on around 28 or so and only then over the water to keep it from freezing. Now below zero is still a different story and I would try to keep the coop just above the freezing mark.

 

[panner123]

I use only one 75 watt bulb in an 8 x 12 coop. Using any form of heat lamp you stand the chance of a fire, those bulbs get to hot. Your chickens will not freeze, I have some free range chickens that have never been in a coop. They have made it, even when it snowed. The main reason for a light in the coop is to keep the hens laying.

 

[urbanagrarian]

I live in Massachusetts and do not provide any heat for my chickens.They are full grown heavy breeds. Last week it was 0 degrees F. here. Right now it's 15 degrees F. here. They are fine. However I am very careful in making sure that they have no drafts. They have ventilation but NO drafts.

Joan
http://urban-agrarian.blogspot.com/

 

[SeaChick]

urbanagrarian,

I am interested in your winter experience w/chickens (we're in maine). How do you provide ventilation but no drafts? How do you keep the water from freezing?

Thanks
Stacey

 

[dangerouschicken]

I want to add that different breeds of chickens have different levels of hardiness. Some can really tolerate cold, where others cannot.

I lost one bird to freezing when the temps dropped just before I got their electric light run to the coop. My advice is to use a red-bulb heat lamp like you might in a brooder, all throughout the cold temps of winter. If it is secured well, you won't burn the place down. Better to keep them warm than losing chickens because of a freeze.