How do you heat your coops

[Gargoyle]

The problem with heating is that if you run out of heat for any reason example: bulb runs out or electricty goes out, your chickens will not be use to the cold and you will have fatalities most likely.

Not disputing this, I just want to understand it better. If they're outdoors in the cold all day, then they have some warmth at night, and one night the electric goes out and they don't have warmth, would that really be "likely" to cause fatalities?

I recognize that at night they aren't moving around, but on the other hand, they are nestled together for some shared warmth. and even in the daytime when they are outside in the cold, they aren't moving around all the time.

It would seem to me that this potential problem would only be the case if you kept them locked in a heated coop 24x7, but I could be missing something.

 

[JackE]

Alright! Finally scientific proof that chickens *do* need heat!

OK, that is full front open to the weather? With open windows on the side and up top?
How is it NOT drafty? I would think the wind would rip right through.

Or are the side and top windows closed so the wind can blow in but not out, therefore windchill if they are too close to the front but not draft?? I guess I can see that IF the coop is totally airtight other than the front windows.

Bruce

If you look at the pic, Where do you see open windows? You can see that the windows on the sides and the top are closed, as they should be for the winter months. They are open of course, in the warmer months, allowing full air movement and ventilation. And you answered your own question, yes the rest of the coop is pretty much sealed. no other vents. Thereby, no crossbreeze/draft. As far as the scientific proof goes, yeah I guess you got me there, I haven't seen any 100 yr old chickens around to show how good the coops worked. I just see in the here and now, how well my birds do in such a coop. With NO insulation, except for their own, And NO added heat.
Jack

 

[JackE]

Bruce, Its winter time! Do you leave the windows open in your house? Ventilation isnt nearly as necessary in the winter as it is in the summer when the chicken poo is formenting with the heat from the summer sun. Hot air rises so insulate the roof of your coop to keep it from escaping. Use your head and not his! You dont sit in a draft and neither should your chickens.

Wrong, Ventilation IS as important in the winter, as it is in the summer. Where did you get your information? IF you keep your birds in a poorly ventilated, box in the winter, and you will have frostbit, and/or sick chickens. You definently have to have proper ventilation in the winter months, to get rid of the amonia and CO2 gases. Amazingly, my coop does that very well.
Jack

 

[aoxa]

Wrong, Ventilation IS as important in the winter, as it is in the summer.  Where did you get your information?  IF you keep your birds in a poorly ventilated, box in the winter, and you will have frostbit, and/or sick chickens.  You definently have to have proper ventilation in the winter months, to get rid of the amonia and CO2 gases. Amazingly, my coop does that very well. 
Jack 

Agree with Jack here. Chickens don't stay in the coop in the summer. They do usually stay in there in the winter, even if outdoor space is available. If they can't see grass, they don't venture out. They hate the white stuff.

Inside us humans have what is called air exchange> our exhaust goes out of the house in a much more intricate design.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Not disputing this, I just want to understand it better. If they're outdoors in the cold all day, then they have some warmth at night, and one night the electric goes out and they don't have warmth, would that really be "likely" to cause fatalities?

I recognize that at night they aren't moving around, but on the other hand, they are nestled together for some shared warmth. and even in the daytime when they are outside in the cold, they aren't moving around all the time.

It would seem to me that this potential problem would only be the case if you kept them locked in a heated coop 24x7, but I could be missing something.

You have a good point. I've gone back and forth on this issue so many times. And I still have not fully decided just how I will do as this is my first winter with my own birds (years ago in my "relative" youth, I was put in charge of a flock of 25 or so. I shut the windows up good and tight as well-trained wife of a building contractor in the north country in the cold of winter would do.......and the birds got sick.(I'm sure it was a no-ventilation issure. I have had remorse about those days since I have "grown up and come to BYC". One bird died and the rest recovered and thrived)

We live in zone 2 in Northern Minnesota.....way north of southern Ontario.....and we are on a high plateau at the headwaters of the Mississippi River (Yup....the 3 springs that start that mighty river are each within 25 or 30 minutes from our home) (it's not just the parallel..it's also the elevation and the relative humidity and the wind and the coop and the kind of bird you have. AND the kind of winter you have Everybody knows there are winter-hardy birds and more delicate and more easily freezaable ones.....and that's why we like our Buff Orps...even though they eat like piggy-snarfers of the food.

Most folks up here give them a little something. One who did not, woke up to dead birds. That's all I know. I sure as heck do not plan to spoil them (19 of them). We have frost every morning now and it has dipped into the UPPER 20's.

Most of the OT's are from the south (and i love 'em to bits, BTW...for "keeping it real") do not, in their wildest imaginations, know what 30 below feels like. When it gets that cold, you will know that my insulatated, ventilated coop will be adding something to our electric bill.

So here is my (personally untested) advice for what some would call extremely cold winter areas..my plan...so far....today that is....

.......Oh Lord, help me know what to do!!

1. Have a good insulated coop with proper ventilation...higher than the birds so they don't get the draft. (Keep drafts
off the birds!)

2. Give them a nice deep bed of pine shavings to cozy up in when they're off the roost.

3. Make sure they have a least 4 " of flat side roost to cover their feet when roosting.

4. Keep them really well-fed with quality food and watered (ACV so gooooood for them). They burn calories to stay
warm. (just like human babies do....but let us not forget.....chickens are not human. We don't have feathers.

5. . Acclimate the birds with NO HEAT so they can adjust gradually to colder weather

6. When very cold weather hits (double digits and maybe even perhaps single digits above zero do not count as
really cold) (I start to waffle and second-guess here...it's...uh....that human maternal protective instinct)
restrain yourself (talking to me)

7. So now I think I will add to the total electric bill when we drop to zero. But a "toasty warm" coop I will not have.


Now....Gargoyle...I think your logic is valid. If we swing from weather that's hovered at 10 above for a good while to 25 below in one afternoon (and it happens), I believe they will need some heat help.........for the very same reason
those who are opposed to adding heat because of the potential of an electrical outage.

The common ground here is to work toward healthy birds and acclimate them so they could handle such stress.

And then we have to weigh in all the factors and make intelligent decisions....still listening to our 'gut', always observing the birds closely.

And hey.....anyone know if they make 150 watt red heat lamp bulbs?

 

[Our Roost]

Okay, and I didnt say ventilation wasnt necessary. I said not as much was needed as leaving the windows open. I basically said to insulate your roof to keep some of the heat from escaping. I also said to cross ventilate with some eave vents for air circulation. And I said if you decided on heat lamp bulbs to make sure you installed them properly to avoid fire and not use extention cords. If I was wrong on any of that advice I stand corrected.

 

[Our Roost]

Glad I found someone of sound mind and common sense to a few factors that can help the birds through some tough times during fridgid winter months. Insulation, adequate ventilation, some heat when needed, and good food and water are all factors to be weighed out. Dont forget a light bulb or flashlight so you can see what the heck you are doing either! PS. I believe heat lamp bulbs are 150 wattage! This isnt the stoneage anymore. Wwe have a lot more to offer than they did back then. One things for sure, I'm glad they survived. I love fresh eggs and fried chicken!!

 

[Our Roost]

Jack, I didnt say ventilation wasnt necessary and didnt mean to imply that. I have cross ventilated eave vents on my coop to circulate the air as needed. Your previous article was about open doors, windows and drafts if I recall. All I said was to close up the windows and stay away from the drafts. Clean coop means less poop and less amonia. Easy fix! Clean the poop. Insulation keeps heat in. Easy fix! Insulate. The defroster on your car removes moisture and clears a frosted windshield and heat lamps disipate moisture also. Easy fix! Add some heat. There I go thinking again.

 

[bruceha2000]

(double digits and maybe even perhaps single digits above zero do not count as really cold)

AIN'T IT THE TRUTH!! I grew up in Southern California where 50F was winter coat weather. Figured you would die if it ever got to 40F. Been in VT for 33 years. Now 50F is "guess I should wear a long sleeve shirt today". If it is windy, a sweater or wind breaker might be in order. "really cold" starts around the time the snow squeaks when you walk on it, about MINUS 10F.

And the chickens, as has been pointed out, have not only down jackets, but also down neck , head and butt warmers. And they get better quality "accoutrements" if they are not living in heated spaces. Mother nature provides.

I can agree, however, if it is freeze your @ss off cold even when you are wearing everything you can put on, a little supplemental heat in the coop can't hurt. I'm thinking maybe the huge box the hardware cloth came in can sit in the corner, open side to the wall and if the girls are really cold, they can mush together in there and it will keep their heat 'close'. I'm doing deep litter so they already have inches of pine shavings.

And hey.....anyone know if they make 150 watt red heat lamp bulbs?

Yep. I bought mine from Amazon. Didn't figure I needed a 250W for the brooder since it was a bathtub with a shower curtain in an unused bathroom. They came June 14th and even though we were wearing summer weight clothing, it was still nearly unbearable in there for us humans at 95F the first week! I put it on a remote sensing thermostat sold for reptile cages so I didn't have to worry about raising and lowering the lamp to keep the heat constant.

 

[JackE]

Jack, I didnt say ventilation wasnt necessary and didnt mean to imply that. I have cross ventilated eave vents on my coop to circulate the air as needed. Your previous article was about open doors, windows and drafts if I recall. All I said was to close up the windows and stay away from the drafts. Clean coop means less poop and less amonia. Easy fix! Clean the poop. Insulation keeps heat in. Easy fix! Insulate. The defroster on your car removes moisture and clears a frosted windshield and heat lamps disipate moisture also. Easy fix! Add some heat. There I go thinking again.

From the sound of your post, it looked as though you were implying that winter ventilation is nothing to worry about compared to summer ventilation, a couple of small vents up high, and everything will be fine. I totally disagree with that. You don't provide the proper amount of fresh air in the winter, you'll find out how important winter ventilation is.
You do not need heat in the winter to get rid of moisture. Winter air is drier, the moisture you have to worry about comes directly from the chickens, through their breath and to a lower extent, their waste. If you have excessive moisture, than it's YOUR fault, for not giving the birds a properly ventilated coop. As far as insulation goes, as I've said many times before, the chickens have perfectly suited insulation themselves. They don't need any help from us. Go ahead and insulate the coop. Be sure to put up those interior walls, so the birds don't shred the insulation. Now, what you have also provided, is a nice hidden place for parasites, bugs of all kinds, and maybe mice to set up housekeeping safe from your view. And as far as heatlamps go, if it makes you feel better, go right on ahead, it your electric bill you are unnecessarily running up, not mine.
Jack