How do you heat your coops

[Chukarbuds]

I intend to use a heat bulb in my small coop for 3 hens, just enough to keep the water from freezing this winter. My question is, how high should I hang the reflector and bulb in the coop. It only stands 6ft tall and about 4 ft wide every direction. I have ventilation at the roof. its pretty insulated and I don't want the girls to bake. I'm gone long hours and don't want the water to freeze.

hope the pic helps...

 

[JackE]

In a small coop like that, I would stay away from any kind of heatlamp. You won't be helping them at all. They won't be really able to get away from it. As far as the water goes, check out the below link. I built one a couple of years ago, it has worked out great for me.
Jack

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/107951/cookie-tin-water-heater

 

[Our Roost]

Well sir, I have yet to experience any of the issues you stated so I guess my set up works just fine for me. Open the doors, turn the lights off, and god bless!

 

[Our Roost]

Before I answer you, what kind of water feeder do you have that you are trying to keep from freezing?

 

[JackE]

Well sir, I have yet to experience any of the issues you stated so I guess my set up works just fine for me. Open the doors, turn the lights off, and god bless!

My coop (A proven 100yr old design) doesn't have any issues either, imagine that.
Jack

 

[Our Roost]

I have the infrared lamps and dont utilize a timer as the weather here in Michigan changes constantly. I only plan to turn on the lamps when it is bitter cold out. I think with the proper insulation and ventilation the chickens should be fine. Some people use pine shavings for their flooring but I prefer straw as it is cheaper for me and I layer it pretty thick.

 

[bruceha2000]

In a small coop like that, I would stay away from any kind of heat lamp. You won't be helping them at all. They won't be really able to get away from it.

I agree with Jack, that could get way too warm if the heat lamp isn't on a thermostat. Since your primary concern is the water, it does seem the most reasonable thing to do is spot heat where you need the heat.

At the very least, get a thermocube. A quick check found:
http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-TC-3-Thermostatically-Controlled/dp/B0006U2HD2
in case you don't know what I'm talking about.

Even then it is checking the ambient air temp at the outlet, not the coop or the water temp. If it is plugged into something not in the coop, the heat lamp could be in 24x7. I think you would still need to do some bulb wattage trial and error water testing if you do a "cookie tin" heater. What might be good at 10F might be too warm at 30F.

My waterer is a 5 gallon bucket feeding saddle style chicken nipples snapped into 3/4" PVC pipe. Having the water in the coop where the chickens can sit on it, poop in the water, I could spill water in the shavings trying to fill or even when hanging it if I filled it outside the coop just wasn't cutting it. For the winter I bought a stock deicer that will live in the bucket, it has its own thermostat. And I "plumbed in" a small pump so I can circulate the water from the bucket through the pipe that the nipples are in, then back to the water "tank". It will be trial and error to find out how often the pump needs to run since I've never had chickens in the winter - and not in the spring, summer or fall either until this year

Bruce

 

[Gargoyle]

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

Easiest place to find them is in the reptile section of a pet store, they should have them ranging from 50 to 250 watt, also ceramic heat lamps (cost more, but last much longer, and they're safer). Other places (farm stores, hardware, should be less expensive than a pet store, but will require more looking.

Keep in mind, 150 will kick out a lot of heat- I used that the last two winters to keep the water from freezing, but found it was overkill. (also, I found the bulbs burn out in six weeks, even though I had them on a timer, running them only about 5 hours a night). I switched to a 100 watt ceramic heat emitter; it screws in the same fixture. Here are specs from the packaging for that item: (remember, this is for the ceramics, I think they are more efficient than the red bulbs and probably put out more heat).

distance from bulb/temperature. These tests were done in a 74 degree room, not in a below zero coop, so your mileage will vary.

60 watt 6"/95 degrees 12"/86 degrees 18" 77 degrees
100 watt 6"/97 degrees 12" 88 degrees 18" 80 degrees
150 watt 6"/98 degrees 12" 90 degrees 18" 84 degrees

As you see, I should have just gotten the 60 watt to keep the water from freezing. A 150 watt bulb could bake your birds.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

I intend to use a heat bulb in my small coop for 3 hens, just enough to keep the water from freezing this winter. My question is, how high should I hang the reflector and bulb in the coop. It only stands 6ft tall and about 4 ft wide every direction. I have ventilation at the roof. its pretty insulated and I don't want the girls to bake. I'm gone long hours and don't want the water to freeze.

hope the pic helps...

Yeah. I would be really nervous about a light bulb in this sized coop, too. How many chickens to make heat together in there?

 

[Heddielynn]

Cold isn't the same everywhere. In Alaska, when temps drop really low, air is very dry. Not so everywhere. I'm in Ohio by Lake Erie. It's far more pleasant to be outdoors (read: easier to keep warm) when it's really unusually cold, than when it is cold but still damp.

I'm all for heating. We use an indoor remote thermometer, a VERY secure (double-hung, to be safe) hanging heat bulb in a ceramic fixture with either a lamp or a large tin can around it and we keep dust off it to prevent fires.

Many here won't overwinter because of frozen toes and combs. Ever have frostbite? It HURTS! I like knowing my charges can move to areas of different temps as needed. Just because feral cats survive doesn't mean they aren't miserable in the cold; chickens have nerve endings, too. I don't have cows to warm the "barn" so I provide some heat.

Hello from Toledo!!!! It does get pretty damp and wet in our neck of the woods. BRRRR!