I have a movable chicken tractor that is 8 feet long, 30 inches wide and about 30 inches high. Half of it is completely enclosed in insulation and plywood with a metal outer skin. The other half is the chicken's "summer porch," (that is, completely screened in, but exposed to the open air). I routinely keep a 4 foot by 4 foot piece of plywood over the top to keep rain water out of the tractor, and put plywood on the sides when bad weather is going to set in to further protect the chickens in rain or cold.
That helps protect the hens somewhat, but rain water can still penetrate the tractor from the ground -- so their floor gets soaked and muddy in every rain. In addition, stray raindrops occasionally get in.
Right now, I have a 150 watt ceramic heat emitter plugged into a ceramic heat reflector hanging from the ceiling of the tractor. I did have a 250 watt red heat lamp in that reflector, but in last night's heavy rain a stray drop got in there and literally blew the light bulb up. So I put the ceramic heat emitter -- which gives off infrared heat and is really designed for cold blooded reptiles -- in there, hoping that it will not blow up when it is needed most.
Is there a better way to heat my chicken's tractor?
I have two hens in there right now, a Rhode Island Red and a Buff Orpington. Both are a year and a half old.
I live in suburban Memphis, TN where we usually get snow about once a year but almost never get temps below 10 deg F. and for most of the winter, it does not get below 20 degrees.
That helps protect the hens somewhat, but rain water can still penetrate the tractor from the ground -- so their floor gets soaked and muddy in every rain. In addition, stray raindrops occasionally get in.
Right now, I have a 150 watt ceramic heat emitter plugged into a ceramic heat reflector hanging from the ceiling of the tractor. I did have a 250 watt red heat lamp in that reflector, but in last night's heavy rain a stray drop got in there and literally blew the light bulb up. So I put the ceramic heat emitter -- which gives off infrared heat and is really designed for cold blooded reptiles -- in there, hoping that it will not blow up when it is needed most.
Is there a better way to heat my chicken's tractor?
I have two hens in there right now, a Rhode Island Red and a Buff Orpington. Both are a year and a half old.
I live in suburban Memphis, TN where we usually get snow about once a year but almost never get temps below 10 deg F. and for most of the winter, it does not get below 20 degrees.