I caved. I put a heat lamp in the coop...

[4-H chicken mom]

I usually don't put heat in my for my birds but when my Australorp didn't get on the roost with the other birds, I knew something was wrong. She just shivered, so I put a heat lamp on her. She laid on the floor under the heat lamp for two days. I thought she was going to die. She is doing a lot better now.

 

[azygous]

What can I say? I loves my chickens! I hate to see them uncomfortable! So they're bunking with an all night red heat lamp and twelve one-gallon hot water bottles.

I'm down here in Trinidad, eastern foothills of the southern Rockies, and it's sinking down to -20 as we speak. I'm sure they'd be fine with no heat in their insulated coop, but I'll sleep better knowing its hovering around freezing in there instead of -20.

And it doesn't bother me to admit it, either!

 

[cochicks]

Thanks for the support. I feel like such a weakling for giving in! I just felt so bad for them.

 

[chickychicks]

Quote:
Yes, I felt the same way but the extreme in temperature makes it hard. Its one thing if they are living in ongoing cold temps, but I think for any animal to go from extreme to extreme and expect the body to adjust is too much to ask (at least that is what I think). Looking forward to the cold front to pass and get back to normal routine!!

 

[cochicks]

Me too! I isn't nearly as bad today since the wind died down, but I am definitely looking forward to getting above freezing tomorrow. (I'm sure my girls are even more excited than I am!)

 

[BittyBanty]

You are doing better than me. When the wind ripped the shutters off the porch last night I gave up and put my birds in the hallway bathroom. I am bad...very, very bad. They will stay there until at least Friday.

 

[fishnet1971]

awwwww i think its awesome that we all care so much about our babies.

I think a lot of it is just that we see them as our pets, our kid replacements, our heart loves, etc. we put them in a personal space in our heart and heads. There is nothing wrong with that at all. BUT, remember, some folk only see their chickens as just that. chickens, only for eggs, meat, etc. they can fend for themselves. Yes, indeed most cases they can. That's ok for some if they think of them that way. But in our minds we would not treat our dogs, cats, and other domesticated pets like that. We treat them like humans. So, we do that for our chickens too. I tried to not turn the heat lamp on for my babies when it started to get cold out. I REALLY DID!!!!!!!!!!!!! but, i failed. my fluffy butts have a home that is insulated walls, roof, etc. has electricity, 7 inchese of fresh shavings to keep the feet warm, heated waterer, their own indoor sand box to dust in, pink curtains, a radio with country music on most of the time, and their own hair dryer for when they come in wet. so HECK YEA I HAVE THEM A HEAT LAMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldnt live with myself if I went out in the am and they were cold and shivering. I just came in from outside in this really nasty weather from giving them dinner and it was a toasty 45 degrees in the coop! humidity about 70 percent. A little high, but we were having fun and messing around in there. (giggle giggle) I have one 250 watt red bulb that ususally comes on around 4pm. I check on them about 10 or so before I go to bed to make sure everyones tucked in. If the temp is going to be below 30, i just leave the light on till 8am. WHen i go in in the morning i turn it off. If its real cold out below 10 i will leave a regular light bulb on till noon or so. I have a double timer for them, so i can run two or three things on a timer. They do appreciate it. heck, I am still getting one egg a day from each girl!!!!!

go ahead, call me evil tooooooooooooooooooo.

 

[haTHOR]

i did it too--well, i put 40 watt light bulbs in--and i'm very much not a spoiler (no offense to anyone who raises their birds differently). for me it's that i live in arkansas and my birds had temps in the 60s just a few days ago...our winters are normally very mild and i did not build my coops to the standards a person further north might. OSB, built tight, with a few cracks and crevices here and there, is normally fine here. no insulation. we rarely get below 15 degrees all winter, and i have no problem with feeling fine with them huddling together and making do on those nights. our coops in arkansas are built (when built optimally) to be better ventilators than insulators!

so for it to be wind chill of -14 to -19 tonight...i feel they need a bit of extra help. esp. because i do have 13 wk olds in there that, as someone else mentioned, do not have roost privileges yet so they aren't huddled up with the big girls.

it's easy to be cavalier about exactly how HUGE of a shift in temps this last week has been for those of us in the south...and how much below "average" this is for us. if i lived in alaska i'd be feeling good about my birds in this weather--but in arkansas? i have ZERO guilt taking a little extra care of them these next few nights.

 

[mothergoose]

We heat our coop, so you all should'nt feel bad at all. It is the only way we can keep combs from freezing. Our kids show them and frosted combs are just not attractive! But on the up side of heating the coop...happy chickens, laying like crazy, and I love to hang out and watch them and i am nice and cozy when I am in there. No frozen water or eggs either! And it is -6 and -20 winchill here right now...glad it is warm for them.

Christie

 

[nicokl502]

i am bad i bring them inside they dont seem to mind they have a nice set up for cold night and storm in the spring that i think are to bad