i finally had to give in and get a heat lamp for the chickens!!!

[Katy]

Quote:
Sorry, but if your adult chickens froze to death at 20 degrees then there was something other than cold that was wrong with them. You just put 2 and 2 together and got 22. Healthy chickens should be able to handle subzero temperatures if they've been allowed to accumulate to them--20 above should be beach weather to them.

For all of you using ceramic and 250w heat bulb heaters. Been nice knowing you, I'll say goodbye now since many of you will be gone from BYC once your coop burns to the ground.

I'd have to agree there was probably something else going on if 20 degrees killed them. 20 degrees doesn't even phase mine.....not even the 8 week olds I've got out there.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
Sorry, but if your adult chickens froze to death at 20 degrees then there was something other than cold that was wrong with them. You just put 2 and 2 together and got 22. Healthy chickens should be able to handle subzero temperatures if they've been allowed to accumulate to them--20 above should be beach weather to them.

For all of you using ceramic and 250w heat bulb heaters. Been nice knowing you, I'll say goodbye now since many of you will be gone from BYC once your coop burns to the ground.

Some birds just don't get it....they rather sit out there in the cold and suffer. There are few dumb birds, no matter how many times you shoved them in the coop, they insist to be outside.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
Sorry, but if your adult chickens froze to death at 20 degrees then there was something other than cold that was wrong with them. You just put 2 and 2 together and got 22. Healthy chickens should be able to handle subzero temperatures if they've been allowed to accumulate to them--20 above should be beach weather to them.

For all of you using ceramic and 250w heat bulb heaters. Been nice knowing you, I'll say goodbye now since many of you will be gone from BYC once your coop burns to the ground.

I'd have to agree there was probably something else going on if 20 degrees killed them. 20 degrees doesn't even phase mine.....not even the 8 week olds I've got out there.

Mine either, with Welsummers, an bantam Orp and SSH bantam.........all cozy on the perch, sandwiching side by side. Even the roo has his wing over one of his girls!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
Sorry, but if your adult chickens froze to death at 20 degrees then there was something other than cold that was wrong with them. You just put 2 and 2 together and got 22. Healthy chickens should be able to handle subzero temperatures if they've been allowed to accumulate to them--20 above should be beach weather to them.

For all of you using ceramic and 250w heat bulb heaters. Been nice knowing you, I'll say goodbye now since many of you will be gone from BYC once your coop burns to the ground.

See there's your mistake. Ga is not NY. Chickens here are accustomed to extreme heat an don't get to get use to cold slowly. The sudden changes we see in the south will kill healthy chickens. 20 degrees will kill chickens raised in georgia heat. It isn't the 20* that kills them its the 60* drop without warning that does. We can see 80*+ days that turn in to 0* nights. That will kill even the hardiest livestock. My brother lost a horse to it last year.

 

[BunnyMomma]

We have had temps in the teens this week, and tonight it is supposed to be 12 F.

I put a whole new bale of straw in the coop last week before the cold hit. I added some fresh orchard grass hay to the nest boxes, closed up the windows and put a bamboo shade over the main door to block most of the air flow. There is still plenty of ventilation but not enough to be a danger to the flock. I keep about 40 assorted birds in my 10 x 12 coop. They are out during daylight hours, and I feed them plenty of food, fresh water and treats before they go in for the night. They are really cozy in the coop. There are enough of them that they help to keep each other warm. My coop is clean and dry.

I decided early on this year not to use heat lamps for them for fear of losing the entire flock. For small flock owners you might want to make a hot water bottle for your chickens on cold nights. You can take a 2 liter drink bottle, fill it with hot water. Then wrap a few layers of newspaper around the sides leaving one end uncovered. Then wrap it in a plastic bag and set it in the nest area. I have done this many times to help keep a smaller number of birds,

or young birds warmer on these bitter cold nights. I sleep better knowing I won't have a fire in the coop.
Bunny

 

[hoppy]

typically in the winter (maine) I use a heat lamp for a few hours in the early morning. just to take the chill off some really cold nights. heat lamp comes on for maybe 3 hours and is 3 feet off the ground but I have a roost that is 18" near it, so if they are cold, they can get up on the roost near the heat and not so cold, can be on the floor without the danger of fire. and it doesn't matter teh odds of fire, if it's your fire, that's all that matters, so think safe, it needs to be away from hay and flammable stuff and double tie it up so it can't accidently fall into the hay /shavings below.

 

[gail2568]

I have 3 red sex-link hens. They are my girls and I make it comfortable for them. It's around 11 degrees here during the night. I had my husband install a heat lamp for them. It is screwed into the top of the coop so that it will not catch fire and has a wire shield on it so that they will not get built. My DH built a shield for it so that they would not get hirt or burnt by the heat lamp. I also have a light that comes on in the coop at 5am so that they have enough lite during the day to no interrupt their laying cycle. They have a remote temp gage in their coop so that I can keep track of the tempature inside the coop. And they also have a temp controler in the coop so that it never goes above 43 degrees or below 32 degrees.

I know my girls are spoiled but so our our dogs....4 dachshunds, 1 inside cat, 8 outside stray cats that adopted us and 6 rescue horses. We are blessed to have all of our furry creatures and love to spoil them.

Hope this helps you to decide whether or not to put a heat lamp in the coop or not. If it gives you peace of mind to give them heat do so with caution and keep their safety in mind. Some people don't believe in giving them heat others do. I just think that if you do it safe and in moderation then it is fine. Everyone always has their opinion is this is just mine.

Gail in Kansas

 

[ivan3]

rebelcowboysnb wrote: I lost 1 newly hatched chicks in my brooder this week at 30* so I turned on the backup heater to bring it up to almost 50*. Most could handle the 30*s ok at less than a week old using a heated roost.

Isn't 50° F not so hot for feed conversion in chicks?

If anyone is using lighting for additonal heat, go with the ceramic. Even a 150w HL, indirect (aimed into corner/at ceiling) with large reflector will keep the birds up at night (red or white light). First year we tried this briefly when temp dropped to -15° F. The activity level, as picked up over the baby monitor was astounding (growling/whining/eating/etc.). Just a lot of stress. We've been using nothing more but a 15w, for the past 4yrs, aimed at ceiling (reflector has 1.75" wood screws through it securing it to a beam and cord is secured to inside of roof and out through eaves). This provides just enough light so, when they start their morning ablutions at 04:00, they'll be able to get around. Don't bother with the timer as the light is handy during the day as well (they're staid dowagers and like to hang out in coop on very cold days). This low intensity doesn't interfere with their roosting (currently 14° F and they're happy, and as quiet, as clams).

I'd augment heating if our chooks were unacclimated and the change was sudden (40-60 degree drop over 12hr.). It goes without saying that if one doesn't do one's due diligence when installing the light fixture, one's coop might well burn down and the chooks will die.

YMMV​

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
Isn't 50° F not so hot for feed conversion in chicks?

Not sure what you are asking? If you mean that the chicks will eat more food to keep warm compared to if I kept it at 90* then yes I believe you are right. Is it enough to offset the cost of the heat? I don't know.

This whole cold brooder system is a running experiment. I was shocked that I only lost 1 newly hatched chick in a 20 degree night(30* in the brooder). I dont even know that the cold killed that one but I assume.

My whole thing is to get as close to no added heat is possible both for safety an energy savings but to not take it completely out of the picture because there are times it is needed.

 

[arabianequine]

Quote:
Sorry, but if your adult chickens froze to death at 20 degrees then there was something other than cold that was wrong with them. You just put 2 and 2 together and got 22. Healthy chickens should be able to handle subzero temperatures if they've been allowed to accumulate to them--20 above should be beach weather to them.

For all of you using ceramic and 250w heat bulb heaters. Been nice knowing you, I'll say goodbye now since many of you will be gone from BYC once your coop burns to the ground.

I got insurance on each out building here and I will still be here regardless though my out buildings are not by my house. What year is this to take place? Last year, this year? I will take my chances.