Alright, folks, there was mention of what to use for water in the winter, so brace yourselves for Pipd's big post of heating precautions!
By now, y'all are probably tired of hearing my speech about not heating your coop, but it is relevant here. You see, while I am opposed to heating a coop for a number of reasons, I still use a heated bucket for water in the wintertime. What's the difference?
The heated bucket I use
does not have an open element, a light bulb, or any other part that could burn combs or set fire to a coop. Yes, heat bulbs can work to keep a bucket from freezing, but you run the risk of igniting dust or having the lamp fall and ignite bedding. Like it or not,
chickens are clumsy. They will find a way to test how well you've hung up your heat lamp. Unless it is very secure, they can knock it down, and if it isn't high enough, they can burn themselves on it by sticking their head too close. I used to think the heat would deter them from doing so--then I witnessed one of my hens nearly walk right into a bonfire out of curiosity. Even if the lamp is out of your birds' reach and secure, chickens are dusty and
dust can be ignited by the heat of the bulb or the lamp it is in. And dust or not, the bulb could shatter, making it an even greater hazard for a chicken coop. What causes the bulb to shatter?
Often it's as simple as a drop of water landing on the hot bulb.
My heated bucket also
does not get any hotter than just above freezing. It does not warm the coop up, it only keeps the water from freezing. The water in it doesn't even feel warm--and it doesn't need to, as long as the girls can still drink it.
Even with that in mind, I have no outlets in my coop and so I have to use an extension cord to plug in my heated waterer. Needless to say, unless you get the right kind,
an extension cord can be as much of a fire hazard as a heat bulb.
You might then wonder why I risk using one. Well,
the extension cord I use is a heavy-duty outdoor extension cord that is rated to withstand the amount of electricity that is run through it. You should never use an indoor extension cord outside, nor should you try to run more electricity throuhg one than it is rated for. Because I have a baby monitor out in my coop year round,
I check the length of my extension cord for any signs of wear and tear regularly throughout the year. Both ends are dusted regularly to prevent them from igniting. I am
meticulous with this thing.
Can the same meticulous regimen be applied to a heat lamp for your birds? Sure, but
there are more risks to heat lamps than just the fire hazard they cause. For instance, what would happen if the power went out? You would have a flock of chickens accustomed to heat that may not be able to adapt so suddenly to the cold.
Almost every breed of chicken, even those that are supposedly intolerant of cold weather, will do just fine without a heat source. My Sebright bantams, a breed that supposedly can't tolerate the cold, have never had an issue in my unheated, uninsulated coop, even in temps below 0. As a matter of fact, the only breeds I've ever heard of needing heat are Seramas and Silkies, and the jury's still out on both of them--I've read many accounts of Silkies surviving the winter without issue, and I've even read about a Serama owner or two that have no problems with them in winter weather.
If you're still worried that your birds won't tolerate the cold, try a safer alternative like insulation. In the winter, this will help to keep the heat that your birds produce in the coop, and you never have to worry about the power going out--just make sure it's covered well or your birds might be tempted to eat it! I'm trying a sunroom effect with the coop addition I built this year, myself. It has five windows that will all have sun on them at least at some point during the day. This again is something that doesn't rely on power, although it does rely on there being sunlight, so I guess I'll see how well it works.
Fire safety tips in your chicken coops and barns:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/745178/fire-safety-in-your-chicken-coop-barn-important
Think it's too cold for your chickens?:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/421122/think-its-too-cold-for-your-chickens-think-again
Extension cord safety:
http://www.cableorganizer.com/articles/extension-cord-safety-tips.htm
If I can save one person from the devastation of losing their flock in a fire, it's worth it, so be prepared to hear about this over and over again through the winter--especially if anyone posts about heating their coop.
Best of luck to everyone and their birds!
