IR Heat Lamp is Waking up Chickens

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I have to agree with Jack on this one, no heat needed!! :)

I live in SE Idaho so our temps get just as cold if not colder than yours and I don't use heat in my coop. This year we added on to our coop and used the Woods style on it. My first year of keeping chickens I used a heat lamp and it was always damp inside my coop. That is worse for your chickens than the cold. If you always keep your chickens above freezing and you happen to lose power for an extended period of time (God forbid), that would be detrimental to your chickens because you have not let them acclimate to the cold. Provide lots of ventilation without drafts and you and your chickens will be just fine.
 
FWIW, I live in upstate NY and even down to minus double digits I have never used any heat. Never had any problems. I guess if you MUST use heat, maybe a panel heater would work. But seriously, you don't need heat. :)
 
I appreciate all the posts and I understand the different reasons for providing heat as well as for omitting the heat. I know Arco gets about as much wind as I do here in Tremonton so making sure to avoid the drafts can be a problem. Last year I had the same problem with the providing of heat, we had moisture build up. I have since built a new coop with the specific design features to avoid the build up of moisture and cut down on drafts as much as possible. Like I mentioned before the decision to provide heat is out of my hands. If I don't my wife will make me sleep in the coop.

I think if my wife completely had her way the chickens would live in the house with us during the winter. I just said that to get the point across that I really will not be able to convince her to go without heat no matter what comes out of my mouth.
 
swmalone said:
I appreciate all the posts and I understand the different reasons for providing heat as well as for omitting the heat.  I know Arco gets about as much wind as I do here in Tremonton so making sure to avoid the drafts can be a problem.  Last year I had the same problem with the providing of heat, we had moisture build up.  I have since built a new coop with the specific design features to avoid the build up of moisture and cut down on drafts as much as possible.  Like I mentioned before the decision to provide heat is out of my hands.  If I don't my wife will make me sleep in the coop.

I think if my wife completely had her way the chickens would live in the house with us during the winter.  I just said that to get the point across that I really will not be able to convince her to go without heat no matter what comes out of my mouth.
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LOL...I was totally the same way my first year!! We do have a lot of wind and if your coop is well built, you won't have any drafts. My coop has a completely open front (same design as Jack but on a larger scale) and the front is facing SW. Most of the wind in the winter comes out of the north and I have no drafts in my coop. It took me forever to learn the difference between draft and ventilation!! Have your wife do some serious research and maybe she'll change her mind a little! :) She can always ask me questions, too. BTW...using a heat lamp in my coop one year raised my heating bill by about $30 a month. To some that seems like kiddie poo but dang, it adds up fast. Hope you find what works best for you.
 
Sticks and stones. I have experience with both as well, doesn't make your opinion any more valid then mine is. I want to listen to children argue I have my own kids for that. An adult wouldn't keep trying to force their opinion down someones throat. Its been discussed and clearly when the OP asked for other options other then removing the heat, logic dictates that's not the option they have chosen. While Flockwatcher contributed to the OP's original post, several of you have gotten defensive like children and think your way is the only way. Guess what folks, it aint. Deal with it or go cry in the corner over it. I could care less. The OP was asking for help, so either help or go post somewhere else with your kiddy bs, k? Thanks.


swmalone: Sorry about all that. Like Flockwatcher and I said, they will get used to the light. My kids have left the light on in my coop overnight more then once. Contrary to what some people may try to tell you they will sleep even with the light left on. You do have options tho. As featherz said panel heaters can be used. I have used small ones in reptile enclosures before. In those enclosed conditions they have worked very well and they are touch safe. No little burned chickys :) If they didn't burn day old lizards climbing all over them poultry would be quite safe. Other options are just wait for the girls to get used to the light in a few days, or go with the ceramic emmiters. Both of which can be directional. The panels would be more of a general heating. I have used heat in my coops for years, and yet the only sick birds I have personally had to deal with are additions I have made. They are all kept separate until tested observed and cleared by my vet.
 
even though i live in texas with an open front coop here is my 2cents worth. my coop is open on the west and south to catch anybreeze in the summer. in the winter you can buy old hay( not fit for critters) pretty cheap. i stack 2 rows on the west side, and use an old crockpot filled with rocks set on very low on the noghts that we are expected to get below 30 degrees. like others on this site, my chikens are my babies and friends, they just love me more than most people so i try to make their life better.
 
Our coop design is based on the Witchita Cabin coop, so the actual coop part is elevated a couple of feet off the ground and then the run is under and extended out. The actual coop is 15 square feet with two roost of about 3 feet. The cubic feet is about 52.5 and there are currently 5 chickens in there, we used to have 6 but one unexpectedly died, still not sure from what. The windows are wire mesh but have plexiglass windows that can be shut in the winter. A large window is on the North and a small one on the coop door on the East side. It isn't feasible to use hay bales because they would have to be stacked so high. I have gone crazy with the caulk gun and weather stripping and I'm hoping that this will cut down on drafts. I have ventilation holes drilled into the header on the front and back and these can be covered as needed if less ventilation is required.

The heat lamp is really just for when it gets well below freezing to add some supplemental heat. I use LED christmas lights to give a little extra light for laying purposes, and added the colored ones closer to Christmas to put the chickens in the festive holiday mood. I have a water heater under the galvanized waterer in the enclosed run in the winter. I am also going to use lattice with plastic to go over the hardware cloth portions of the coop/run in the winter. This will help keep the blowing snow from getting into that portion of the run and provide a mild greenhouse effect. The chickens will still think they are tortured since now I give them a couple hundred square feet of lawn to roam and when the snow comes they will most likely be stuck in about 40 square feet of run that is part of the coop style.

I appreciate all the input and thoughts regarding wether or not to use or not use supplemental heat. I have also appreciated the suggestions on different types of heat. If anyone has any other thoughts I am fine to hear them. I am one of those people that if I see a post that doesn't really fit with what I was asking or doesn't do me any good I don't take any of it personally. I suggest that perhaps will all give that a shot.

Thank you again for all of your assistance.
 
duckie mama said:
even though i live in texas with an open front coop here is my 2cents worth. my coop is open on the west and south to catch anybreeze in the summer. in the winter you can buy old hay( not fit for critters) pretty cheap. i stack 2 rows on the west side, and use an old crockpot filled with rocks set on very low on the noghts that we are expected to get below 30 degrees. like others on this site, my chikens are my babies and friends, they just love me more than most people so i try to make their life better.
Click to expand...

That is the first I have heard of that. It is like a little dry sauna for the chickens. So how do you make sure that is placed so you don't risk a fire, and just out of curiosity how much heat does it put off and how does it compare in energy consumption to something like a heat lamp?
 

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