Is a heat source needed?

[mamajos]

I went to the website. The price range is 107.00 to 152.00, for overhead product depending on which length you want. I purchased the longest available 11x40.

 

[Ponypoor]

I got the 40 inch-at somewhere around 150.00. I don’t know what product is 300.00. The have several lengths.

150USD is a million Canadian dollars

I just checked on Amazon. Might check what other are put there.

I too, have an elderly hen who can use some warmth as she is molting hard and thus is not as well insulated.

Elderly are already at risk for illness, cold stress is an easy fix! Now if I can just glue some feathers on her .

 

[BReeder!]

What a topic... the highly debated questions of heat and lighting...

I say heat isn't necessary. Keep them draft free but ventilated. Moisture from breathing, pooping, and trecking in water and snow leads to frost bite if there is not adequate ventilation. As for the elder hen who chooses to nest on the ground, just keep her being dry and provide plenty of bedding for her to snuggle into.

As for lighting, I provide light as the days shorten to extend egg laying and visibility in the coop. My light is set to a timer and turns on and off on its own. Lighting is not necessary and some say can actually shorten life span due to chickens need for a rest from laying. Mine still take their rest from laying though even with the lights in the coop. I think the cold weather shuts down the egg factory.

 

[CKfarm22]

What a topic... the highly debated questions of heat and lighting...

I say heat isn't necessary. Keep them draft free but ventilated. Moisture from breathing, pooping, and trecking in water and snow leads to frost bite if there is not adequate ventilation. As for the elder hen who chooses to nest on the ground, just keep her being dry and provide plenty of bedding for her to snuggle into.

As for lighting, I provide light as the days shorten to extend egg laying and visibility in the coop. My light is set to a timer and turns on and off on its own. Lighting is not necessary and some say can actually shorten life span due to chickens need for a rest from laying. Mine still take their rest from laying though even with the lights in the coop. I think the cold weather shuts down the egg factory.

Said it perfectly! I also have a light in the coop but it only goes on when they go into roost if it’s super dark out!

 

[ZoomiesMom72]

So sorry about your sweet hen, @Trayc72. It’s hard to lose them. I am providing some radiant heat for my older hens by using a Sweeter Heater. It doesn’t warm the coop up, but it will take the edge off of the cold-especially for the older hens that seem to have a harder time in colder weather. They have to physically be under it to feel warmth. It’s all sealed-no dust, dander can get in, and it is very safe. If the power goes out, the birds will still be acclimated to the weather, since it only warms them to take the edge of the cold off. I hope this helps you in the future. Edited for spelling

Thank you very much

 

[Danielle farmgirl]

How’s the smell in your barn? Does it smell like ammonia ?hows the ventilation ? I had a Cornish hen develop respiratory issues this summer and obviously some are in better health then others .

 

[Ponypoor]

Smells of hay and shavings and . My barn is very large - 10 box stalls, seperate feed-room office, seperate inside 'hen house' - I leave hen house door and barn doors open as long as it isn't snowing crazy, or high winds - lucky for me I have doors at either end of the barn, so if it is windy in one direction I close those doors.

I muck out stalls daily and keep hen house cleaned at least every other day. The key to controlling odour is cleaning daily and using clean bedding.

There have been studies on horse stabling, showing that softwood shavings control odour better than other types of bedding, I am sure this hold for cattle, chickens, goats, sheep, etc.

The key to ventilation is having vents or doors that can be opened, but to control drafts. Even in the dead of winter when it's -30 here I open doors for a bit to just air things out.

 

[Ponypoor]

How’s the smell in your barn? Does it smell like ammonia ?hows the ventilation ? I had a Cornish hen develop respiratory issues this summer and obviously some are in better health then others .

Been thinking of your hen with respiratory issues, did u have a Vet check her? What symptoms did she have - poor dear

 

[Danielle farmgirl]

Been thinking of your hen with respiratory issues, did u have a Vet check her? What symptoms did she have - poor dear

I was commenting on someone else’s post . My Cornish hen developed a fever when she had issues and I gave her a concoction of aspirin and calf lyte lol. It worked like a charm.