It’s REALLY cold here ... supplemental heat?

[MIChickandGuinea]

We have a light fixture actually attached to the coop ceiling and we decided to use a 40-watt light overnight last night because it was -8 F. The little girls were cheery and fine this morning when I checked on them. An egg laid overnight had frozen solid and burst its shell, but the feathery little ladies were all just clucking and tootling around like it was any other day.

 

[aart]

We have a light fixture actually attached to the coop ceiling and we decided to use a 40-watt light overnight last night because it was -8 F. The little girls were cheery and fine this morning when I checked on them. An egg laid overnight had frozen solid and burst its shell, but the feathery little ladies were all just clucking and tootling around like it was any other day.

Did that 40W bulb actually raise the temp in the coop at roost height?
Be careful lighting them 24/7....could have unpleasant consequences.

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

Did that 40W bulb actually raise the temp in the coop at roost height?
Be careful lighting them 24/7....could have unpleasant consequences.

Oh, help! That's vague and scary-sounding. What kind of unpleasant consequences!!??!!??

 

[aart]

Oh, help! That's vague and scary-sounding. What kind of unpleasant consequences!!??!!??

Chicken need a dark and light periods, artificially changing those periods needs to be carefully controlled. Drastic changes can throw them into a molt or stop them laying. Carefully controlled it can increase laying over winter, especially with older birds.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

That 40W bulb is not going to keep them and or the coop any warmer.

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

Chicken need a dark and light periods, artificially changing those periods needs to be carefully controlled. Drastic changes can throw them into a molt or stop them laying. Carefully controlled it can increase laying over winter, especially with older birds.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

That 40W bulb is not going to keep them and or the coop any warmer.

Gaaaahhhh!! Who knew chickens were so complicated? I keep trying to help, but solving one issue seems to create three more issues.

 

[aart]

Big learning curves.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Did that 40W bulb actually raise the temp in the coop at roost height?
Be careful lighting them 24/7....could have unpleasant consequences.

What would happen Aart?

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

OK. We put the heat bulb on a temperature-driven power block. It will only turn on below -10

 

[aart]

What would happen Aart?

Chicken need a dark and light periods, artificially changing those periods needs to be carefully controlled. Drastic changes can throw them into a molt or stop them laying. Carefully controlled it can increase laying over winter, especially with older birds.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

OK. We put the heat bulb on a temperature-driven power block. It will only turn on below -10

A thermocube?
Make sure your heat bulb is red colored and not 'safety coated'(toxic to birds)...
....as well as the usual concerns:
triple attached to prevent falling,
safety wire so if it falls it won't ignite bedding,
put is somewhere the birds cannot touch it,
etc.