Light Bulb?

[SterlingSilver]

Okay so my parents are worried about my chickens having frost bite, i have 2 vents on the front back and on the sides is 2 inches of wire for ventilation on both sides. I know i shouldn't put a heat lamp in but at Clyde's when I bought a bag of food for my chickens the clerk said i should but a standard light bulb not a heat one because they throw off a little heat and some light for them to keep laying.My whole flock is around 8 months old this is their first winter for them and my first winter with having them. My coop is 8x4 and pretty small. But I don't know to put one in or not.

 

[junebuggena]

Supplemental lighting at this point of the year is pretty pointless. The days are already starting to get longer. I've gained 10 minutes just in the last two weeks.
Keeping water out of the coop and making sure the bedding is dry can go a long way towards reducing the potential for further frostbite damage.

 

[Welshies]

Lights either throw off heat or not. A standard light bulb throws out very minimal heat, not enough to prevent frostbite. A heat lamo throws off heat, but it can be an extreme fire hazard if not secured to the roof properly or if it's too low. If it's above -4°F (-20°C) your birds are fine.
Supplying a light to keep birds laying eggs in the winter months has been linked to bone cancer and early deaths in hens. They need a break from producing eggs and winter is usually that time. Also, as young birds need to learn how to produce eggs, you shouldn't be providing a light so young. Sounds like they've only laid a few eggs or even not laid at all.
Are you experiencing frostbite? If so you may need more ventilation; it sounds like it. It's one square feet of ventilation per bird, generally speaking, but if your birds aren't having issues then don't worry about it

 

[SterlingSilver]

Lights either throw off heat or not. A standard light bulb throws out very minimal heat, not enough to prevent frostbite. A heat lamo throws off heat, but it can be an extreme fire hazard if not secured to the roof properly or if it's too low. If it's above -4°F (-20°C) your birds are fine.
Supplying a light to keep birds laying eggs in the winter months has been linked to bone cancer and early deaths in hens. They need a break from producing eggs and winter is usually that time. Also, as young birds need to learn how to produce eggs, you shouldn't be providing a light so young. Sounds like they've only laid a few eggs or even not laid at all.
Are you experiencing frostbite? If so you may need more ventilation; it sounds like it. It's one square feet of ventilation per bird, generally speaking, but if your birds aren't having issues then don't worry about it

My birds have been laying for a while now, around thanksgiving is when I got my first egg all six were laying but sadly one had a prolapse and we culled her. We had a little frost bite on my roosters comb, but he seems fine. I cant let them out/put their water outside because the wind is so bad where we live, we put tarps on the hog wire but the wind still slices through the tarps with fury.

 

[Welshies]

Mine have their water and food inside and it's fine. As long as the water isn't steaming I think you'll be okay. In the meantime, keep those vents open.

 

[junebuggena]

My birds have been laying for a while now, around thanksgiving is when I got my first egg all six were laying but sadly one had a prolapse and we culled her. We had a little frost bite on my roosters comb, but he seems fine. I cant let them out/put their water outside because the wind is so bad where we live, we put tarps on the hog wire but the wind still slices through the tarps with fury.

Water needs to be outside of the coop. Give them the choice to go out. They may surprise you with their hardiness.

 

[AmazingRachel]

Lights either throw off heat or not. A standard light bulb throws out very minimal heat, not enough to prevent frostbite. A heat lamo throws off heat, but it can be an extreme fire hazard if not secured to the roof properly or if it's too low. If it's above -4°F (-20°C) your birds are fine.
Supplying a light to keep birds laying eggs in the winter months has been linked to bone cancer and early deaths in hens. They need a break from producing eggs and winter is usually that time. Also, as young birds need to learn how to produce eggs, you shouldn't be providing a light so young. Sounds like they've only laid a few eggs or even not laid at all.
Are you experiencing frostbite? If so you may need more ventilation; it sounds like it. It's one square feet of ventilation per bird, generally speaking, but if your birds aren't having issues then don't worry about it

Can you please reply with a source from where you got the info for "Supplying a light to keep birds laying eggs in the winter months has been linked to bone cancer and early deaths in hens.". I've spoken to farmers and two vets about this topic and none said anything about this.

 

[Welshies]

Can you please reply with a source from where you got the info for "Supplying a light to keep birds laying eggs in the winter months has been linked to bone cancer and early deaths in hens.". I've spoken to farmers and two vets about this topic and none said anything about this.

Someone on BYC mentioned it and provided sources. I don't remember who.
But it is a general consensus that providing a light causes hens to stop laying eggs sooner.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Do they have frostbite? Did the tips on combs turn white then black? If so those tips will fall off. Severe frostbite will get into the meaty part of comb itself. That can cause problems. Most breeds of hens have small combs and if coop is vented well enough will never get frostbite. Large combed birds like Leghorn will lose tips of tines in extreme cold no matter the ventilation. It's the nature of those warm weather large comb birds.

Each bird themselves put off 5 watts of heat. Nature covered them with down and feathers we use to stuff our winter jackets. The real deal is to keep the coop dry and well ventilated. This means no drafts on birds rather venting along top of coop which it sounds like you have. Ensure the roosts are far enough below those vents and look for signs of frostbite on combs. If there is none then your good to go. Remember, large single comb bird's comb tips with freeze due to the length of tines and being too far away for good heated blood circulation. This is not frostbite rather actually freezing. Single comb cock birds for example will lose tips of tines in our Northern climate. The important thing is that it's not severe enough to get to meat of comb. Good ventilation keeps the coop dry. It's humidity that causes frostbite.

 

[Welshies]

Good ventilation is key, agreed. My birds have minimal frostbite in -40°F weather.