New Winter Home

[OverEasyMichigan]

I'm in the planning stage of building a new winter home for my girls (9 laying hens) and have a few questions:
If I use a heat lamp for warmth, will I have to turn it off at night?
Will leaving it on disrupt their sleep?
The area will be 128 square feet. Is a heat lamp enough?

 

[JackE]

You do not need a heatlamp. You are only going to run up your electric bill, and possibly, cause a fire. The chickens can handle cold weather. You stand a chance of doing more harm than good, if you lose power and your chickens are not properly acclimated to the cold. Just give them a dry secure place and they will be fine. And don't seal them up tight in a box for the winter, They still need generous amounts of ventilation/fresh air, through out the winter.
Jack

 

[OverEasyMichigan]

Thanks Jack.

I just read your link to your coop. Very nice. (The thread got a little contentious, but it was an interesting read!)

I will definitely be buying this book and making plans for a new coop for next year. Once again, thanks for the info.