Oil filled radiator heater/Supplemental Heat for Bantams/Winterizing

[christinethemac]

Hello. I live in Nebraska where winters can be harsh. I have 6 bantams, some of which I know are not cold hardy (Frizzle, japanese bantam). I have a solid built 4 x 8 coop which I know is rather large for them. I'm wondering how I'll keep them warm enough when it's below 0. Not sure their body heat will be sufficient. Has anyone tried an oil filled radiator heater? I hear that is the safest method other than the flat panels. I have two flat panels, but they seem to barely put off any heat.

Thank you.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Please don't. I have frizzle and have had silkies and all do fine. Mine stay inside their insulated coop in the back of a barn when the weather is really bad, otherwise they go out in their run which I shovel and put down hay for them to stand on and forage through. They are just as hardy as other breeds. We can get down to the -20's with -40's wind chills.

 

[christinethemac]

Wonderful to hear that. Does your insulated coop stay warmer than the outside temperature? This will be my first winter with this new coop my husband built and i noticed a few weeks ago when it was cooler that when it was 40 outside it was 40 in the coop. We've got 5 small vents on it at top that are all open though. Haven't experimented with closing yet.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It doesn't necessarily stay any warmer, perhaps a couple of degrees. The main things are to block winds and have good air exchange without creating drafts. If moisture builds up than birds can get frost bite and the will feel colder.

I've never seen my bantams shiver, though I do see my bigger breeds who are in a tin shed shiver. We are converting it to wood siding which should help buffer the winds more.

I let mine acclimate and they do fine. I've never lost one in the winter.

I do give mine warm water 2x a day, and some warm oatmeal mixed with ration on colder days. I also toss out some scratch which is cracked corn and boss to get them moving and scratching about.

Some use heat, but I believe it's unnecessary, and can cause more troubles because your birds are used to the heat and not the temperatures. Their coat will thicken up if left to acclimate. Some may look cold as the temperatures drop but will be used to it in a week or so.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Here in Colorado and I do not heat my coops.

I have the sealed oil heaters. My house has rooms that don't heat well.

A few years ago we got bitter cold.... Well below 0.
My hubby felt bad for my birds so he put one in the coop. Even though I had a horribly molting leghorn EVERY chicken avoided the heated end of the coop. Yes even the naked leghorn.

Since you have very small bantams I recommend deep shavings on the floor in winter. I had Japanese bantams years ago. They did fine...... Until Penny went broody in January right next to the metal siding with lows of -10.

Keep deep shavings, good feed and good ventilation and you should be just fine.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Here in Colorado and I do not heat my coops.

I have the sealed oil heaters. My house has rooms that don't heat well.

A few years ago we got bitter cold.... Well below 0.
My hubby felt bad for my birds so he put one in the coop. Even though I had a horribly molting leghorn EVERY chicken avoided the heated end of the coop. Yes even the naked leghorn.

Since you have very small bantams I recommend deep shavings on the floor in winter. I had Japanese bantams years ago. They did fine...... Until Penny went broody in January right next to the metal siding with lows of -10.

Keep deep shavings, good feed and good ventilation and you should be just fine.

Great idea. I also add some hay into my bedding mix in the winter, stuff will mold when it's not cold, but for winter I use it for the insulation and for foraging, luckily we bale our own hay.

 

[Folly's place]

You will be happier with heated bases for your waterer, rather than taking warm water out there three times daily, and they will add some heat to your coop. I agree about not adding a coop heater, as long as it's ventilated but protected from wind. Insulating the roof and north walls is wonderful, it you can do it without having a rodent haven!
Deep bedding is needed too, as mentioned above. Mary

 

[AuntJamie]

Maybe a silly question but what does the deep bedding do?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Maybe a silly question but what does the deep bedding do?

Give them a cushion from the cold floor.

 

[Folly's place]

And something to dig around in after goodies in the coop. When there's two feet of snow on the ground, and they don't want to go out in it, maybe for weeks.
Mary