Opinions of cold climate chicken keepers needed

[WindingRoad]

Wow... "most" is a real stretch. I'm going to have to respectfully disagree.

Wild birds have options. We keep our birds in the conditions we subject them to. My chickens have nowhere to go. They have no choices, only the ones I provide for them.

Fine with me.

 

[Clairenh]

This is also our first winter with chickens. They were doing fine until last week when it got to 0 F and the whole next day there was strong wind so the "real feel" was -15 all day. Our girls are always free ranging in our yard. That day we kept them in the run that is enclosed on 3 sides by buildings and a fence, plus mostly covered in plastic for winter. By the end of the day their combs were white going black at the tips and one girl was just squatting on the ground with a dazed look. We decided we couldn't leave them out another night, so we put them in our bulkhead area. It was 22 in there instead of -5.
The next day I ordered the heat panel the OP is talking about. We hung it on the wall of their coop (which is small, 3 x 4 x 4' not counting nesting boxes). We hung it right at roost level. We haven't needed it yet, and don't plan to really ever use it unless we have another three day spell of subzero weather. As far as losing power, since we won't use it every day, if we happen to lose power (which is rare and not for long, we're in a city next to nursing homes the girls won't be accustomed to nightly heat.

So, long story short - people say they are fine without any heat, others want to give them heat every chilly night. I plan to go somewhere in between - heat on the few extreme weather days and nights.

 

[No More Empty Nest]

Here's some interesting snaps for y'all: thermal images from inside my coop! I have several different methods of measuring things in the coop for temperatures and humidity. I find this stuff fascinating, I thought maybe you all may too.

Wow! Cool!

This is also our first winter with chickens. They were doing fine until last week when it got to 0 F and the whole next day there was strong wind so the "real feel" was -15 all day. Our girls are always free ranging in our yard. That day we kept them in the run that is enclosed on 3 sides by buildings and a fence, plus mostly covered in plastic for winter. By the end of the day their combs were white going black at the tips and one girl was just squatting on the ground with a dazed look. We decided we couldn't leave them out another night, so we put them in our bulkhead area. It was 22 in there instead of -5.
The next day I ordered the heat panel the OP is talking about. We hung it on the wall of their coop (which is small, 3 x 4 x 4' not counting nesting boxes). We hung it right at roost level. We haven't needed it yet, and don't plan to really ever use it unless we have another three day spell of subzero weather. As far as losing power, since we won't use it every day, if we happen to lose power (which is rare and not for long, we're in a city next to nursing homes the girls won't be accustomed to nightly heat.

So, long story short - people say they are fine without any heat, others want to give them heat every chilly night. I plan to go somewhere in between - heat on the few extreme weather days and nights.

This is what I'm going to do too. A lot depends on the breed of chickens you have too, I think. As much as I love the look of those big combs and wattles, I knew they were not going to be for me.

After getting the heat panel, I turned it on in the house to check it out. It gets pretty hot. You can touch it but not keep your hand on it more than a few seconds. The literature says it's compatible with all coop bedding material. I had planned on just using the feet that came with it to stand it up. But I have wood shavings that would be above the bottom of it and the heat concerns me. My husband says the temperature is nowhere near the combustion level of wood. Does anyone have one that they just have sitting on the floor? We could hang it on the wall but the only place that it would fit is right alongside the perch. And I mean that wall is close enough to the perch that the poop on the poop board is right next to the wall. The other 3 walls either have nest boxes, a window, or doors. I'm thinking of standing it up on some bricks or 2 x 4 pieces. But I think first I'm going to try it out during the day tomorrow and see if the wood shavings get hot. Our deep freeze nights are going to be Tuesday and Wednesday here, so I've got some time.

 

[SarahLadd]

I had planned on just using the feet that came with it to stand it up.

I think I would avoid doing this- the feet on it are too small to be very stable, and I've heard of people's smaller birds knocking it down, causing injury and even death. I wouldn't take the risk unless you can bolt it to the floor.

 

[SarahLadd]

"Winter Storm Warnings are in place for all of central and southern
Minnesota into west central Wisconsin, with the exception of
Martin County Minnesota which remains in a Winter Weather
Advisory.
Snowfall amounts in the warning area can be expected to range
from 6 to 12 inches. Snowfall amounts in the advisory area can be
expected to range from 3 to 6 inches.
Dangerous wind chills as low as 60 below zero are expected
Tuesday morning through Thursday morning in western and central
Minnesota. Wind chills as low as 50 below zero are expected
Tuesday afternoon through Thursday morning in east central MN and
west central Minnesota."

Incredible. I feel like I am making the right choice.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Chickens in the wild don't usually didn't get extra heat and they seem to have evolved quite well.

Chickens in the wild don't usually get fed by humans. Using your logic I shouldn't feed them. My birds are not wild. I try to optimize their health and well being, well, just because I want to.

 

[RumneyRoost]

Wow! Cool!

This is what I'm going to do too. A lot depends on the breed of chickens you have too, I think. As much as I love the look of those big combs and wattles, I knew they were not going to be for me.

After getting the heat panel, I turned it on in the house to check it out. It gets pretty hot. You can touch it but not keep your hand on it more than a few seconds. The literature says it's compatible with all coop bedding material. I had planned on just using the feet that came with it to stand it up. But I have wood shavings that would be above the bottom of it and the heat concerns me. My husband says the temperature is nowhere near the combustion level of wood. Does anyone have one that they just have sitting on the floor? We could hang it on the wall but the only place that it would fit is right alongside the perch. And I mean that wall is close enough to the perch that the poop on the poop board is right next to the wall. The other 3 walls either have nest boxes, a window, or doors. I'm thinking of standing it up on some bricks or 2 x 4 pieces. But I think first I'm going to try it out during the day tomorrow and see if the wood shavings get hot. Our deep freeze nights are going to be Tuesday and Wednesday here, so I've got some time.

Mine hangs on the wall behind their roost. When it’s out in -20C the surface doesn’t get very hot, you can hold your hand on it. They have to be within a few inches to really feel any warmth.
Mine is the cozy legs which is only 150 watts.

 

[SarahLadd]

Yo, I'm back with a nighttime thermal photo. This shows how hot they make the wooden roosting bar they sit on. Interesting seeing the difference between the chickens with the combs and wattles, and the fluffy insulating face on the ameraucana! (excuse the husband's spelling of the bird. He did not know. )

 

[Crow-ded house]

In NE Oklahoma, our weather has been couple days in the ‘50s, next couple near 0 degrees. I do not use any heat on the extreme cold but we put plywood, plastic tarp, and extra hay in their runs and coops. No frostbite and everyone is doing great. But they do get cranberries and blueberries that I heat boil til warm as a warm me up treat. Lol in summer they get those same treats only frozen and with some frozen melon. Cranberries and blueberries are a hit no matter the season

 

[Crow-ded house]

"Winter Storm Warnings are in place for all of central and southern
Minnesota into west central Wisconsin, with the exception of
Martin County Minnesota which remains in a Winter Weather
Advisory.
Snowfall amounts in the warning area can be expected to range
from 6 to 12 inches. Snowfall amounts in the advisory area can be
expected to range from 3 to 6 inches.
Dangerous wind chills as low as 60 below zero are expected
Tuesday morning through Thursday morning in western and central
Minnesota. Wind chills as low as 50 below zero are expected
Tuesday afternoon through Thursday morning in east central MN and
west central Minnesota."

Incredible. I feel like I am making the right choice.

-60 degrees? MINUS 60??? Holy popsickles Batman!! My birds would all be in bedroom at that point. Please you guys be careful. That is weather conditions not to be taken lightly. Hope it does not stick around.