Opinions please but be nice :-)

[Clousic Chicks]

We have had an unusual and EXTREMELY mild winter. All that is changing today. Single digits at night and teens during the day. My 8 month old hens are simply not adapted at all for the oncoming cold. I have two that have no feathers on their haunches. We have a very well protected light source in their coop. It is above their roosting bars. I'm thinking about adding an infrared reptile light...maybe 50 or 75 watts for the next two weeks (that is our projected cold snap). Has anyone used the smaller watt bulbs? I really don't want to add a 250 watt infrared as I think it would be too extreme the other way! I welcome your comments! Go!

 

[red horse ranch]

I use the smaller reptile bulbs all the time. Right now I have a 50 watt heat bulb over my 9 and 11 year old chickens and a 75 watt red heat bulb over the water in my henhouse. Great way to save electricity and they aren't near as dangerous as the 250 watt bulbs.

 

[azygous]

I completely agree that your chickens, not being acclimatized to seriously cold temps, could stand a little heat in their coop to get them through the coming sub-freezing weather.

My concern is the size of your coop and heating it adequately. I urge you to test it before the cold front hits to see how much the reptile bulb can elevate the coop temp. I use heat in my coops when the temp is expected to be in the teens or colder, and I set the heaters to keep the coops just barely above freezing to guard against frostbite.

I have an oil filled electric heater in the larger coop and a small flat heater in the smaller coop that work very well when the temps get hideously cold at night.

 

[Clousic Chicks]

Thanks! Our coop is small...4' X 5' not including nesting boxes. It's also insulated and we have electricity running to it. My avatar is our coop. I only have four hens but they are prolific and like I said not at all ready for what's coming. We normally get sub zero temps in Spokane...our coldest night has been 19 this winter... crazy warm winter. Their water is heated in the coop and I'm sure it emits some heat. I have a gauge in the coop so I can keep track of the temp from inside my home. I'm thinking I'll go with the 75 watt and put it on a timer.

 

[azygous]

Sounds like a good plan. I would caution you against keeping water in the coop, though. The heat, no matter how minimal, will cause evaporation of the water, releasing undesirable water vapor, increasing the amount in the coop already present from the hens' respiration. I would remove the water at night until the temps move back up above freezing or you run the risk, even small, of the water vapor settling on exposed tissue and freezing.

 

[NanaK]

We use a 75 watt bulb in our water well pump house during winter to keep it from freezing. A thermostat controls it. But when temps drop below 10-12 degrees we have had to add a second bulb. A lot seems to have to do with number of hours below 32* and how many days of this. So how much it helps is dependent on cumulative cold hours more so than a single days low. It doesn't happen here often. Just thought I'd mention it. So like azygous said, I would test it out to see how many degrees it will raise the temp, just remember could be less on extended super cold nights.

 

[Mrs. K]

I will be the nay voice, I would not add heat to that small of a coop. There is a very strong tendency when one adds heat, to block the ventilation. What one blocks is the removal of moisture. Warm air holds more moisture than cold air. In a small coop, you are just going to have wet chickens. Wet chickens are cold chickens. So in trying to be nice, you are making things worse.

8 month old chickens, even if they are missing a few feathers should be able to take a pretty wild temperature swing. In SD, our winter temperatures often swing 70 degrees or more. Last week we were 0, yesterday 56, this morning the high looks like about 23.

I agree, take the water out. Then put a lot of dry bedding under the roost, and keep the ventilation open, the fresh air, the drier air, even though cold, is much better that stagnant moist air a few degrees warmer.

When I first had chickens, I thought like you, warm or cold, but what I have found is healthy chickens need you to think, dry or wet. If chickens are dry, they can keep themselves warm.

Mrs K

 

[Melky]

I add heat in the way of a K and H heating pad that is black because it is fireproof. I velcroed it to the back wall of coop with industrial Velcro. Worked great! My heat is on with heated water base or waterer when temps are below freezing. This prevents frostbite. So does Vaseline on combs/wattles. It also helps to winterize coop. I close windows put plastic over them. Put curtains on inside of windows to protect against drafts. I tarped coop/run to block wind and freezing windchill. Also keeps snow/ice out. You can use clear plastic too. I also keep straw in coop/run during winter as warmer. Keep top dressing of straw so feet are protected from frozen ground in run. I kept top vents in coop open for ventilation but made sure no drafts. Keep water from freezing. My girls did great!

 

[Clousic Chicks]

Thanks all for your comments. I have had water in my coop for 6 years. No issues. I especially needed it when I had ducks as they destroy all things clean. The coop, although insulated is VERY well ventilated while free from drafts. We have a fount sitting on a metal tin that has a 25 watt light bulb in the tin. It keeps it just warm enough to prevent freezing and is only on when it is--I have timers in my outside cubby. I was going for no added heat this year, but with the unexpected and very late subfreezing temps that will be around for a couple of weeks I am rethinking my plan. I also use the deep litter method that's worked well for me for the past 6 years

Again, I appreciate ALL of your comments!