Outdoor fire to help with heat in coldest temps?

[The Chicken People]

I have heard of people trying to save their orchards by burning fires on the coldest nights to heat them...Would this help with my chickens?

 

[ColoradoMike]

I would think you would run the risk of burning down the coop - sounds pretty dangerous to me...

 

[The Chicken People]

It would be contained in a burn barrel...was just a thought since I have an unlimited supply of wood! I think we are just going to move the coop to the south side of the house and surround it with the big round bales of hay and use a 60 watt light bulb for a few hours each morning! This is my first winter with chickens and I still have to figure out what to do with my Rooster since he is currently caged seperately!

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

We have a burn pile inside the horse field and one about 20 -30 feet behind the chicken coops. My coops are framed up like little houses with tin roofs, tin around the bottom and the rest is wire. They have never acted cold during the winters so I never usually worry about them or light a fire in that burn pile to help warm them. We do occasionally burn bon fires by the chicken coops though and it has never presented any issues. I do burn bon fires in my horse field on a regular basis. I guess I love my horses more LOL I make sure they are staying warm and the horses LOVE to stand by the fires.

 

[patandchickens]

Don't do it, it's basically pointless and (obviously) a fire/burn/smoke hazard.

It can be useful for orchards b/c only a few degrees can be crucial to avoid a frost killing all the blossoms. A few degrees is not going to make any difference to chickens.

Also your chickens will be *in the coop* on the coldest nights, yes? so they will not benefit from it anyhow.

Plus which, chickens are really pretty cold tolerant, certainly for Missouri temperatures; also, there are a whole big lotta other, much more effective, much safer, things you can do if you are concerned about their coldness.

A lot of these Big New Ideas that people get, ones that do not hinge on some new piece of just-invented technology, you have to remember there is more often than not a REASON why experienced folks do not in general do that...

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[The Chicken People]

Okay so maybe it wasnt my brightest idea! But nothing warms me like a nice fire! Cant wait to bring in more wood and start heating the house for free!

 

[CARS]

When I burn my trash and the wind carries the smoke to the barn my chickens get all upset. Kinda like smoke going in your house, not cool.

 

[Chicken Woman]

Quote:
Chicken or the egg ? Well it was the chicken that came to my house first. LOL Just saying !

 

[Chicken Woman]

I have a coop that is insulted with one inch foam board. It is not unusual to get down to 20 below in Montana. I don't suppliment heat except a heat element under the water to keep it from freezing.

The only problem I have had is a little frost bite which i now use vasaline in combs and wattles a few times a week and all is well. I also use a 2 by 4 for a perch so they can spread out there feet and sit on them to keep feet from freezing.