Question About Heat Lamp

[The Great Eel Man]

Your temperatures sound similar to here. Your chickens will be fine generally, though there can be some slight frostbite on hens combs and roosters can get it a bit worse. They do fine though.

On those really cold days give them some warm water, warm oatmeal possibly, throw out some scratch to get your chickens moving.

Make sure they are out of drafts, and they have something like hay to stand on. A south facing window is always welcome for some warming sunlight. Make sure your roosts are wide, a 2x4 with the 4 up so their toes are well covered. I have had chickens lose toes to frostbite.

Heating sounds nice, but a heat lamp with adult chickens is dangerous. The risk of the bulb breaking is high. You could look into heat plates, they are supposed to be safer if you feel the need to provide extra heat.

I am going to try and properly mount the heat lamp and like sourland said, I am going to probably put a smaller bulb in the lamp instead of the 120 watt one I have right now.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I have to agree with the others how old are your chicks? Glad you decided to join Backyard Chickens and as you can tell we have members from all over I live in Mossyrock, Washington State... birds are prehistoric creatures they can survive in most any temps if you worried and they are very young no feathers yet take hardware cloth or chickens wire bend it in a U shape lay a heating pad over that the birds can get under it if they need heat or stay out from under it if they don't

 

[Akrnaf2]

Just remember that they have a bilt in down comforter on them!
They just need some extra high calorie food to pass the low temperature.
The most important is that they will be Hidden from the weends, that can, with the low temp,cause frost bits on their combs and wattles.

 

[The Great Eel Man]

I have to agree with the others how old are your chicks? Glad you decided to join Backyard Chickens and as you can tell we have members from all over I live in Mossyrock, Washington State... birds are prehistoric creatures they can survive in most any temps if you worried and they are very young no feathers yet take hardware cloth or chickens wire bend it in a U shape lay a heating pad over that the birds can get under it if they need heat or stay out from under it if they don't

I have 9 in total (all feathered, don't worry) my newest chicks (and rooster) are about 4 months old and my others are about 1 and a half years old

 

[pennyJo1960]

if they roost together they need no heat at all they will be fine, chicken are like potato chips you cannot have just one it is called chicken math

 

[The Great Eel Man]

if they roost together they need no heat at all they will be fine, chicken are like potato chips you cannot have just one it is called chicken math

Well, what I what I will do is have it properly mounted and only turn the lamp on when it gets to about -30c or so

 

[pennyJo1960]

it would be much safer to use heating pad there have been so many coops burnt down with heat lamps just make the hoop of wire larger then they have a choice to go under it hardware cloth is stronger in case they try to roost on it

 

[The Great Eel Man]

it would be much safer to use heating pad there have been so many coops burnt down with heat lamps just make the hoop of wire larger then they have a choice to go under it hardware cloth is stronger in case they try to roost on it

Can I get a design of some sort to this, Like do I make a dome over the heat pad or what exactly?

 

[pennyJo1960]

exactly a dome I tried to find mine but was told it had been taken to the barn the dome can be for little peeps or anything your worried about but lets the birds have the choice

 

[The Great Eel Man]

exactly a dome I tried to find mine but was told it had been taken to the barn the dome can be for little peeps or anything your worried about but lets the birds have the choice

K, I will try this method