Question about heat lamps

[greenSearcher]

Quote:
I would order that heat lamp if I used heat lamps, our deep winter lows are in the teens, but the coop is small to retain their body heat while sleeping and the attached run has plastic along one side to provide a wind break. Last winter was a really "cold" one, for our area, and the ground never froze and the figs came back bigger and better this year.

Remember the Premier heat lamp has a ceramic holder for the light bulb, and the Maximum bulb is 250W, and a small wattage is perfectly acceptable. What is good about the lamp is it can be repaired, every part is replaceable. If it is used with a Thermo cube, the cube will wait until the temp drops to 35 degrees before giving electricity to the heat lamp, and turn it off when it is 45 degrees. Since the cube is outside the coop, it will nice and warm inside, but turn the lamp off once it isn't bitter cold. Saves energy and avoids overheating.

I like Premier 1 and will order more from them, poultry fencing and catch net should be ordered next.

 

[greenmulberry]

The coldest temp we have ever had with chickens was -29. That was a very rare cold snap for us, usually -20 is as cold as it gets. I do not add heat! The hens all line up on the roost together and hunker down, but if you go out and wiggle your fingers in their feathers, they are very warm at the skin.

The very first winter I had chickens was the only time I used a heat lamp, and interestingly, that was the winter they looked the poorest, pale grey combs and just didn't look good.

I do run a heated base for the waterer, because in those temps, water doesn't stay liquid very long.

 

[Judy]

Quote:

If you ever have need to use a heat lamp, as in a brooder, the ceramic is necessary, and the other necessity is double hanging -- so if something fails or is somehow compromised by a chicken or other animal, there is a backup hanger.