Red light in coup

[Mcqueary77]

I have installed a red light in the coup 2 years ago to keep the chickens warm for the winter and they slept with it without any problems. This year i have new chickens in the coup that have been with the flock for three months now. When i turn on the red light bulb, the chickens i brought this year will peck at each other and the two of the older hens will act as if its daylight outside and move around the coup. What do i do? I thought the red light made for chickens wouldnt affect their behaviour?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Depending on where you live you likely do not need to heat the coop.

What part of the country do you live in?
Here in Colorado we regularly see temps well below zero. I do not heat my coops.

Can you tell us more about your coop?
How big is it? I ask that since I recall a case where someone with a small coop had a heat lamp in with the birds and they ended up with burns.
Sleeping chickens are quite catatonic and won't move away from a hot bulb even if they have room to.

The red lamps are a big fire risk. Often times they are not hung securely enough. Even if hung very securely the bulbs are prone to exploding when a drop of water hits them.

In a coop with adequate ventilation heating is ineffective as the heat leaves through the venting.

If you choose to heat your coop please look for safer options. There are several out there that also do not produce light.

 

[Mcqueary77]

Depending on where you live you likely do not need to heat the coop.

What part of the country do you live in?
Here in Colorado we regularly see temps well below zero. I do not heat my coops.

Can you tell us more about your coop?
How big is it? I ask that since I recall a case where someone with a small coop had a heat lamp in with the birds and they ended up with burns.
Sleeping chickens are quite catatonic and won't move away from a hot bulb even if they have room to.

The red lamps are a big fire risk. Often times they are not hung securely enough. Even if hung very securely the bulbs are prone to exploding when a drop of water hits them.

In a coop with adequate ventilation heating is ineffective as the heat leaves through the venting.

If you choose to heat your coop please look for safer options. There are several out there that also do not produce light.

Thank you for responding. I live in Ky and i turn it on only if its giving freezing temps outside (which has been for the past three nights with cold wind chills). My husband secured it very tightly to point in the middle of the coup. My red chickens are on one side of the coup, and the white ones on the other side of the coup. The coup size is about 10 X 6. What alternatives do you recommend? I am open to any suggestions. I want my girls to be comfortable.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Honest to goodness we get down to negative 16° in the deep cold of winter. Yes negative 16°.

I don't heat my coops so trying to advise on a good way to do it is tough.

Maybe a sweeter heater?

https://www.amazon.com/SWEETER-HEAT...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584207577488977&psc=1

Or possibly a sealed oil heater?

https://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Zone...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583657835193921&psc=1

That sealed oil heater would need a cage around it and perhaps set on cinder blocks so it isn't touching bedding and chickens cannot touch it.

There are also flat panel heaters for coops but reviews are very mixed.

 

[aart]

What do i do?

Turn the light off....and leave it off.
They have feathers to keep them warm.

 

[AGeese]

I did this for a short time brooding as they needed some heat, but they did not like it left on too long, and started pecking at the bulb cover or flying up against it.

Keeping the light on will make your pullets mature slower and your cockerells mature quicker. They need rest, so alternate heat source is best over night if needed.

I would swap it out with a ceramic heat emitter bulb you can leave on over night as it does not produce light.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I am open to any suggestions. I want my girls to be comfortable.

Turn the light off....and leave it off.
They have feathers to keep them warm.

This.

I've seen chickens sleep in trees in -10 F temperatures. In trees 40 degrees colder than yours are seeing. That's where they chose to sleep when they had other options.