Safe to use oil filled radiator? Also ?'s on dehumidifier

[Danny188]

Im thing about using an oil filled radiator in the chicken coop this winter its my first winter with chickens and I want them to lay throughout the winter without eggs freezing and if i dont need a water heater that would be good too. So is a oil filled radiator safer than a heat lamp? And im thinking about using a dehumidifier to get moisture out of the coop becuse it doesn't have very good ventilation.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hmmmm. We have one of those we use as a space heater. It's regulated by a thermostat. I might be wrong, but I think that when it's running it gets pretty warm, even hot to the touch. So I'd worry about it being a fire hazard depending on what you have in the bottom of your coop or hen house. Truthfully, you're better off arranging for ventilation so the coop stays dry. Their feathers keep them warm. Moisture will lead to frostbite on their combs and wattles. How cold does it get?

 

[ValerieJ]

Keeping them warm is not what keeps them laying eggs. Light does that. I recommend getting a heating plate for warmth. Last year I had one of the heat lamp bulbs break and glass was everywhere. Luckily no one was hurt, but they could have been. I'm surprised a chicken didn't start eating the shiny red glass. Probably didn't because it happened at night and I caught it and cleaned it up in the morning. I'm also very thankful that it didn't start a fire. Yikes. As for freezing eggs, collect them first thing in the morning and a couple times a day if possible.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Hmmmm. We have one of those we use as a space heater. It's regulated by a thermostat. I might be wrong, but I think that when it's running it gets pretty warm, even hot to the touch. So I'd worry about it being a fire hazard depending on what you have in the bottom of your coop or hen house. Truthfully, you're better off arranging for ventilation so the coop stays dry. Their feathers keep them warm. Moisture will lead to frostbite on their combs and wattles. How cold does it get?

I agree. It is better to correct the ventilation issue.

With a dry coop and good ventilation mine go through negative temps just fine. No frostbite or other issues.

I have lost count of the number of years I have kept birds.

Suffice it to say it has been many many many years keeping them through very cold winters.

 

[aart]

Oh so that just heats the water. I saw a small space heater at the hardware store I think I might use that with one of those thermo cubes, thanks for the suggestion tho.

There are several ways to heat the chicken waterer, a space heater is not good choice.
There was a fairly thorough discussion about your waterer here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/recommended-water-cups.1326186/

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Can you post pictures of your coop? Someone here might have some helpful suggestions. Lots of folks on the forum live in very cold, wet climates.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Wow, it must get really cold if the eggs might freeze before you can gather them every day! Brrr!
As for keeping the water from freezing, do you have electricity out there? We got a heated bucket that works real slick. Got it from the local feed store.

 

[drmolarmagic]

I have dealt with this for the past 2 winters, the metal water pail with the heater is great, I have the sealed oil filled radiator and made a cage for it from chicken wire that keeps all creatures about 8 inches from it and the whole aviary is on a thermostat switch. In fact I just built a second room onto aviary and added second heater unit for my new Silkies.
Parakeets' cage has an electric perch that keeps warm and all nesting boxes have the electric mats under them. The whole kit and caboodle runs off one power strip from extension cord to my garage about 10 feet away, no open wires or plugs can be accessed by birds.
Last thing I added was a comfortable chair so I can hide in there with my birds and read during those cold winter mornings.....(need to teach birds to make coffee)

 

[Danny188]

Im thinking im going to have to explane the ventilation problem to my dad and then im going to have to make the nest boxes winter proof so eggs dont freeze. thanks!

 

[wamtazlady]

Some people use seed mats in the nesting boxes to keep eggs from freezing. They are just warm, not hot.