Safest Coop Heater?

[OllieBollie]

What breeds of chickens?
How cold?

Most breeds of chickens do quite well in unheated coops.

If you do not use a heater at all, they will gradually get used to the cold, grow an appropriate set of feathers, and will usually be fine. If you use a heater for a while and then stop, they will not be used to the cold, and will have problems. (Power outage or broken heater is usually worse for the chickens than if they never had a heater in the first place.)

I am assuming that you have a coop that keeps out heavy winds, and that you have plans to provide liquid water rather than letting it freeze into ice--both of those are more important than whether the coop is heated. When the air is still, a chicken's feathers keep them warm really well. But a wind will ruffle the feathers and steal the warm air and leave the chicken cold.

We do have very good insulation with no drafts. We have a gravity fed waterer with heater for the cold months.

 

[black_cat]

https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Chicken-Supplies/Cozy-Coop-Heater-p2406.aspx
If I was forced to heat my coop, I would use that. But I would avoid heat when necessary.

 

[RainbowHen]

I have used heated mats in the past with no issue. Usually in the nesting box for the eggs though. Wisconsin here. Our coop is not insulated. Plenty of ventilation and draft free will be your best bet. I do not have experience with Silkies or bantam breeds, however.

 

[OllieBollie]

Thank you everyone. We’ve decided to only use the cozy coop heater if the temps get below -10. Otherwise they should be just fine.
I check on them several times a day anyway, so I can see how they’re handling the cold.

 

[aart]

What did everyone do with their chickens during the polar vortex?

I give them SavaChick electrolyte/vitamin solution, soaked into rolled oats to avoid wattle wettage, every 3-4 days.
But I have large(6-8sqft per bird) well ventilated coop.

 

[RainbowHen]

@aart how do you like the sweeter heater? I like to keep something on hand in case of emergency temps. -60 with a non insulated coop and young birds one year had me scrambling.

 

[RoosterML]

Good old heat lamp. When I say I have tried many.... I have... I believe most times it’s not the lamps fault for causing the fire it’s the dummy who didn’t do a good job securing it. You don’t need to heat the coop a spot to go warm up is better.

 

[WindingRoad]

I’ve done a lot of reading on how dangerous traditional heat lamps are in chicken coops and found several safer alternatives. The #1 pick from my searches have been the heat pad that can be attached to the wall, but it doesn’t heat the whole coop. Some of them can get pretty pricey at $150, and they all seem to have their issues.
What do you all use to heat your coops? We do live in Minnesota and the winters are cold.
We’re insulating their coop but I would feel much better having a heater out there to ensure they stay warm when the temps drop.
Any advice and tips would be greatly appreciated.

Safest Coop heater? NONE.

 

[aart]

@aart how do you like the sweeter heater? I like to keep something on hand in case of emergency temps. -60 with a non insulated coop and young birds one year had me scrambling.

I don't have one, I don't use heat.
But they are the safest from what I've read and seen here over the years.

 

[NatJ]

Thank you everyone. We’ve decided to only use the cozy coop heater if the temps get below -10. Otherwise they should be just fine.

I suggest you put a thermometer in the coop, and base your decisions on the inside temperature reading. (Because inside temperatures and outside temperatures do not always go up and down together.)

I also suggest that if you add heat, only warm it to "above freezing," not actually warm. (So 32 degrees up to maybe 40 degrees, not warmer than that if outdoors is still cold. And yes, I do mean the WARM spot being that temperature, not the whole coop.) You do not want the chickens to get too hot, decide it's spring, and start losing some of their extra feathers!