Should I be worried?

[Gvnam]

I have round roost bars in the coop for my hens. I heat the coop with a 250 watt bulb. Should I be worried about frostbite this winter? The light is positioned directly behind the roosting bars. It keeps the coop at about 70' in the coop in 30' weather. It will get down to around 0 this winter. I know from reading on here that I should have used something flat surfaced.

 

[DangerChickenHouse]

Where do you live?

 

[Gvnam]

Pennsylvania

 

[teach1rusl]

Two suggestions for you: Opt for flat roost boards, maybe a 2x4 laid flat or a 2x3. And unless your birds are small chicks that need that much heat, opt for a smaller wattage bulb. Pet stores sell 75 and 50W bulbs rather than the 250. This lowers your power bill, is safer, and will add a little warmth for your birds without making it such a temperature shock when they go outside in the mornings on cold, winter days. Just my 2 cents

 

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

Depending on the type of chickens you have, you don't necessarily need to heat your coop during the winter. Many people don't. I don't and my hens have done just fine - I'm from south central PA, too BTW

The most important things are proper ventilation to prevent moisture build-up, and a draft-free coop. Here is a thread I think you will find interesting. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=421122

I love RIRs, BTW.. and they are winter hardy.

 

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

Here is another interesting thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=592009

 

[darkmatter]

No heat, rounded roosts and has been fine for twenty years:

 

[sourland]

Draft free and dry - no heat is needed. One big problem with heating the coop - what happens when you lose power and your birds are not acclimated to the cold?

 

[donrae]

Quote:
x2. You'll lose birds if that happens.

I know a lot of folks here swear you need a larger, flat roost, but I've not seen it. I had some birds that insisted on roosting in the trees, of course the branches are small diameter (young tree). I could go out with the flashlight and shine it right under them and never could see a toe peeking out, those feathers fluffed right down over their feet and kept them warm. Chickens are find at least down to zero without heat as long as they're dry and not windy. Chickens survived long before we had heated coops.

 

[CathyB]

I am in Pennsylvania as well and I do not heat my coop at all. In fact I did put a small heat lamp in there as suggested for the bitterest of nights. I think it makes me feel better than the chickens. Why do I say this...........when I turn it on, when I go out to check on them in the night before bed, they are all crowed on the OPPOSITE side of the roost from where the heat lamp is!