Should I heat my coop?

[Azriel]

Think about how your chickens would fare if they are used to 55 and then in the middle of winter the power gos out and its -20. If they are used to it being cold, and have gotten nice thick warm feathers to deal with the cold they will be fine, if they are used to 55 and have thin feathers to deal with 55 you will have frozen chickens. Middle of Montana no heat and happy chickens here.

 

[lauriemae15]

We are also going into our first winter with chickens and we have been back and forth about adding heat or not. My husband is a professional geek so he hooked up a heat lamp to a thermostat in the hen house that turns on when it gets below 25 degrees inside and turns off again above 25. We are in South Dakota so it definitely gets very cold here and we just hate the thought of them being too cold!

 

[Rooster Rules]

Think about how your chickens would fare if they are used to 55 and then in the middle of winter the power gos out and its -20. If they are used to it being cold, and have gotten nice thick warm feathers to deal with the cold they will be fine, if they are used to 55 and have thin feathers to deal with 55 you will have frozen chickens. Middle of Montana no heat and happy chickens here.

I think 55f is not needed, but heating to keep water thawed or to keep the edge off would be prudent in certain situations, like me, only 5 bantams in a 50 sq ft coop. I hear so much about power failures, is this a common occurrence in the USA, what do you do for your homes, pipes must be bursting.I am more concerned about fire than power outages, I would rather not have heat, but will do it this year for these tiny bantams, it gets to -40 here just about every winter

 

[CluckyCharms]

I agree to both ways. It just depends on each persons situation. With chicks, I think you will need the heat for them just like you would if raising them in a brooder until they are old enough.

My coop is a 8 X 12 shed 9 ft. high.I have 9 in my flock + 1 resuce without most of her feathers. I do heat with a 250 watt bulb in the 20 degrees and below. my coop never gets below freezing. It comes on at about 6AM and goes off about 6AM. If it is subzero out and the coop gets cold during the day, i have the lights on a timer, so I can periodically turn it on and off. I usually use the red heat bulb in the night and the white bulb during the day if needed. I have not noticed the red light making any behavioral or egg laying changes as well. My coop does not get above 55 in the winter. I know, I know they dont need it, but they are fine (going on 3) but it makes me sleep better at night knowing they are cozy. They have free choice to go out from sun up to sun down. Sometimes they do, sometimes they dont. I have one with some missing feathers, and she stays in when its cold, and goes out when the sun shines or warms up.

My rescue with 80% feather loss has the heat lamp available to her as well right now until she feathers out. This is the lamp that sheds it extra heat to the coop.

Spoiled spoiled I know.... They are all healthy as well, I have not had any heat related issues from them.

I do think if I had another 5 or 6 girls in there I probably wouldn't need the heat. They would produce enough themselves. Oh oh OHHH!!!! I see a need for more girls!!!!

 

[stevetone]

...I do think if I had another 5 or 6 girls in there I probably wouldn't need the heat. They would produce enough themselves....

You probably said this somewhat in jest, but it is something that we are seriously considering this winter. We have a fairly empty second coop at the moment (only 6 in it now, sized for 24), and are considering buying some "filler" hens to help heat it up.

We would just need to "dispatch" them in the spring when we need the space back.

We are still talking....

 

[fishnet1971]

actually, i do agree with that. The more girls the more heat they will produce to keep each other warm. As long as it would not be overcrowded. I think that would be my issue. not enough room for everyone to stay out of each others hair. I wouldnt be able to 'dispatch' of them though.

Have you seen the 'third hen' heater approach? that would work as your 'filler hens' too.

 

[stevetone]

We've considered the "Third Hen," but I am a little nervous about concentrating heat within a closed pot, particularly that close to the bedding.

I like the idea--I'm probably just being too cautious...

 

[fishnet1971]

The safe thing about that is you are using a low watt bulb and the heat is absorbed into the clay pot. It really does work well. I use shavings and was leary as well until I did it. It never gets hot enough to start a fire. The clay absorbs the heat that is produced and stays warm. This lets the girls get next to it and 'cuddle'. it does take awhile for the clay pot to heat up because it is low wattage, but after it does, it will keep a constant temp (only like room temp, but warmer that the cold winter)

You can never be too cautious!


http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/3/3-1/cheap_tricks_for_winters_challenges.html

 

[stevetone]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Perhaps I will put one together and try it.

 

[fishnet1971]

I think I can make one for under $10. Have a lightbuld and a fixture from my old heatlamp; have clay pots from this summer with the drip tray, and have duct tape. Need the $10 for lunch while I am making it up as I can bribe DH to let me try it in the coop.