So what do you do when the power goes out?

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
My goats stay out on frosty cold nights instead of going into the barn. They seem to love the cold especially at night.

 

[patandchickens]

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I'm not sure why you should assume that. For one thing, the people on this forum who are arguing against routinely heating the coop are NOT arguing against keeping water ice-free. Indeed the majority of them use heated waterer bases themselves

And who's saying we should go back in time? Nobody's suggesting that at all. We can pick and choose what seems to be desirable. Electrically heated waterer bases or waterers have no serious downsides (I suppose theoretically a minor, minor fire hazard, just in the sense of 'having electricity in the coop at all) and have several major advantages, both to chickens and to chicken keepers. Whereas this is not necessarily true (for typical peoples' situations) for heating the coop or routinely using a heat lamp (some major downsides and generally not so much in the way of demonstrable benefits).

It seems to me that the relevance of history is simply to demonstrate that it is perfectly possible to keep chickens in colder climates without pumpin' lotsa BTUs into the coop all the time. This is in addition to the observation that lots of people (like, read various other threads on this forum) do it nowadays, too

Just sayin',

Pat

 

[jubylives]

Well no one used heated waterers 100 years ago would be why i would assume it. So if they didn't use heat lamps back then then they wouldn't have used heated waterers and thus would it not by kinda hypocritical to say not to heat it as it was able to be used 100 years ago or more. Or less for that matter.

I have nothing against heating a coop or using heated waterers but for someone (no one in peticular) to say "Do not heat the coop as they will be fine as they were 100 years ago" but use heated waterers, would that not be a hypocritical statement?


I know I know, I'm a pain but when discussing a subject I kinda like to discuss all areas. It drives my wife and the city council crazy.

jeremy

 

[patandchickens]

One last try.

Quote:
No.

THis has NOTHING to do with historical re-creation.

People are mentioning history only as proof of chickens' cold tolerance.

Unless you pick a really inappropriate breed or manage them poorly, chickens used to (and still do) survive cold areas just fine in unheated coops.

A frostfree waterer, though not essential, is a big convenience with no real down sides -- whereas heating the coop DOES have some real down sides. Thus you find lots of people arguing against heating, whereas everyone is in favor of frostfree waterers.

Ok?

It is worth listening to all the people who have kept chickens for many years in really cold climates, many of them without heat (some of them, usually only by necessity, with nothing to keep water from freezing either). This is not an abstract theory issue, it is something with centuries of Actual Documentation And Successful Experience behind it, you know?


Pat, not actually all that experienced at chickenkeeping, but bright enough to take notice of what actually works for those who *are*

 

[mudman]

Just adding fuel to the fire:

The methods used in keeping animals hundreds of years ago are much different than what we do now. Perhaps the most relevant thing to mention is coop design. I designed my coop based on what others have built and what I wanted in my back yard, I did not have the luxury of years of experience, trial and error, etc to help in the design. I'm quite sure that our coops today are much different than what was used years ago. Actually, my parents used to keep chickens in a structure built last century that would be laughed at by today's coop 'pros'.

One other point: Years ago anyone that kept animals for livelihood kept enough of each to account for winter attrition. I don't want to loose any of my friends.

 

[jubylives]

No fire here. I guess I'm not getting my point across very well. Heating a coop is also a convience (for me and only for waterers) but if I was to not heat for an off chance of losing power then that would not suit me. I guess I'm not that paranoid and paranoia does not sit with me well. I'm dropping this.


Jeremy

 

[cmom]

Do any one who don't heat their coops have electricity going to them? Lights?

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

I'll go ahead and jump in to help straighten out or confuse the situation as best I can.

First of all we have power to 2 out of our 5 coops.
the power is used in the layers coop (misc full size breeds) on a timer for adding supplemental light to aid the girls laying schedule, and to help us see when we go looking for eggs. its light is aimed at the water to keep it from freezing. 5 birds from this coop (including a naked neck) are currently roosting outside of their own choice.
the second wired coop (silkies, banties, quail, and full size breeds)has heat traced water pipes and lights (also has remote temperature sensors but that's another story). these water pipes have a cord run along them that is connected to a thermostat that kicks them on at 35 degrees. these pipes are wrapped with insulation and pvc pipe cover to keep the girls from pecking the insulation it also keeps the heat at the pipes. basically both coops are wired for my wife's convenience so she isn't hauling jugs of water back and forth at all hours and can see where she's going in the dark (arnt I good to her).
our 3 coops without power (mallards, misc breeds of ducks, and turkeys) have no supplemental heat or lights added just deep litter on the ground and water buckets that have to be filled several times a day and ice chipped out (not so nice to her anymore am I).

Last night our power was out for over 2 hours, but our flocks are climatized to the temperatures so it wasn't a problem. Its currently 1 degree fahrenheit outside but inside our insulated (yet ventilated) coop its 25. Mind you thats the breeders coop they are spread out and segregated yet still manage to raise the coop temp by 24 degrees just by their body heat.

So do coops need electricity? in my opinion only for the humans convenience of checking for eggs and chipping less ice buckets

 

[2manyhats]

I have never heated the coop. The biggest problem I face in the winter is shoveling the snow from the door to the coop and carrying out water more frequently. It gets really cold here, but the chickens are really fluffy as they prepare for the winter. I have taken the great advice about 2x4 roosts and making the coop draft free. I am keeping the birds in larger groups for the winter as well. We will spread them out in the spring for breeding and cleaner living.

 

[purr]

just like to add that 100 years ago here in New England,many coop where actually attached to the farm house so that the chickens would actually help to heat a wall in the house. Historic animal husbandry is really interesting don't ya think.