Somebody stop me, I am losing my reserve, Im gonna cave....

[LauraG]

OK, its been cold & snowy here in Upstate, NY

I was going to NOT supplement heat in the coop, but Im losing my reserve......I bought a 150 watt flat panel radiant heater online yesterday.......

I really want to be tough and harden them up for winter, but my Auracana just stands around all puffed up by my front door. My boyfriend picked her up yesterday, and looked at me and said "Shes shivering".....
Now HE doesnt have a soft heart, he could care less about heat in the coop, but

Its not too late, I havent received it yet, but my soft heart is aching as I sit in front of my warm & toasty woodstove....

I dont know what to do, I dont know what to do,

I dont want them suffering but am I overreacting??

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

It was 8 F here this morning and I have all bantams .None of them had heat (except my cornish) and they are all fine this morning.

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

Mine are locked in the coop (they do not want to come out) Only one coop is insulated. If they seem cold you might lock them up, if you can,

 

[Hottchick]

I feel you. It's not as cold here in NC as it is in NY but it's colder than usual here. The low the next couple of nights is supposed to be 18. I feel bad for my chickens even though it may not "hurt" them, I know they've got to be cold!

 

[dawny2u2]

I am not an expert, so I am sharing my opinion. I live in Montana, and cold is subzero. When it gets below 20 I put a heat lamp (actually two) on in the coop at night. I don't want the chickens to get frostbite, winter is hard enough on them (not going outside - "cooped up", they hate the snow, they will go out if I shovel and there is sunshine, but not for very long) so because I want healthy, happy, productive chickens - I supplement heat. I don't know if the heat lamps are considered "light" but I am getting lots of eggs right now! I think there is many factors as well, how big the coop, how many chickens, etc. They all affect the temperature inside the coop. I have found the two heatlamps in their roost (I have 25 chickens) sufficent, and I do have another white bulb heat lamp I put on in the day, in the feeding area, and turn off the red ones. Works for me, chickens seem happy, and we have had alot of zero weather already. Oh yes, winter is a challenge!

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

My girls are giveing lots of eggs also, but I do have lights in there since they are locked up

 

[libertychicken]

I'm with you on the "freaking out!" part - I had put a 60-watt ceramic heater bulb in their coop already (husband's electrician friend hard wired a wall fixture for us), but last night it was predicted to get down to 11* so yesterday I ordered a 100 watt bulb - Shop the Coop must be doing a brisk (pun) business with winter coming

But since that won't be here for a few days I bought a 100 watt light bulb - it's in there during day hours, and at night we'll switch to the ceramic heater.

This is our first winter with my girls - they just started giving eggs two weeks ago, and even my hard husband came in from feeding them this morning and said "They're giving us food, we have to take care of them!"

So yes, we're supplementing with very safe heat - and I'll be rubbing vaseline into their wattles today!

 

[oldchickenlady]

This is a little off topic but...how cold does it have to be before you put vaseline on their combs/wattles. My coop is 8x8, uninsulated, with plenty of ventilation. My roo has a huge comb and wattles and he is the main one I am worried about.

 

[NellaBean]

Quote:
In theory, they should be fine. In reality, if a bird is shivering it needs more than is currently being provided. Whether you want to heat your entire coop, or just give that bird a heated area to hang out in.....maybe she is molting, maybe she isn't feeling great, maybe she is just delicate.

I don't heat my coops at all. My birds all seem fine...I did notice a frizzle shivering a bit the other day, but forgot all about it and haven't noticed it doing it since then. I do have some younger birds in a brooder in the garage under a heat lamp as one of them is "stunted" and although she is full feathered and about 4 months old, she needs the heat lamp. The others are her buddies and do just fine inside with her. They don't need the heat lamp but enjoy it since its there.

 

[libertychicken]

oldchickenlady, I read this thread this morning:

here

which includes a quote from an article that theorizes that it's the rubbing action that prevents the frostbite, not the barrier of Vase;ine itself - and cuddling my birds a bt sounds like a good way to give them a little warmth today!