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

[aliprowl]

I can't stand it either! (That is, can't stand the thought of them being terribly cold.) I just came in from moving hay bales around in the run to create a sheltered area. I stacked two bales high and made a "pen", using the back wall of the coop as one side. There's a little gap where they can get in, or they can go over the top of the bales. Then I piled up a ton of straw on the ground in this nest area, thinking that sitting on cold straw is preferable to sitting on cold, packed dirt...? They can all huddle in there together, if they want to be outside. Tomorrow is supposed to be colder, and I very well may just keep them all in the coop, which is uninsulated but I'm on the verge of taking care of that. I have a flat panel ceramic heater in there, which does virtually nothing to bring down the temperature without any insulation, but I figure they can stand in front of it if they are cold. I also just turned on a heat lamp in one corner of the coop, which will heat up about a third of the floor space in there. I have some hens who are molting, and they look really cold when outside. I don't think this bit of supplemental heat is enough to keep them from heavily feathering up, nor is it enough to make them depend on it - just takes the edge off a bit.
I think it's hard for us to tell if they are uncomfortable in the cold, unless they are REALLY suffering - just because they are alive, doesn't mean they are comfortable. I think they are cold.

 

[emys]

OK, if you really want to be stopped, here are some things to consider BEFORE you put that heater in there:

1) How good is your coop ventilation? Too much warm moist air that cannot escape can cause upper respiratory problems.

2) What will the temperature and humidity rise to inside the coop vs outside the coop? Because a sure way to frostbite your birds combs is to have them moving from inside warm humid spaces into bitter cold dry windy conditions.

3) Once you begin heating, is your coop big enough to confine them 24/7?

4) Why not give them extra grains so they can produce internal heat? (Perhaps confining your shivering chicken in a non-windy crate in the garage with extra bedding food and warm water until she is recovered.)

 

[HorizonSon]

I do not and will not ne providing heat for my adult birds; but...

For peace of mind and readiness; I would suggest deciding where in the coop you will put the ceramic heater, and then install it accordingly... You don't have to turn it on; but, if you decide to do so, it will involve just flipping a switch... Or; for something more automated, pick up a TC-1 or a TC-2 for self-regulating on really cold nights

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Do it. It's worth it so you sleep at night feeling like you are doing the right thing for them. That IS cold and if they are shivering, they obviously need more protection than they have.

 

[Frannabelle]

I have all bantams, including a very itty bitty Mille Fluer D'uccle, I don't even think she weighs a pound. I have been putting on a ceramic heat bulb at night for them. Why not give them a few extra degrees of comfort, right?

 

[Bird Collector]

Well I caved last year with the heat/no heat decision. But I also only use a ceramic heat bulb in the industrial metal hoods with a ceramic socket and the cord is wrapped around the beam a couple of times all for the safety of no fires. I wipe down the whole unit once a week to eliminat the dust also hopefully preventing a fire. I follow suggests from this site to not over heat them because the temp difference can make them sick going from a "to" warm coop to the air in the morning. I have a mix of bantams, silkies and frizzles that seem to be doing well with this set-up. When it gets really bad out I turn on a heat lamp under their covered run as free choice through the day. I do sleep well. So it might be working for my situation.

My sleep coop in the mornings stays around 30 to 35 degrees during the cold times. Good luck.

 

[kitchwitch]

Either way you'll have to account for all the birds being "cooped" up. if you provide heat, they're NOT going to go outside. If you don't provide heat, it'll still be somewhat warmer and definitely less drafty in the coop and they won't go outside.

I have no heat in my coop and last year I had no deaths from cold/exposure. However I did have several chickens die due to being cooped up with bored "top rung" chickens that decided it would be great fun to take out boredom on the bottom rung chickens.

if you're going to heat I'd put a lamp outside in a covered area, so that during the day they can stay warm. At night they'll all be roosting against each other and keeping warm and adding a heat lamp to that situation will only create moist, humid conditions. Heat an area outside and you'll be encouraging them to go outside and get sunlight and warmth and exercise.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I don't need or want my birds tough. I'll keep them as compfortable as I can. They produce eggs for me, so I give them food & heat in return. No reason for my girls to get chilly, so I have an oil heater in the barn.

They are HAPPY BIRDS!

They are ready to come outside when the sun comes up.

 

[geebs]

Shivering is the bodies last reserve and it's ability to try to restore heat.... A sure sign of distress... that is a fact.. what you do about it is your choice.

 

[spartacus_63]

When I have the self debate about heat vs no heat, I always go with heat. It doesn't raise the fuel bill by much, I am unwilling to turn my furnace off in the house and chickens have been developed from tropical birds. I'm no softy either, but I like having happy chickens. And the most important issue for me is, I like the coop a bit warm when I go out to play with my chickens!