Think it's too cold for your chickens? Think again...

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Just jumping in to say that I've never used a heat lamp outside. I'm in La and even though we don't get all that cold here, what we do get is often a wet/humid cold.
I don't have a fully enclosed coop. I have a pen that they roost in. The pen has a black compost bin that they like to sleep in and a raised, mesh bottom hutch that they also like. I've never lost anyone to the cold.
For what it's worth, I keep the hutch facing South so that the solid back blocks the wind, and I keep the opening of the bin facing south.
They're fine without it and IMO probably healthier for it.
 
Well, after having a small barn fire that sindged most of my pure BA's feathers and I lost half of my coops I have now REMOVED ALL HEAT LAMPS even though it was the porclin socket that malfunctioned. I have now gone back to the heated dog dish even though I am sure I will damage some wattles. Dad will be putting in safe'r light recepticales and plug -ins so no more extension cords ever. Dad and Mom bought this farm 23 yrs ago, raised sheep and rabbits with the use of heat lamps and alway's wondered just when a fire is gonna break out? THank GOD I went to do my chores early otherwise we would have lost the 100 yr old barn. We do get extremely cold here and for long periods but no more heat for my girls even if to keep the water liquid.
 
it's reassuring to read this thread. my small flock (5 birds) have a nice coop w/ little to no draft. i find myself wanting to give them heat when it gets to 32 & lower. the fear of fire stops me.
to read that y'all w/much lower temps have birds do ok w/o heat reminds me to leave the heat lamps in storage.
thanks
 
Ok...so lets say "someone" on this forum (cough cough...me) was one of those people who has a coop with a heater that turns on when the coop gets below freezing. My girls are now used to that....if I take away the heater next winter....will it be too much of a shock? Our weather here has been crazy. 58 one day....then 15 the next. I was thinking the fluctuations in temps would be bad so I used the heater. I have had a couple of unexplainable deaths this winter though...and someone posted earlier about spoiling chickens to death. I am afraid I may be one of those people. I would like to remedy my ways....but I worry if I take the heater....will they will die on the first 10 degree day because they aren't used to being real chickens? Help!! These chickens are my 11 yr old daughters babies. She has aspergers and her chickens are the best anti anxiety drug there is. I can't have anymore deaths!!!
 
Rebeceee said:
Ok...so lets say "someone" on this forum (cough cough...me) was one of those people who has a coop with a heater that turns on when the coop gets below freezing. My girls are now used to that....if I take away the heater next winter....will it be too much of a shock? Our weather here has been crazy. 58 one day....then 15 the next. I was thinking the fluctuations in temps would be bad so I used the heater. I have had a couple of unexplainable deaths this winter though...and someone posted earlier about spoiling chickens to death. I am afraid I may be one of those people. I would like to remedy my ways....but I worry if I take the heater....will they will die on the first 10 degree day because they aren't used to being real chickens? Help!! These chickens are my 11 yr old daughters babies. She has aspergers and her chickens are the best anti anxiety drug there is. I can't have anymore deaths!!!
Click to expand...
I would think that if you waited till next winter to remove the heaters, they'll be fine. They'll aclimate as the fall and wonter set in gradually. I wouldn't do it this season bc they don't have the feathers for it.
 
I totally agree, what are your low temps and your high? I have had three chickens in the house due to heavy molting when it sent down to -30 then windchill. They spent 4 weeks inside and as soon as the temps got to 20F they went right out back to the barn with NO heat. They cuddles up to some of the others to keep warm and I gave them extra scratch and bedding. They are the best lookingout of the whole bunch. That week we went from the low's of 0F to the high's of 30F. Now it has been more than a week and you would never knowen it. I may have just been lucky but I will never use heat unless it is for chicks ever again.
 
For those of you using heated dog dishes...how do you keep them clean? I have a bowl, and my d'uccles are constantly throwing their bedding into it. The bowl becomes full of soggy shavings. If I catch the bowl with only a few shavings in it, the water is still cold to my hand and my fingers ache (I don't handle cold well) when I try to scoop the shavings out. The bowl is up a little bit, I push the shavings away from the water bowl so they have to work at getting the shavings into the bowl, plus I have the bowl under the "shield" that goes with the summer water bowl (they get shavings in it too but I don't mind as much since my fingers don't hurt with cold).

Is this just going to be the procedure for winter for me or is there something else I can do?

CG
 

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