To heat or not to heat!

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

Hello out there!

I am wondering if I need to add a heat lamp to my coop. Last year Lucy stayed in her carrier that I had added blankets to. She was out and about every day. This year she has a new friend and a new coop. I keep a light on. Lucy is laying almost every day. Our new girl, Wendi-Go, and Ameracauna has not yet laid. She has been with us for eleven days. I just added a nice 10' by 10' run. There coop is 4' by 8', with a raised 2' by 4' apartment. They seem content; they have roosts, and I am looking for some toys. They are always busy during the day scratching.

I was thinking of building a little warm place, with a ladder, and a heat lamp so they can get out of the cold if they want to.

I live in South MS.

 

[R2elk]

Hello out there!

I am wondering if I need to add a heat lamp to my coop. Last year Lucy stayed in her carrier that I had added blankets to. She was out and about every day. This year she has a new friend and a new coop. I keep a light on. Lucy is laying almost every day. Our new girl, Wendi-Go, and Ameracauna has not yet laid. She has been with us for eleven days. I just added a nice 10' by 10' run. There coop is 4' by 8', with a raised 2' by 4' apartment. They seem content; they have roosts, and I am looking for some toys. They are always busy during the day scratching.

I was thinking of building a little warm place, with a ladder, and a heat lamp so they can get out of the cold if they want to.

I live in South MS.

Providing heat prevents the chickens from properly developing their feathers to withstand the cold. Where I live, it gets down to -30°F during the winter, I do not add heat. Roosters with very large combs do get their combs naturally dubbed by frostbite but hens with very large combs do very well. I do not provide heat in the coops.

 

[aart]

I keep a light on.

What kind of light...is it on 24 hours a day?

I live in South MS.

You don't need heat in your climate. Keep them dry and out of the wind but with good ventilation.

 

[Hogs and Horns]

We used to live in north Texas and our coop had a light for increased egg production but it was not a heat lamp. In the winter we covered the cracks between the coop boards with empty feed bags to prevent drafts from getting on them while they roosted at night, but no heat. Your sweet Lucy and Wendy-Go will be fine without heat in Mississippi.

 

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

Thanks so much; I was thinking that. I have read that ventilation is very important so I didn't seal the seams in their apartment.

What kind of light...is it on 24 hours a day?

You don't need heat in your climate. Keep them dry and out of the wind but with good ventilation.

 

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

I do keep the light on. I am going to get a timer and keep it on 14 hours. I think that is the magic number!

 

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

Thank you! Now if only Wendi-Go will lay one of those pretty blue eggs!

We used to live in north Texas and our coop had a light for increased egg production but it was not a heat lamp. In the winter we covered the cracks between the coop boards with empty feed bags to prevent drafts from getting on them while they roosted at night, but no heat. Your sweet Lucy and Wendy-Go will be fine without heat in Mississippi.

 

[aart]

I do keep the light on. I am going to get a timer and keep it on 14 hours. I think that is the magic number!

Now that it's been on all the time, changing it to 14 hours may cause other consequences.
Is that your coop in your avatar?

 

[Hogs and Horns]

We used a regular light bulb inside a plastic hanging cover that looks like something for a construction site. My husband probably bought it at a Lowe's or Home Depot. We ran an exterior, weatherproof, extension cord from an outlet in the garage, under the garage door, to an exterior wall of the coop (that was NOT in their run), then secured it way up high under the roof so it wouldn't get any rain, snow, or other weather on it. We wiggled the light's plug through the wall way up high, under the roof, and plugged it in outside. We turned it on at dusk, and unplugged it from the garage when we went to bed about 6 hours later. We didn't use it during the daytime since the girls were outside in natural lighting. Good luck with your set-up!

 

[greggooo]

I am struggling with the same question. I live in upstate NY and we are starting to get cold, at times this winter, we will be below zero. I have eliminated drafts and insulated the coop and increased ventilation above their heads.

My concern is that my flock is just over 4 months old. They aren't fully grown adults yet. They look fully feathered of course, but we will hit 20º in a couple nights. I have one of those Cozy Coop flat panel heaters ready to install. I am terrified of fire hazards anyway, so I would rather try this instead. I had it on in the house and it actually does warm a bit. Has anyone else tried this product?

Here is the flock, do they look old enough to get through a 20º night?

Thanks!