To heat or not to heat

[ChickensAreSweet]

chickens are sweet - where are you located? I'm in Sequim between Port Townsend and Port Angeles. Are you anywhere near here?

I'm further south toward Vancouver.

 

[grammym]

My husband and I just moved here in June from Asheville, NC with 4 dogs and 4 cats. Took 5 days to drive. Can't wait to add to my family with a small flock in the beginning of March. So much to know though.

 

[longlegz86]

My husband and I just moved here in June from Asheville, NC with 4 dogs and 4 cats. Took 5 days to drive. Can't wait to add to my family with a small flock in the beginning of March. So much to know though.

Welcome! You will learn alot here. I know I sure have! Alot of awesome people here to learn from. And welcome to Asheville. I moved to NC in July

 

[Mattemma]

No heat.Straw,pine shavings,and a low watt fluorescent light for mine.I have 7 in a metal shed

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

I'm not using any source of heat either and this Winter will be their second year in their coop. It's in an area where the barn protects it from the West winds and lots of large white pine trees protect it on the NE side. They like to do the "chicken huddle" when they sleep, even did it during the summer. They are all brothers and sisters so have done that since they were chicks.....it's so cute.

 

[BigRooNTN]

Been reading every ones post on this thread and got put at ease. I have 2 bantam Cochins and 2 Buff Silkies. All hens. I am in TN and it has been getting down in the mid 30's and I was concerned enough to put a red heat lamp in their coop just in case. I put a thermometer in last night and checked it this morning. It read 8 degrees warmer in the coop than it did outside and we had a frost on the ground. They were fine so I am not using it tonight. Would adding more straw and pine shavings on the floor help with insulation?

Thanks.

Big Roo

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Been reading every ones post on this thread and got put at ease. I have 2 bantam Cochins and 2 Buff Silkies. All hens. I am in TN and it has been getting down in the mid 30's and I was concerned enough to put a red heat lamp in their coop just in case. I put a thermometer in last night and checked it this morning. It read 8 degrees warmer in the coop than it did outside and we had a frost on the ground. They were fine so I am not using it tonight. Would adding more straw and pine shavings on the floor help with insulation?

Thanks.

Big Roo

Straw is a hollow tube where mites can live...pine shavings are better. Yes, pine shavings on the floor is a "warm" bedding. Sand is a "cold" bedding. Silkies do love to huddle on the floor in shavings. I love silkies.

 

[Greasydog26]

Straw is a hollow tube where mites can live...pine shavings are better. Yes, pine shavings on the floor is a "warm" bedding. Sand is a "cold" bedding. Silkies do love to huddle on the floor in shavings. I love silkies.

Why do the silkies like to huddle on the floor?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Because they are cuddly sweet snuggly chickens. They even bury their faces in each others' fluff at times for just pure cuddliness.

 

[RaeRae2]

Silkies don't roost??

As for heat, I have a large, fully insulated chicken house with 14 hens, and when we're down below 0 in the heart of winter, I will definitely heat them at night. I have always done that and they come through the winter SO much better! I have had frostbitten combs that turned black and fell off even in the insulated house with no drafts whatsoever. And yes I have cold hearty breeds, but if you have something with a larger comb, they may freeze if you don't provide some heat. I wouldn't do it if I had only big heavies with tiny combs, but I don't. I have some smaller, finer hens with larger combs and heat is essential, in my opinion. Not a lot, but enough to keep the night temperature around 40 degrees inside the house is perfect. During the day I turn the heat off, and open it up, and but when we have those horrible, brutal days (-20 below zero), then I leave them locked in all day with the lights on and the heat running.