To use a heat lamp or not

[ChickenCanoe]

Anything a heat lamp heats will itself warm the air via conduction and other objects via IR radiation.

True but it is still one of the most inefficient uses of electricity to raise ambient air temperatures.

 

[ShanaMcS]

Wow, thanks everyone! No heat lamp for the little ladies then!

 

[aldarita]

I am in South Texas and like you, when it gets down to 50 we all are wearing hats and jackets, not too used to real cold temps like the people in the northern states. I am more relaxed now about my chickens when it gets very cold (which doesn't happen very often) after going through 5 winters. I am amazed to see how hardy they are. This winter has been unusually cold compared with the previous ones, this year I have three 8 months speckled Sussex cockerels with very large wattles and combs so I decided to install a heat panel in their coop (they are in their own yard by themselves). Their coop is very well ventilated however I was concerned with them getting frost bite since the humidity here is always high and have had hard freezes for several days. I am just trying to keep the temp in the coop a little above 32 degrees. Other than that I think my hens and ameraucana rooster (with his very small comb and no wattles) will be fine in their coop.