Topic of the Week - Coop Heating and Fire Safety

[Cluckies]

I have used that cord lock when connecting cords. However, IMO the safest is to have a single cord, without having to connect a second one. Spend the money to buy one that's long enough to do the job if that's an option.

For myself, I use it to connect the extension cord to my heated waterer cord, so extension cord from the outlet, then I use this between the cord and the waterer cord (the waterer cord does not reach the outlet), so the chickens do not throw water on it, (not between extension cords). So only 1 extension cord, but it is way better than duct tape (like the original poster mentioned) if you do need to connect cords. All electric connections in the coop should be covered if possible.

 

[GardenTillers44]

We installed an underground conduit to a covered GFI box on the outside of the coop to provide electric for an automatic coop door and a heated poultry waterer. No extension cords or heat lamps. It gets cold here but rarely below zero, so we built our flock with proven cold hardy breeds and built our coop & run with some great ideas gleaned from BYC and experienced neighbors to provide comfortable, serviceable quarters for the girls.

 

[Jimmybeam01]

I have a flat panel heater in the henhouse that comes on at 0, goes off at 10 degrees. It heated the henhouse from -24 last year to approx. 7 f degrees. So it does not heat to 50 degrees, if the electricity goes out, they will be fine, they are acclimated, this just takes the edge off in extremely cold weather.

-In the run, if needed (someone is molting, or below -10 degrees) I'll turn on a heat lamp. I have dirt/sand below it, no shaving.
-It is zip tied to the pen.
-I have a cage made of hardware cloth over it, which I truly believe is needed. It keeps feathers from flying up, hitting the bulb starting on fire and dropping into the bedding. or a wing catching fire and, and...

-Also my last bulb fell out of the metal holder, yes, it can happen. luckily my "cage" caught the bulb thank goodness. photos below.

-View attachment 1206050 View attachment 1206051 View attachment 1206052 View attachment 1206053 If you do heat with a bulb? Do it extremely safely. Check bulb, set up, and connections very carefully before each use.

very nice design, and it proves to be working! thank god for that. i bet you were blown away and thankful to find that it was a successful save

 

[Jimmybeam01]

Thank you Mary. It was heartbreaking. I sat down and cried on the wet ground that morning. I just felt so bad for the hens. Burned to death in their sleep without a chance. I had stared out the nook window that morning drinking my coffee and had one of those "what is wrong with this picture moments." Then I realized the coop was gone. I literally padded out in my stocking feet in shock, which is why I know the ground was still warm at the ash. There was nothing to demolish as it had all burned down. We picked through and found some nails and hardware is all.

Now I know better. Even in my seasonal, shorter cold snaps, and continuous chilling drizzle (many northeastern transplants complain our winters feel colder than back east), chickens do amazingly well with cold and weather if they can get inside a dry coop at night.

My silly birds even stand in the drizzle. (Well, we all tend to do that as it is always drizzling here.)

But chickens simply do not need heat if dry and out of draft unless you are sub-sub-arctic. And those crazy little chicks...oh my goodness...they didn't read the chick care manual....they scratch and run around in the cold right alongside momma. Crazy.

No need to heat. Stay safe instead.
LofMc

this breaks my heart. i read what you said and it just made my heart sink. i remember the one day i couldnt find my black hen, the wind blew just right and blew the rubber water container over on her.. i couldnt find her for two days. i was so happy when i found her. spoiled the hell out of her after. but i cannot even begin to think about what you felt. my thoughts and prayers go out to you.

 

[lazy gardener]

We installed an underground conduit to a covered GFI box on the outside of the coop to provide electric for an automatic coop door and a heated poultry waterer. No extension cords or heat lamps. It gets cold here but rarely below zero, so we built our flock with proven cold hardy breeds and built our coop & run with some great ideas gleaned from BYC and experienced neighbors to provide comfortable, serviceable quarters for the girls.

This is on my bucket list. I've planted the "idea" seed with hubby. Now to wait for it to germinate. After it germinates, and takes nourishment, it will becomes HIS idea, Then we'll install it. I can easily trench it. I just need his brain to do the electrical end of it.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

This is on my bucket list. I've planted the "idea" seed with hubby. Now to wait for it to germinate. After it germinates, and takes nourishment, it will becomes HIS idea, Then we'll install it. I can easily trench it. I just need his brain to do the electrical end of it.

Trench it and it will come... Use direct bury wire with no splices, leave the ends for DH to connect


Gary

 

[lazy gardener]

Trench it and it will come... Use direct bury wire with no splices, leave the ends for DH to connectGary

You, are brilliant! Reminds me of hubby's grandmother! She wanted to enlarge the standard doorway between her kitchen and the living room. She kept asking, and he was always too busy. So, one day, she took a sledge hammer and knocked the wall down.

 

[Cluckies]

very nice design, and it proves to be working! thank god for that. i bet you were blown away and thankful to find that it was a successful save

yes, these lights are very dangerous, anything you can do to make them safer, as safe as possible is best. I just found out yesterday, that they can explode, (someone mentioned)... don't know how you could make that safer... I only use them in extreme cases for this reason hearing about that fire though ... heartbreaking

 

[Cluckies]

Trench it and it will come... Use direct bury wire with no splices, leave the ends for DH to connect


Gary

Yep, this is what I did. Lol

 

[Jimmybeam01]

yes, these lights are very dangerous, anything you can do to make them safer, as safe as possible is best. I just found out yesterday, that they can explode, (someone mentioned)... don't know how you could make that safer... I only use them in extreme cases for this reason hearing about that fire though ... heartbreaking

ya i did see someone that said that earlier in the post. i did not know that they do that. i wonder if its from the dust that settles on it creating extra heat on the bulb where it shouldnt be? and yea i couldnt imagine if i lost my gals. i feel so bad for her