Truth time...when do you put the heater in the coop?

[annep]

At what temp do you decide it's just too cold at night and decide to put the heater on them? Curious...I've always done it if it gets below zero degrees...Thoughts?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

We don't use one. When temps get to -20 F we start to wonder and worry but they do fine, high fat sunflower seeds for treats is all.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
There are many folks that don`t heat at all. Even some that feel it`s best to have a three sided coop that allows free circulation of air. Those folks, to the man/woman, declare healthier fowl and no mold. Humidity, which attributes to mold growth, is huge in closed coops, even those with seemingly good venting. Now I don`t live in a sub zero climate and I`m only repeating what I`ve read over the years, but it seems to me, after all that reading, that the only concession to sub zero weather, should be rubbing some Vaseline on the combs and wattles of those fowl that may need protection and a roost wide enough so they can cover their feet. If the fowl get accustomed to a heated coop and the power fails, the fowl will fare badly. Good luck to ya........Pop

 

[frostbite]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=421122

A very thorough thread on this topic.

 

[Stacykins]

Quote:
That is the reason I decided NOT to string out any heat to my coop. My breeds aren't warm weather breeds and most have pea combs, they have enough feathers to keep themselves warm. The coop provides shelter and a wind break, and at night they sit on their toes with their fluffy bellies. I insulated the walls of the coop, though it does have plenty of ventilation, too. Power outages are pretty common here, during warm weather thunderstorms and winter snowstorms. So if the girls were to get used to a heater in winter, and on a bitter night it went out, they'd likely suffer since they were adapted to the heat.

OP, you also have to consider that chickens put out a lot of heat! Depending on the size of your coop and flock, they themselves can put out warmth when they are all in there, provided that humidity can escape (since high humidity leads to frostbite).

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Good one Stacy. A major detail I forgot.......Pop

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I don't add heat, even down to -20F. We've gotten colder here, but it's not common.

 

[Highlander]

Quote:
Ditto here. -15 is normal but a few times last winter it got to -20 and -29 one night. The chickens were all fine with no heat and no signs of frostbite.

 

[sourland]

Draft free and dry, ad lib feeding, a source of potable water (heated waterer or frequent waterings) and temperature causes few 'real' problems.

 

[Imp]

Quote:
I use supplemental heat to keep the coop at a more stable temperature, and keep the water thawed.

Imp