Trying something new tonight

[Uzuri]

Hmmm... hmmm...!

I was wondering if something like this would work. Let me make sure I've got this right... you were using 1 gallon at just below boiling. You're getting about 18 degrees above outside temp at dawn. What were you getting before, without the water? Just curious to see how much of that temperature gain is the chickens and how much is the water.

 

[JimWWhite]

Quote:
No, I'm using a five gallon water container that I fill with hot water, something much less than boiling. If I had to guess it would have been about 120 F or slightly more by the time I mixed the boiling water from the kettle with what I'd already filled the jugs with from the tap. On Saturday night at 8:00 the temp inside the coop was 32.5 F after the Gals had been locked in for about three hours. The outside temp was already down to 24 F at that time. That s when I put in the jugs. By 10:00 or so the temp inside the coop was 36.5 F and the outside temp was 21 F. From what I was seeing the Gals were not the source of the heat coming up but rather it was coming from the jugs.

Now last night I found I only had to use one jug but I filled it with very hot water from the kettle and a large pot on the stove. The effect was much more dramatic even though I used only one jug and the temps were basically the same outside the coop. Tonight it's the same again so I'm going to repeat it with just the one jug.

 

[redstars]

Quote:
I ask myself the same question every winter and I still don't have a answer. I also hate the cold and snow but can't bring myself to move.

 

[Rocky Top Chick]

Quote:
No, I'm using a five gallon water container that I fill with hot water, something much less than boiling. If I had to guess it would have been about 120 F or slightly more by the time I mixed the boiling water from the kettle with what I'd already filled the jugs with from the tap. On Saturday night at 8:00 the temp inside the coop was 32.5 F after the Gals had been locked in for about three hours. The outside temp was already down to 24 F at that time. That s when I put in the jugs. By 10:00 or so the temp inside the coop was 36.5 F and the outside temp was 21 F. From what I was seeing the Gals were not the source of the heat coming up but rather it was coming from the jugs.

Now last night I found I only had to use one jug but I filled it with very hot water from the kettle and a large pot on the stove. The effect was much more dramatic even though I used only one jug and the temps were basically the same outside the coop. Tonight it's the same again so I'm going to repeat it with just the one jug.

Hi neighbor,

I live about 30 miles north of you and I put a heat lamp in the coop just to cut the chill at night. This am the temperature was in the 20's. The birds love the cold so don't worry too much. If a couple of them weren't molting I would not be doing anything extra.

 

[TipsyDog]

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Your girls will be fine without all that water and work. You have alot of chickens for that size coop so their body heat will keep them plenty warm on their own. I only have 7 chickens in that size coop and we go well below zero and single digits have been the highs for awhile now. I still keep my vents open a 1/2" to allow moisture to escape and prevent frostbite. Hopefully the water will not contribute water vapor to your coop - could do more harm than good that way. Good Luck - stay warm!

Edited for spelling...

 

[JimWWhite]

The lids on the jugs are on tight so there shouldn't be any excess water vapor. I know, I know, but I worry about them when it gets this cold. Tonight it's going to be better and I'm thinking of not putting the jug out. But I think for those really cold nights we've been having this is a good red-neck way of providing a little extra heat when they need it. Yeah, I know, up North you get a lot more cold than we can ever imagine. I don't know how you deal with it. I lived in Colorado for twelve years and it wore me out. It wouldn't have been so bad if it just wasn't so long of a winter. Six months is too much.