What is an effective heat source in winter??

[HenNewbie]

Our new coop is 30" high at the peak (it is a converted dog house - the floor space measures 30 x 36). The roost is going on the peak side of the coop while the 3 nest boxes (4 hens) will go on the side which is 18". Are we doing this right??

During the winter, where do we place the light?? I planned to put it on the peak side. I have the brooder light and it seems too large to go in the coop. Will the girls get too hot or burned? What are my options??

 

[horsejody]

If it's well insulated and draft free, you may not need an additional heat source. Their bodies put off quite a bit of warmth.

 

[CityChook]

Your coop is pretty small for 4 chickens. The recommended size is 4 sq. feet per chicken, which would make your coop big enough for 2 birds. Just so you know. If you have bantams, the space recommendation is 2 ft. This is less important if you have weather conditions that allow for outside access for most of the day and the chickens just go inside to sleep. But if they are going to be inside because of snow, rain or super cold weather, then it's going to be tight for standard sized hens.

You probably won't need a heat light. Your space is small and the chickens won't have much trouble heating up a space like that. Give them plenty of deep litter to snuggle down into if need be and they'll likely just keep each other warm.

Remember, heat lamps need head clearance so that no one gets burned.

You probably only need 1, max 2 boxes with 4 hens. With a small coop, you should consider building it outside of the coop to save floor space. I have one large community box and the girls share it just fine.

Hope this helps.

And forgot to mention it earlier, but

from MN!

 

[Whispering Winds]

Speaking of heat; our chicken house will be approx. 12 x 12, which makes me happy as a hog in mud, because MORE hens will fit, but how do I keep them from getting too cold in the winter without breaking the bank? I need some feedback from veterans on how to do this. I see these new economic heat bulbs, but do they work? I can probably insulate it, before the walls go up, which I know will help, but what else can I do. Our Illinois winters can get pretty brutal anymore, and I sure would hate to see frozen toes and combs. (I hope I don't kill this thread, as I am a pro at it!!!)

 

[CityChook]

I have no idea what the "economic heat bulbs" are but I used a 250 watt ceramic heat emitter. Bought it on ebay but some pet stores carry them also (check the reptile section).

If you want to save money, I'd insulate. And then ventilate well.

Do a search in coop construction on winter coops. There is a wealth of information there.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
There are a bunch of threads on this subject you might want to 'search' for and browse.

To summarize, tho: well chosen breeds in a well managed coop with draft-free DRY (requiring 'well-ventilated') air are surprisingly cold-tolerant. Like to 0 F and below. Remember the temp inside the coop is generally somewhat warmer than the outdoor temperature.

Things you can do to improve heat capture/retention, without using electricity:

--insulate the bejeebers out of things, including the roof. Although obviously you will also still need good useable ventilation openings, preferably adjustable so you can decide how much on what side(s) to have open according to the weather.

--add insulation on the outside if practical, like hay/straw bales or even just snow piled against the coop. It does help.

--consider whether you can get some extra solar heat capture, but remember it has to be something you can shut/cover at night to prevent corresponding heat loss. If you feel like it you could consider a popcan type (in the general sense) passive solar panel; I have not used one per se but I have a greenhouseified leanto run on the front of my chicken building that does a surprisingly good job of warming the bldg for its size. But has to be manually opened and shut in morning/evening and if it clouds over.

--sometimes a coop lends itself to using large thermal mass, exposed to sunlight during the day, to mediate nighttime temperatures.

--it is not difficult to knock together a drop ceiling or insulated hover over/around the roost, or partition off a little 'coop within the coop' that includes the roost, if you want to concentrate their body heat better in the coldest part of hte winter. That way they have the advantages of both a small *and* a large coop

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[HenNewbie]

Quote:
Thank you ! We usually have fairly moderate weather. A couple days of snow per year on average, though lots of rain. The coop is raised about 2' off the ground which gives them covered run area under the coop. Plus, we plan to have a painted removeable cover for the remaining run area during the rainy season. Their coop/tractor will be moveable and can be positioned in areas more protected from the weather (like up against the out building). Does this sound reasonable?

I really appreciate the input and will ask my contractor (DH) to consider adding the nest area on the outside..... He has really been patient with all my changes, ie I totally changed the inside layout plan today for him when he got home from work... Now, I will try to change it again. Oh well, he probably expects as much!

I can't help but think that we may be over our heads. I am so grateful for this forum. Thank you.