what to do when -20 outside with 45- windchill?

[JeninMN]

This being our first go with all of this...we have a question now that we are due for quite a storm this weekend...the storm we aren't worried about but the artic blast that is coming right thereafter we are worried about keeping the coop warm enough...

Last night it was -7 outside with -20 windchill...they did just fine and it is warmer in the coop than the shop or anywhere else. But...when we get talking -20 actual temp w/ -45 or less windchill w/ 40 mph winds... do we need to put a heat lamp on in there? Could we find like a low red light heat lamp that won't necessarily keep it light in there at night but yet it will help to keep them a little warmer?

Suggestions????
Thank you!!!

Jen

 

[TaLani]

I only live in NC & it may be overkill, but I put a red heat lamp in our coop for heat since it's been getting into the lower teens at night & morning. With the temps you have, I'd bet your chickies would definitely appreciate a warm place to huddle together. Check out these two sites.

http://www.enasco.com/product/C09857N
http://www.cutlersupply.com/cart/in...ult&search_in_description=1&keyword=heat+lamp

 

[setter4]

I have a ceramic heater bulb like you use for reptiles. It is flat and screws into a regular socket. You can get them in all different wattages and I think most pet stores sell them. I got mine on Ebay but you don't have time for that now. lol
It gets warm but does not give off any light.
Good luck this week end. We had some really cold days already this year but nothing like -45

 

[AllChookUp]

we have a question now that we are due for quite a storm this weekend.

We are?

I heard it was supposed to get really cold, but I didn't hear anything about a storm. I wanted to go ice-fishing on Sunday. Oh well.

Anyway, I turned my heat lamp on in the coop before I went to work today. I usually don't but I opened the chicken door between the run and the coop, so I wanted the extra heat.

I think a lamp works well, but yoiu have to be careful!​

 

[spook]

First of all, make sure there are few draft areas, its like a down coat that we would wear, keeping the draft out, keeps us warmer. Now, I do not know about what others do in your area, but here, I place a grain bag or plastic 1/2 down the coop door, this will help keep that warmer air in when you are stepping in. Nothing is perfect. Also I use the deep litter method as it helps insulate and organically warm as compost does (not the same hot heat but warming). There are many ways of warming a coop, I prefer not to here, rarely do we ever have -45 w/wind chill (yuck) , but in storms like with what we are dealing with today, the power can go out for a week easy. Using a heat light, these birds will not have any heat down and they are likely to freeze.
Also, using corn/scratch and suet, olive oil, meat and fats are great to produce enough energy to help them keep warm.
Good luck and you should get some answers from your neck of the woods.

 

[danamillette]

Hi Jen,
We've got the same temps. I put a 125 watt red heat bulb in the coop. Seems to help and doesnt keep them awake. Cant seem to keep the water from freezing tho, so I just bring it in at night and run it back out in the early a.m.

 

[crooked stripe]

I place a heat lamp over the water that keeps it form freezing during the day. The light is on a timer that shuts off at 5PM. I did place a red heat lamp in the coop that burned all night and my birds where always awake and on the floor. I placed a thermometer in the coop at roost level and the temps stay in the upper 20's. I figure it is better to keep the chickens on the roost at night where it is warmer. Even around zero my chickens run around the yard scratching. When it is windy they find places out of the wind.

 

[luvmygirlsinAK]

A little cayenne pepper in their water helps the blood circulation in both chickens and peoples.

It is what some people use way up North, here when they have to go out in the cold, and some, including us like to keep it on hand for emergency situations. The chickies love it!

-45 wind chill-brr! That's cold! Keep warm!!

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
Move to Arizona???

 

[Splash_Guard]

We have the same weather. The only thing different we did was to build an L shaped box and place it in front of the exit hole (so that they have to turn the corner to exit to outside pen). This blocks the wind and snow, but still leaves out of doors accessible.

I keep on the red, 250 watt heat lamp; it shuts off at 9:00 p.m. They huddle from then until 5:00 a.m. Even in single digit numbers they seem to prefer going out of doors.

We now have 2' of snow; you might want to keep your snow shovel handy in order to dig your way to them.