What too heat my chicken coop with

[boomercide]

I'm glad too see all the different views on this topic… I'm kinda on that page myself I mean wild birds all live out doors and do just fine growing up we had ducks that lived out side and never got heat and they lived but my fiancé a had me double guessing myself on the heat thing and has been asking what I am going too heat them with so today I went out and got one of those hot plate thing for the galvanized water cans too keep there water from freezing( last 2 nights had too thaw there water in my bath tub froze solid

) So that thing says it keeps water good till 10 degrees so that should cure it on most nights I would think and far as heat goes I ges I'll try the cracked corn for extra feed and some good old chicken toys for them too peck at too cure boredom and see where that takes me I knew this was going too be a trial by error thing when I got them for I was too young too remember gramps care methods growing up but I must be Doug something right we are in November with some nights in the teens already and all 6 girls are still alive

 

[boomercide]

Oh yea and has any one used one of those hot plate things or what ever it's called the feed store sells them is a round disk thing that heats the water was wondering how good they work and I'm guessing there safe seeing how there made for poultry here is a pic of what it kinda looks like I got mine from agway and not online so mine looks a little different but don't want too walk out too the car too get it hahah so online pic was much easier

 

[Sanchez]

Okay this is my first year with having chickens for winter, I have 4 RRs ,my hen house is off the ground, not a big one , 3by 5ft, I have lots of straw for the nests and the other side is pine chips, underneath we use wire chicken fence, very small holes very durable , we attached the hen house to the shed, my husband cut a small hole through into the house, now I hear people say heat and don't heat the chicken house in the winter, I have a small heater I can set in front of the hole on low and if it tips it shuts off, I was wondering if this would be too much heat? I live in WA, and it can get to 10 degrees, and very windy, I plan to insulate the coop also! Some suggestions, I can't get them to eat the whole corn.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You will cook them. I wouldn't waste your money. 10 degrees isn't too bad on chickens. Ventilation is much more important as stale air and moisture causes frostbite and respiratory problems so make sure your coop has good air exchange.

Block the prevailing winds, warm water at least twice a day and a patch of sunshine and something to do during the day is more import than heat. The chickens can heat themselves.

 

[Sanchez]

I'm going to use a heated dog dish, I have one for my dogs and it never freezes, got it for 14.00 at Walmart, gonna give it a shot

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would use one too if I didn't have ducks, they mess up all my water.

 

[Sanchez]

Thank you ! Do you have any suggestions on keeping them busy? They have a big coop and they get to run the garden but when it snows I'm leaving them in the pen where it will be dry.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I put out a mix grass hay for them to stand on and to peck at, I've read others use horse alfalfa cubes, or even dry and save their lawn clippings. Scratch twice a day can keep them busy as well as flock blocks.