What type of red heat bulb?

[HennysMom]

Quote:
<boggle>

A 100w floodlight bulb -- red or white, as you prefer -- is $9.99 up here, and most things are more expensive in Canada than the US. Honest, just get one for regular floodlight use. The fixture it fits into is usually about $12 for cheap ones, up to $30 for fancy ones, around here.

PLEASE don't run high-wattage lamps -- especially the 250 watt ones -- without essential reasons. Barn fires kill, they're not NEAR as rare as you think, they CAN happen to you, heat lamps are a pretty common cause, and almost everyone who loses a coop or barn to a fire was out there saying "ah, but I am using my heat lamp *safely!* right up to the point that smoke starts pourin' out the window

Honest.

Good luck, have fun, be careful, remember that chickens are NOT people and do fine in cold weather,

Pat

Pat - i tried a regular bulb and a red bulb - the chickens do not like either one and refuse to go in their coop - ever. It's rather annoying to say the least. I dont know about up there but here in the mountain region of VA, it absolutely does get to single digits with the wind chill to below - temps at times, so I consider that pretty darn cold

. We get those Canadian weather patterns that come down all too often (keep 'em up there will ya LOL)

I have the appropriate ceramic light fixtures for the appropriate bulbs - ceramic heat or regular - I've had our electrician re-wire our coop (and sheds, house, garage) so everything is up to par and code. No worries there, we're all safe and sound - but I do know too many people that do not read the rated wattage on things - including extension cords - and overload, causing massive fires.

Good to post the warnings however - always be prepared!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
I don't understand what you mean.

On a PER CAPITA basis -- that is, the risk of fire from *a particular* christmas tree light setup versus *a particular* heat lamp -- I am still pretty sure that heat lamps DO cause more fires.

The only reason there are more total xmastreelight fires than heatlamp fires is that there are jillions more total xmastreelights IN USE.

(Same way as more people die in car crashes than die of sticking their tongue in a live electric outlet, but only because so many more people drive cars than stick their tongues in outlets... the latter is much MORE DANGEROUS, just also less commonly done)

Have you never seen a barn fire, jubylives? I can tell you, the stench afterwards of roasted animal flesh is horrible. In a chicken coop it is almost certain that all the animals will be killed even if the fire is put out fairly quickly because birds are pretty susceptible to smoke.

so maybe when someone asks for advice about how to use these when that is what they feel is essential then maybe giving them advice on how to use it safely would be in order instead of no no no. These can and have been used safely.

The first safety rule of using a heat lamp is don't use it unless it is really truly NECESSARY. That *is* safety advice. Because sadly, an awful lot of heatlamp-related fires happen to people WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE USING IT SAFELY

only something broke or shifted or the animals kicked bedding around or this or that... <whooomp>.


Pat​

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Oh I know, I've done a buncha fieldwork in the mountains outside Blacksburg (although not in the wintertime!

).

My point is, single digits (plus *or* minus) is not really all that cold, from a chicken keeping standpoint, honest

Pat

 

[HennysMom]

so how cold is too cold for them then? They looked pretty pathetic at 28/29 degrees the other night inside their coop (with the 100w non-light heat emitter bulb on) when it was 22 outside - all huddled together close. I felt like a bad parent

the next day - the wind was blowing so terribly - their little "backsides" were exposed nekkie because their feathers were all blown all over and they all huddled again in the corner of the run, then they ran inside the coop.

Seemed like they were cold to me... ?

 

[Cassandra]

Hey, can someone excuse me from the science for a minute, and tell me if chickens need heat or not.

I have one of those red lamps in my coop that I plug up for a few hours on nights when it is going to be below freezing.

I have Mississippi chickens. They aren't used to cold weather! And we don't have it often enough for them to grow their wool undies.

But we have had three or four freezing nights already this year! (seems unusual if I remember right)

Anyway... do they just not need the heat at all? I'm more than happy to save that electricity if it is wasted.

Cassandra

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Sure, if there is WIND involved they can be cold, also they can be 'not biologically too-cold but simply not likin' it as much as being elsewhere less windy and chilly'

I thought we were talking about the COOP here though. (PLEASE tell me nobody heats their RUN... <vbg>

so how cold is too cold for them then? They looked pretty pathetic at 28/29 degrees the other night inside their coop (with the 100w non-light heat emitter bulb on) when it was 22 outside - all huddled together close.

What kind of chickens are they, how dry-aired and NONdrafty is the coop, and what kind of roost are they on.


Pat​

 

[HennysMom]

(I know you're going to laugh...) uhm...(said in a small *very small* voice)

RIR's...

yeah I know... a pretty cold hearty breed - but... they really DO look cold, honest they do.

Run isnt heated (smartie pants hee hee) - and the coop is pretty draft free I believe - we do keep the top vents cracked about 2 inches (they lever) for good air flow but not too much - roost is 2x4 so their little tootsies stay warm too.

 

[vickiemontana]

OK, last winter we had a few days of -54 here in Montana. Wind speed was 40-50 mph with gust above that. I cannot keep my chickens warm in that weather. But I figure if the deer, ducks, horses, cattle and such can live in it, so can my chickens who have a hen house, food all the time, straw, wood chips and 15 of them to keep each other warm. I leave a light on until around 9 and a heat bulb from the feed store for my two older broken hens I got from McMurrays that were sick. They are the only ones who sit under the lamp. I sure hope it works for my chicks this year.

 

[jubylives]

=patandchickensHave you never seen a barn fire, jubylives? I can tell you, the stench afterwards of roasted animal flesh is horrible. In a chicken coop it is almost certain that all the animals will be killed even if the fire is put out fairly quickly because birds are pretty susceptible to smoke.

so maybe when someone asks for advice about how to use these when that is what they feel is essential then maybe giving them advice on how to use it safely would be in order instead of no no no. These can and have been used safely.

The first safety rule of using a heat lamp is don't use it unless it is really truly NECESSARY. That *is* safety advice. Because sadly, an awful lot of heatlamp-related fires happen to people WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE USING IT SAFELY

only something broke or shifted or the animals kicked bedding around or this or that... <whooomp>.


Pat​

Barn fire no but I have had to burn horses that have died from strangles but I could care less about some burned barns and animals. Some people's opinion of what is "NECESSARY" are different and that should be considered. If the only way (as in my case at this point) is to use a heat lamp or if it is what is desired then we should provide help to ensure that those that use one are well informed along with the dangers of course.

These are used and will continue to be used. Kind of like holiday lights. I'd rather smell a burned barn full of charred animals ten times over then to attend another closed casket funeral of a family of four because of holiday lights.

jeremy​

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Well... alrighty then.

I'd rather smell a burned barn full of charred animals ten times over then to attend another closed casket funeral of a family of four because of holiday lights.

Oh, sorry, I thought we were talking about how safe heatlamps are in coops, not whether people should light their christmas trees.

Givin' up,


Pat​