When are Heat Lamps necessary?

[gotweim]

Hi~

I live in Michigan so we do get pretty cold, bitter winters. I have a heat lamp in the coop that is temperature controlled to turn on when the temp in the coop drops below about 38-35*. Is that too warm for them or too cold for them? I read in the last issue of BYP that keeping it too warm for them isn't good for them and it's almost like they are wearing little down coats!

I did research the different breeds I have and all of them have been classified as being "relatively tolerant of cold" and they don't seem to mind coming out when it's snowy. I have Rhode Island Reds, Orpingtons, and Ameraucanas.

What are your thoughts on warming the coop and what are your practices and guidelines for keeping your chicks warm?

 

[scbatz33]

I dont. Once they are fully feathered out, they are on their own. But then I don't blanket my horses either. Animals naturally have a higher body temp and tollerance to extreme weather than people. You do run the risk of causeing more harm than good. Plus, there si the whole fire risk too.

unless my birds are having a problem coping, they get no "extra" care. I do have a roo int eh house now who was suffering from the effects of the cold but he will go back out as soon as he is "normal" again.

 

[Judy]

There are numerous threads about keeping chickens without heat. Here's one:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=421122

 

[gotweim]

Thank you so much!!!

 

[featherz]

My chickens made it through -26F fine, no heat. Just a bit of frostbite on my non cold hardy leghorns, but they hardly even notice it's cold. It's been 20ish the last week or so and they act like it's a heat wave.

 

[blefky]

The breeds you have are also in my flock, and none of them appear to mind the cold at all. Keeping the coop well ventilated and keeping down drafts is important. What they do miss is having bare ground to scratch around in. Here's a pic I posted yesterday, made me laugh cuz they found the only little spot of bare earth in the yard (maybe in the state!) and made a beeline for it - underneath the trampoline.

 

[chickfamilyonsleepyhollow]

This is my first winter and I use the heat lamp when the temp gets below 10 degrees ... not sure if they really need it but I get a better night sleep not worrying about them as much bec I hate the cold. I agree with the fire dangers and have the lamp cord secured on hooks and wrapped around a beam to prevent any accidents

 

[gotweim]

Thanks so much!! I'm definitely going to be making some adjustments today!!

Love the photo!! Too Cute!!

 

[JodyJo]

I live in southern Colorado, high desert, with night temps dropping well below ), we are almost always coldest in the state, my chickens, now all feathered out, have a lamp only on their water dish, I haven't gotten a heated one yet...they are fine. They determine when to be outside in our cold temps, if I can't find them, they are in the coop, all warm and toasty in their down coats! I WISH we had the temps you do at night, that would be a heat wave!

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

you don't need heat, plus if you loose power and you heat go's off or it burns out, you will actually hurt your birds, sudden heat loss. there is a fire hazard, heat lamps are not meant for large areas
once they get used to the heat, your stuck with it for the rest of winter