When to start heaters and heat lamps??

[chickmamato7]

I am wondering the same thing as a new chicken mom. I have 7 week old chicks (1 Bielefelder, 3 Wyandotte, 3 Crevecoeur) that have been in their outdoor coop for one week. It's been pretty cold here (Rochester NY) in the evening, but comfortable (70's) during the day. I have been temporarily using a heat lamp at night-- hung above (but not too close to) the coop window. I know my chicks are cold because they all cram up against the wall facing the lamp (completely ignoring the 3 roosts available to them). We typically get our 1st snow in late Oct. and I am worried that my use of the lamp could be interfering with their natural acclimation to the weather and could delay the timing of their first molt. Should I just let nature take over and allow them to adapt on their own? Also, should I purchase a Sweeter Heater or Cozy Coop for those nights when it gets below zero? Which one would you most recommend and why? Thank you for any insight you can provide.

 

[MCreery]

This is my first winter...we got them March 1 and it was cold but they were inside my "shed" in a brooder for 6 weeks and had a heat lamp for first 3 weeks. Then only had it on at night for 2 more weeks. By the time they were 5 weeks I didn't have any heat on them. But they huddled up as babies right right under it. It hasn't been cold since April so haven't used anything. I did by one of those heaters that can go in the coop. I only put heat lamps in areas where it safe. But If I was in NY I know I would use a lot of covered protection and heaters at night in the coop. I'm also going to use additional coverings, tarps and plywood to block off more of their yard from cold. Then they can use their own body heat but not be fully exposed to the potential cold. I'm sure others will have better advise.

 

[chickmamato7]

Please clarify for me.....

You have 7 chicks. They are one week old? Or you have 7 chicks that are 7 weeks old?

At one week old they must have supplied heat as they are not feathered. Heated spot to warm up during the day as well as at night.

At 7 weeks old they can be acclimating. Be prepared to offer some minimal heating if you suddenly drop below freezing. Being young going into winter they won't have much body mass yet.

Please post pics of the chicks so we can help confirm age.

Clarification: I have 7 chicks that are 7 weeks old and fully feathered. They have been in their outdoor run for 1 week. It's a large under-deck run, with water-tight roofing and lattice over 1/4 inch hardware cloth for draft protection. The coop is a pre-fab boxed one from Tractor Supply. I converted it slightly (removed nesting boxes & replaced with an additional roost) to provide more space. I will be insulating the enclosed roosting area w/ reflective mylar when the weather gets colder and will also add some tarp to the north facing wall of the run. I have a dryer vent that adds warmth, too. I sometimes run it in the early AM just to warm things up a bit. So is this enough to get my girls (and 1 boy) through the winter, or should I add a coop heater for below zero temps?

 

[chickmamato7]

Here are pics of my chicks & set up (in no particular order). Thanks for all of the great advice so far-- I suspected I might be doing some things wrong! I def would never use a heat lamp inside of the coop, though. I was thinking more in terms of a ceiling mounted Sweeter Heater or wall mounted Cozy Coop for use during frigid temps below zero. These heaters are deemed safe for brooders and coops, as they do not get hot to the touch. My chicks hatched on 8/4, but the Crevecoeurs are still pretty thin, so they are the ones I am concerned about. The Wyandottes & Beilefelder roo are already plump and hardy.

 

[chickmamato7]

Thank you so much for this helpful information. I will stop using the light tonight and no more turning the dryer on as a heat source. I will only add tarp to the North side of the run and keep the top 1/3 open for good ventilation. Should I be concerned about using the dryer once per week in the winter? It's a very well ventilated run-- open ceiling to floor on 3 sides... Or should I get busy inventing something to redirect the warm dryer air up and out of the runbefore winter?

I was so with you when I started chickens 15 years ago. I was making the mistake of worrying about keeping chickens warm. Since childhood we have been taught, close the door, trap the heat in.

And that is the wrong worry. Do not worry about keeping them warm, worry about keeping them DRY. Dry chickens are warm chickens.

To keep them dry, and thereby keeping them warm, you need to have deep dry bedding on the floor. You need to either remove dropping by using a poop board, or sprinkle the bedding with scratch once a week so the birds turn the bedding and break up the manure, drying it out.

You need to look at the position of the roosts. They should be placed so that birds have about 15 inches ABOVE their heads, away from the ceiling. And placed so that a bird is not right next to the wall. If too close to the ceiling or wall, their breath will collect on the wall or ceiling and rain down on them.

You need a lot of ventilation above their heads. You want the warm moist air to leave the coop, warm air naturally rises and will escape and not collect on the birds. The coop should act as a wind break, not a warm spot. A place to get out of the wind, that is dry is warm for chickens.

I also set up a wind break in the coop, a place to get out of the wind. I do hook some shower doors to it, so they have a little sun porch. But it is open on both sides.

I live in western SD, and we are frequently below 0, often -10 to -20, and a couple of years ago, -35 which is very, very cold. Healthy, well fed birds, came through that just fine.

The chance of fire is real, beware.

Mrs K

 

[chickmamato7]

I think I see the dryer vent 4th pic to the right of the window.

Yes, that's it. Figure I can just disconnect the vent & let the air vent into the room since I use it only one day per week, for 2 hrs.

 

[lifein1840]

I am wondering the same thing as a new chicken mom. I have 7 week old chicks (1 Bielefelder, 3 Wyandotte, 3 Crevecoeur) that have been in their outdoor coop for one week. It's been pretty cold here (Rochester NY) in the evening, but comfortable (70's) during the day. I have been temporarily using a heat lamp at night-- hung above (but not too close to) the coop window. I know my chicks are cold because they all cram up against the wall facing the lamp (completely ignoring the 3 roosts available to them). We typically get our 1st snow in late Oct. and I am worried that my use of the lamp could be interfering with their natural acclimation to the weather and could delay the timing of their first molt. Should I just let nature take over and allow them to adapt on their own? Also, should I purchase a Sweeter Heater or Cozy Coop for those nights when it gets below zero? Which one would you most recommend and why? Thank you for any insight you can provide.

Young chicks sometimes roost on the floor in a "pile" if they don't have a hen with them. It could just be that they are scared more than cold. You can try working with them by putting them on the roost during the day and when it seems like they are comfortable, go in after dark and put them on the roost for a few nights - they will get the idea! They should be completely feathered out at 7 weeks and should do fine in the coop as long as it is dry, not drafty and well ventilated. I know it seems worrisome to have them in a cold coop, but they really are designed to take the cold. I have never used a heat source in my uninsulated coops - and I'm older than dirt and twice as dusty! You don't want them to get used to having heat in the coop because, not only do they have more issues going from warm to cold quickly by going out of the coop, but if you loose power to the heat on a very cold night (snow storm, ice storm, etc.) you can have serious problems....not to mention the fire risk! Good luck with them and try to relax and enjoy them as they grow!!

 

[lifein1840]

I was so with you when I started chickens 15 years ago. I was making the mistake of worrying about keeping chickens warm. Since childhood we have been taught, close the door, trap the heat in.

And that is the wrong worry. Do not worry about keeping them warm, worry about keeping them DRY. Dry chickens are warm chickens.

To keep them dry, and thereby keeping them warm, you need to have deep dry bedding on the floor. You need to either remove dropping by using a poop board, or sprinkle the bedding with scratch once a week so the birds turn the bedding and break up the manure, drying it out.

You need to look at the position of the roosts. They should be placed so that birds have about 15 inches ABOVE their heads, away from the ceiling. And placed so that a bird is not right next to the wall. If too close to the ceiling or wall, their breath will collect on the wall or ceiling and rain down on them.

You need a lot of ventilation above their heads. You want the warm moist air to leave the coop, warm air naturally rises and will escape and not collect on the birds. The coop should act as a wind break, not a warm spot. A place to get out of the wind, that is dry is warm for chickens.

I also set up a wind break in the coop, a place to get out of the wind. I do hook some shower doors to it, so they have a little sun porch. But it is open on both sides.

I live in western SD, and we are frequently below 0, often -10 to -20, and a couple of years ago, -35 which is very, very cold. Healthy, well fed birds, came through that just fine.

The chance of fire is real, beware.

Mrs K

Beautifully stated!!! You should have given all new chicken owners a lot of comfort!! Bravo!!!

 

[Regaj]

I am in charge of the little world they have.

I LOVE this line. Something for all of us to ever remember.

 

[RobertaD1]

In my over half century of having chickens, I have found them to be marvelously resilient creatures. Beginning with my Grandpa Shook's bantam/game mixes roosting in trees even during the coldest/snowy winter weather on top of Beech Mountain, NC to my current flocks. With my last three broods, the chicks were moved outside to their coops at three weeks and they flourished even with a temperature range from the mid 40's to 90 degrees Fahrenheit their first few days. This without any supplemental heat being provided. In all three instances, the chickens matured quicker and have been very healthy.

Absolutely! Send mine to the coop at 2 weeks. Start integrating at 4. They go with their broader plate, but mostly use that at night. Temps are usually in 30s to 40s. They do just fine!