Why are people so convinced that chickens need heat?

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

My mom came out this last weekend to see the chicken coop I built.

I told my wife, watch, the first thing she asks about will be heat.

And sure enough, it was "But won't they get cold?!"

I explain that no, chickens don't need heat, its more important they have good ventilation and a dry coop.

Then of course its "But my friends have chickens and they keep a heat lamp in their coop all winter!"

ok? So? Your friends clearly haven't actually done any research and are wasting money and will have dead chickens if they have cold weather and a power outage and chickens that aren't acclimated to the cold.

It just seems like the first thing every single person asks me when they find out I have chickens, is about heating the coop. Then when I explain they don't need it, they immediately argue with me like I don't know what I'm talking about.

I don't get it.

 

[perkolator]

Because they feel cold, therefore their chickens with higher body temperatures and a down-feather jacket must also feel cold

 

[Seaslug]

Well, admittedly, I do think that it matters what your temperatures go down to during winter. In well below freezing temps even wild animals can succumb to the cold, and it certainly takes a lot of resources to maintain life and health through extreme temperatures.

It is frustrating when people assume that you do not know what you are talking about, but at least they are showing some concern about your birds. Maybe you can channel her interest into bird sitting when you want to go away on a romantic weekend with your wife!

 

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

It is frustrating when people assume that you do not know what you are talking about

I think thats mostly what it is.

Like I just dumped $1000 into building a coop, several weekends of my time and adopted 8 animals with zero research.

 

[Debbie292d]

Power outage retorts always kill me. So, the temp outside is zero, and the temp inside is 40F. That's 40 degrees in an insulated coop full of chickens. So say it takes an hour to get down, it'll never fall to zero. We have way larger temperature disparities in the summer. They're used to 90F days and 40F nights just a few months ago. We have a generator we've never used for the chickens, except their eggs incubating.

It can get to -20F without windchill for a couple of weeks here, and our frizzles would freeze for sure, and the others would probably get sick.

We have used the same thin oil-filled radiant heater for eight years, and except for the polar vortex, it keeps the coop to 40F, so I don't have to run out there every day and collect eggs and swap water for ice.

We do not provide additional light, and they lay year round, just a bit less in the winter. It's said if they aren't spending all of their energy keeping warm, they will continue laying.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

My mom came out this last weekend to see the chicken coop I built.

I told my wife, watch, the first thing she asks about will be heat.

And sure enough, it was "But won't they get cold?!"

I explain that no, chickens don't need heat, its more important they have good ventilation and a dry coop.

Then of course its "But my friends have chickens and they keep a heat lamp in their coop all winter!"

ok? So? Your friends clearly haven't actually done any research and are wasting money and will have dead chickens if they have cold weather and a power outage and chickens that aren't acclimated to the cold.

It just seems like the first thing every single person asks me when they find out I have chickens, is about heating the coop. Then when I explain they don't need it, they immediately argue with me like I don't know what I'm talking about.

I don't get it.

haha, I know someone like that!
"gIVe thEm tHis BLanKeT, ThEy LOOk so coLd!"
Also the chickens, as soon as I give them the blanket:

"ah yes, a place to poo!"

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I am going to use supplemental heat this week in my coops. It’s getting down to below zero and I have several birds still recovering from molt. One girl just started her molt- what poor timing.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Ive never seen a wild bird froze to death. Birds dont need heat

 

[Debbie292d]

I am going to use supplemental heat this week in my coops. It’s getting down to below zero and I have several birds still recovering from molt. One girl just started her molt- what poor timing.

I didn't even mention in the breeding coop there's two of five hens molting out there. They've got a Cozy Coop heater in their hutch on low. It's been 20F lately but when it goes lower than that we'll turn it to high.

 

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

Power outage retorts always kill me. So, the temp outside is zero, and the temp inside is 40F. That's 40 degrees in an insulated coop full of chickens. So say it takes an hour to get down, it'll never fall to zero. We have way larger temperature disparities in the summer. They're used to 90F days and 40F nights just a few months ago. We have a generator we've never used for the chickens, except their eggs incubating.

It can get to -20F without windchill for a couple of weeks here, and our frizzles would freeze for sure, and the others would probably get sick.

We have used the same thin oil-filled radiant heater for eight years, and except for the polar vortex, it keeps the coop to 40F, so I don't have to run out there every day and collect eggs and swap water for ice.

We do not provide additional light, and they lay year round, just a bit less in the winter. It's said if they aren't spending all of their energy keeping warm, they will continue laying.

Ok, I should have clarified. I'm in Southern Ohio. If it kisses 0 at night here a few weeks in the winter, its "cold".

Wisconsin is a different beast.