Winter Heat

[BWKatz]

Also keep in mind that in the event of power outage, ur chicks won't have the added stress of adjusting to no heat. Some owners have actually lost their flocks because of this.

 

[wyododge]

Quote:
Are they better aim than You are??? or do they just bully the deer around...

Sorry could not resist.

As far as heat, no you don't need it, but if you are going to use it, start as far away as you can get it. And if I were to use heat I would not use it as a direct heating source, and I would not put it directly over the roost (you may not have a choice), but more of a passive heat source. Kinda heat the air not the chicken kind of thing if that makes sense. Also venture out to your coop late and see if they are moving away from or towards it. I suppose towards it is not so bad, but if they are all over in the corner trying to get away from it, you may have some adjusting to do. If you take a look at my page, I made hardware cloth 'tubes' to protect the lights inside my coop. They work, I have not yet broken a bulb but have hit those stupid things 5000000000000000000 times. would have cost me a fortune in light bulbs had they not been there.

 

[Imp]

Here's some good common sense info about frostbite.

http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_6612305_chickens-frostbite.html

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-treat-frostbite-in-chickens.html

Imp

 

[Yello]

Ok just to set the record straight WYODODGE, I do not hunt. I have a hard time smooshing bugs so shooting anything is out of the question.

It's the visiting hunters I worry about.

Thanks for the good input. I bought a heated waterer this summer and plugged it in for the first time today. I'll see how this goes. It seems every day brings a new situation to deal with and I probably worry too much but I'm a mom at heart.

 

[teach1rusl]

OP - you might choose to look into something called a Thermocube - it's basically a plug-in device - you plug your lamp or whatever you're using into it, and it's plugged into the wall (or properly rated extension cord). They come in different temp. ranges. I believe they have one that doesn't power on until 0 degrees, another that comes on at 10 degrees, one that comes on at 20 degrees, etc. I've used them very successfully. If you choose to use a heat lamp, never clamp it - be certain it is well chained or wired, and use a lesser wattage bulb (the red bulbs are sold in wattages as low as 50W). Wishing you and your chickens a fast winter season (I hate winter, and my chickens don't like it either...lol).

 

[wyododge]

Quote:
AhhhhhHAAAAA!!!!! yes you do!!!! you hunt for eggs every day!!!! (where is that smart aleck smiley anyways...

)

 

[meloncholy88]

Yes, please visit www.shopthecoop.com for heater needs!
Thanks chicken friends.

 

[Pele]

I generally don't go overboard on the heat, but I do like to give the girls a brief respite on the really cold nights. And since Bill Gates has yet to come to his senses and marry me, i can't afford a fancy heating set-up.

So, I just get a regular boring old red brick, and heat it up in my oven (no more than 170 degrees). Bake it an hour, then put it on top of another brick on the floor in the coop (you can skip the extra brick if you have a concrete floor). Viola, it brings the temp in the coop up at least 10 degrees and gives my girls some quality 'not freezing our chicken butts off' time.

 

[technodoll]

We get brutal and long winters out in Eastern Canada so my bantie flock gets a heat lamp (250W) in their small summer coop until it's time to move everyone in our semi-insulated barn, at which points both flocks get a heat lamp pretty much 24/7 to help keep the humidity down a bit - and my birds LOVE it. some of them take "sun baths" under that lamp!

Sure birds can "endure" cold weather, but why not make it more comfortable for them if you can?

Have you ever touched a chicken's feet/legs in winter? They are FREEZING and there is no way that is pleasant for them.

So, do what you think is best for your flocks

 

[Yello]

Ok. I have decided to heat my coop. I love my girls and they seem quite happy as is except for not being able to wander this week because of hunters. They are mad mad mad at me!
Love the brick idea! Thanks everyone!