Winter prep safety

[My2butterflies]

I’m not sure taping is necessary, but if you want to have them tapped perhaps electrical tape would be best?
Also, if you want to be sure the cord won’t fall you could secure it with cord holders and self tapping screws. Then just seal up the outside with jb weld to keep water out.
My coops being grain bins are that same wavy steel. Self tappers can handle going through it pretty well.

 

[Coffee N Chickens]

Last winter I was worried about my chickens being outside in the cold weather when we had a really cold spell where it stayed around or below freezing for days. Everyone told me the chickens would be fine as long as they did not get wet. They did great, but I had to keep extra waterers around and switch them out frequently because they froze. Not sure there's a need to run electricity to a coop.

 

[Sydney65]

Last winter I was worried about my chickens being outside in the cold weather when we had a really cold spell where it stayed around or below freezing for days. Everyone told me the chickens would be fine as long as they did not get wet. They did great, but I had to keep extra waterers around and switch them out frequently because they froze. Not sure there's a need to run electricity to a coop.

Quite a few folks ended up with frostbite issues after that, which is more of a moisture issue than heat. Considering it's Oct and my garden is still going strong, hard telling what we'll get this year, but I like to be prepared. I expected crowding issues to be my concern, but fate took care of that. Not sure 3 birds can generate enough body heat if we go through that again. But yeah, last year, they weren't happy, but survived just fine.

 

[KyCoop]

I too keep extra 1.5 gallon waterers. We had a weekend where it didn't get out of the teens and I had a waterer out with them, one full ready to go in the house and one thawing in the bath tub all weekend long. It was not an ideal situation changing water every 2 hrs, but we made it through.
We do have a coop warmer for when it gets below freezing. We do run it on a GFI extension cord and keep a close eye on it. We also have a coop cam. The warmer can only keep it about 10 degrees warmer then it is outside, but my husband insisted we have one. He is from Florida and thinks every living thing is freezing to death if its below 50 LOL.

 

[Sydney65]

I’m not sure taping is necessary, but if you want to have them tapped perhaps electrical tape would be best?
Also, if you want to be sure the cord won’t fall you could secure it with cord holders and self tapping screws. Then just seal up the outside with jb weld to keep water out.
My coops being grain bins are that same wavy steel. Self tappers can handle going through it pretty well.

Good idea. My carpentry skills aren't that advanced yet, never even though of that. I ended up redoing it so it runs outside of the coop again inside of a milk jug and hanging from a Shepard's hook. Think I'll still toss a bucket over the top of that though. I think that atleast keeps the point of spark out of the coop,and then the safety should kick it off and set off the alarm.
Still looking at bins; supposedly after the stone is placed on this last side of house, the coop is next, but his attention tends to get diverted. Plus am concerned abt him installing it, safety-wise. He slid off while doing the roof,and that was 3 yrs of multiple surgeries. Lesson learned, Superman is not invincible.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I too keep extra 1.5 gallon waterers. We had a weekend where it didn't get out of the teens and I had a waterer out with them, one full ready to go in the house and one thawing in the bath tub all weekend long. It was not an ideal situation changing water every 2 hrs, but we made it through.
We do have a coop warmer for when it gets below freezing. We do run it on a GFI extension cord and keep a close eye on it. We also have a coop cam. The warmer can only keep it about 10 degrees warmer then it is outside, but my husband insisted we have one. He is from Florida and thinks every living thing is freezing to death if its below 50 LOL.

I’m (kinda) from Florida too! I empathize with your hubby…

 

[Sydney65]

I too keep extra 1.5 gallon waterers. We had a weekend where it didn't get out of the teens and I had a waterer out with them, one full ready to go in the house and one thawing in the bath tub all weekend long. It was not an ideal situation changing water every 2 hrs, but we made it through.
We do have a coop warmer for when it gets below freezing. We do run it on a GFI extension cord and keep a close eye on it. We also have a coop cam. The warmer can only keep it about 10 degrees warmer then it is outside, but my husband insisted we have one. He is from Florida and thinks every living thing is freezing to death if its below 50 LOL.

Right, it's abt enough to warm their feet up, but they appreciated it last Feb. We did get them a dbl walled heated waterer. Best investment ever, no leaks, no ice, and doesn't kick on until it needs to.

 

[Sydney65]

I’m not sure taping is necessary, but if you want to have them tapped perhaps electrical tape would be best?
Also, if you want to be sure the cord won’t fall you could secure it with cord holders and self tapping screws. Then just seal up the outside with jb weld to keep water out.
My coops being grain bins are that same wavy steel. Self tappers can handle going through it pretty well.

Technically, the cord wouldn't have fallen. I was thinking of covering with tape for safety from goons messing with cords. The tape is tough, it's 3" wide and stronger than normal duct tape, as in don't get your finger caught in it thinking you can yank it back out.

 

[NatJ]

Yes, last Feb when windchill was -25 @times.

But that only matters for people or birds that are IN the wind.

I assume your birds have a place to get out of the wind, so they are only dealing with the other temperatures you listed. 18° is much warmer than -25°.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Good idea. My carpentry skills aren't that advanced yet, never even though of that. I ended up redoing it so it runs outside of the coop again inside of a milk jug and hanging from a Shepard's hook. Think I'll still toss a bucket over the top of that though. I think that atleast keeps the point of spark out of the coop,and then the safety should kick it off and set off the alarm.
Still looking at bins; supposedly after the stone is placed on this last side of house, the coop is next, but his attention tends to get diverted. Plus am concerned abt him installing it, safety-wise. He slid off while doing the roof,and that was 3 yrs of multiple surgeries. Lesson learned, Superman is not invincible.

I’m trying to envision the milk bucket… Is that to provide a weatherproof site to join and extension cord and the heater cord? If so, I recently purchased these for their purpose. The suitcase one for a semi-permanent connection and the black one for temporary connections…

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006EUHS96?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08CMY4SJG?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title