Yet another question: Chicken coop heat

[member 615286]

2 8-week EE and Welsummer.
Temps are in the teens tonight and dropping to single digits next week.
I have a heat source in there now (producers pride brooder/heater flat panel) that I can’t regulate the temp with.

Temp outside is 20F/in coop is 40F right now and I anticipate will stay consistent through the night.

My question, when they hop out in the morning to 18F, is this too drastic of a change in temp for them (40-18F?), If so any suggestions?
(Run is protected as much as I could from elements/drafts but there are still drafts and they have appeared cold in recent days and have wondered if I should keep them in the coop (it’s just so small).

I’m super curious if there is a better heating option I can look into. One where I can regulate the temp to 30s for infrequent extra cold nights when a little heat could help).
The coop is small (10 sq ft, It was originally built for bantams). Would love to hear any suggestions!

Thanks as always

Update, turned off heat. Coop
Temp should
Slowly decrease from 40 to teens/outdoor temp tonight
thanks for the input

 

[Lady of McCamley]

This is the main reason I went to exclusively hen brooding and hatching. The safety of heating a brooder/coop. I'm so glad you aren't trying to heat with a heat lamp. I personally burned a coop down using a flood lamp to transition young pullets into a coop during a cold snap. I had outdoor rated flood lamp hanging from the coop rafter with a brand new outdoor rated extension cord. The dust created in the coop ignited and started a blaze that burned the whole coop down in minutes (like a Roman candle). I've had 2 other friends do the same thing.

So anytime I hear someone heating an outdoor coop (unless I misunderstand), my skin crawls. At 8 weeks, they should be close to being fully feathered and being weaned off the heat plate and able to handle the cold. I can tell you that chicks don't need as much heat as everyone thinks they do. My winter hatched broody hen chicks are running around in their little down jackets by day 3 or 4 using momma as only a warming hutch in temps similar to what you are saying. As long as the chicks are out of direct weather, they are wonderful.

I know others on here use the momma heating pad, and this plate *sounds* like it may be similar, but I Googled it and repeatedly the manufacturer states do not let the chicks come in contact with the heating plate. My question is...how hot does that plate actually get....does it get hot enough to ignite poultry dust?

Just a heads up. It sounds like this system has been working safely. I would just add that you may wish to rethink how warm you actually need to keep those fully feathered 8 week old pullets. You are probably overheating them now.

My thoughts.
LofMc

 

[member 615286]

This is the main reason I went to exclusively hen brooding and hatching. The safety of heating a brooder/coop. I'm so glad you aren't trying to heat with a heat lamp. I personally burned a coop down using a flood lamp to transition young pullets into a coop during a cold snap. I had outdoor rated flood lamp hanging from the coop rafter with a brand new outdoor rated extension cord. The dust created in the coop ignited and started a blaze that burned the whole coop down in minutes (like a Roman candle). I've had 2 other friends do the same thing.

So anytime I hear someone heating an outdoor coop (unless I misunderstand), my skin crawls. At 8 weeks, they should be close to being fully feathered and being weaned off the heat plate and able to handle the cold. I can tell you that chicks don't need as much heat as everyone thinks they do. My winter hatched broody hen chicks are funning around in their little down jackets by day 3 or 4 using momma as only a warming hutch in temps similar to what you are saying. As long as the chicks are out of direct weather, they are wonderful.

I know others on here use the momma heating pad, and this plate *sounds* like it may be similar, but I Googled it and repeatedly the manufacturer states do not let the chicks come in contact with the heating plate. My question is...how hot does that plate actually get....does it get hot enough to ignite poultry dust?

Just a heads up. It sounds like this system has been working safely. I would just add that you may wish to rethink how warm you actually need to keep those fully feathered 8 week old pullets. You are probably overheating them now.

My thoughts.
LofMc

Thank you! They have been weened off heat for weeks
In a previous thread a few weeks back i was Advised by a few different members to add a little heat, (it was sub zero at night during the storm)
And someone suggested I add heat below 30 (but on second thought this isn’t right, I know they can tolerate much lower at this age). I should maybe go turn the plate off ?
Being young still and looking/sounding cold today, just wanted to check!

I feel confident the heater plate is not a fire hazard tho I don’t like and haven’t used the heater setting bc it becomes too hot to touch, (to me this doesn’t seem safe).
I was using it for brooding and then on the brooder setting this winter for the solo bantam left with no one to snuggle (she’s use it when it dropped to single digits)
Learning all over about standard breeds now!!
Im more concerned about the coop being too hot and why I keep checking on it.
Do you advise I go turn it off for the night? (It’ll be 13F) I think maybe I Should…

Thank you!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

If they have a cozy coop and each other to snuggle, and handling day temps at below 30, I'd stop heating. It isn't good to have them artificially warmed too much.

I know people in Alaska with unheated coops, as long as the coop is draft free.

My thoughts...but I don't live in prolonged frigid temps. I do however deal with constant rain and wild temp dips with no problems. I've only lost 1 bird to the cold who foolishly chose the spot directly in front of the coop opening on a frigid blustery night instead of roosting

 

[member 615286]

If they have a cozy coop and each other to snuggle, and handling day temps at below 30, I'd stop heating. It isn't good to have them artificially warmed too much.

I know people in Alaska with unheated coops, as long as the coop is draft free.

My thoughts...but I don't live in prolonged frigid temps. I do however deal with constant rain and wild temp dips with no problems. I've only lost 1 bird to the cold who foolishly chose the spot directly in front of the coop opening on a frigid blustery night instead of roosting

Poor silly bird!
I am relatively new to chickens and did my best to follow guidelines with venting and preventing drafts building the coop but am still not certain I nailed it regarding drafts.
The venting I put high in the little coop for bantams but now that I have the 2 standards in the little coop, who roost I’m thinking I need to block the bottom of the two large window vents I’m concerned it’ll be too drafty for them … work in progress

Thank you!

 

[member 615286]

If they have a cozy coop and each other to snuggle, and handling day temps at below 30, I'd stop heating. It isn't good to have them artificially warmed too much.

I know people in Alaska with unheated coops, as long as the coop is draft free.

My thoughts...but I don't live in prolonged frigid temps. I do however deal with constant rain and wild temp dips with no problems. I've only lost 1 bird to the cold who foolishly chose the spot directly in front of the coop opening on a frigid blustery night instead of roosting

Hi again!
Temps are dropping below zero(!!)
I posted another thread asking about keeping them in their (small only10sq ft) coop…

And again about heat….
Any additional thoughts for me to consider with these temps the next few days?
The heater plate is not a fire hazard tho it is very hot to the touch (I agree with manufacturer chickens should not be touching it on heater setting)…
Thanks again for your insights

 

[Lady of McCamley]

All I can suggest is that chickens are amazingly cold hardy as long as there are no direct drafts.

Fluff up the bedding. Make sure their food and water doesn't freeze and the heater can't set anything on fire. I'm sure they'll be fine if there are no breezes going through. Mine have survived zero degree snaps just fine. Then back up to the 40s again.



LofMc

 

[member 615286]

All I can suggest is that chickens are amazingly cold hardy as long as there are no direct drafts.

Fluff up the bedding. Make sure their food and water doesn't freeze and the heater can't set anything on fire. I'm sure they'll be fine if there are no breezes going through. Mine have survived zero degree snaps just fine. Then back up to the 40s again.



LofMc

Yours have been ok with zero degree cold snaps this young yes?
it’s their age that concerns me

I will figure out water if it’s advised I keep them in the coop the next couple of days with it dropping below zero (my run water is heated).
They have appeared cold in the run in recent days and have not gone back to their coop.
So maybe I leave them in there? It’s just so small

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Likely they will be fine, though of course I can't promise anything.

All I can say is I burned a coop down worrying over young pullets "hardening" to the cold snap after they'd been out in the coop for at least a month. And, I broody hen hatch, and the little babes are running around in their down jackets only using momma as a warming hutch from day 3 forward...so I've learned they generally can take care of themselves as long as they've got a nice hutch, plenty of fluffy bedding, no cold drafts, no direct weather.

Just my experience.
LofMc

 

[member 615286]

Likely they will be fine, though of course I can't promise anything.

All I can say is I burned a coop down worrying over young pullets "hardening" to the cold snap after they'd been out in the coop for at least a month. And, I broody hen hatch, and the little babes are running around in their down jackets only using momma as a warming hutch from day 3 forward...so I've learned they generally can take care of themselves as long as they've got a nice hutch, plenty of fluffy bedding, no cold drafts, no direct weather.

Just my experience.
LofMc

That’s scary and I hear it happens a lot

No heat lamps here.
Just the flat panel
Working to determine whether to keep them in there the next few days (and with heat or not)
Thanks for your insights
I turned it on just to see how hot it gets the small space
30F after a few hours (14F outside at the moment). I understand they don’t need this much heat.
The space is small, there are some little cracks so not fully draft free
Under a huge roofed run tho, no elements..
So 9 weeks sub zero windy and only two birds in a little coop…
Ill figure out water next (it’s heated in the run, not in the coop should they be kept inside).

Thanks again