How do you heat your coops

[Rhiahl]

This is what we do with the dogs. We found they tend to chew the water heater bucket's cords Go out, turn the bucket over, give it a good kick and throw the frozen chunk over the fence. Piles of ice blocks near the kennels in Montana!

 

[Nicole01]

I use a radiator heater . I keep it on the lowest setting and this keeps my water from freezing and with the birds, heater plus a 100% ventilated coop keeps my coop at 60F.

I like the heater, it's easier to clean the coop and hang out with my flock, I'll put a chair in the coop.

 

[Cass]

great to know. How do you keep water from freezing? We get -20 to -35 degrees in January.

I use heated dog bowls. (about $20 each, cheaper at Walmart) I have electricity in my coop, cuz I am too lazy to go down in the morning, before work, to fill up waterers. So I fill the dog bowls at night, when I shut the coop up and the water is there in the morning for the birds. Now, I have a table in my coop, so I shove the dog bowls under the table to keep the poop out of them....My chickens like to look out the windows, so I put a small table in the corner for them to stand on and look outside. (And yes, they free range, but they get up with the roosters, and I don't. LOL)

 

[Minniechickmama]

I also have used the heated dog water bowls. I hate it because they get poopy and need cleaning daily. They old 96-ounces which is plenty for 10+birds for 24-hours.
This year I am trying to put together a watering system that will have heat cable and nipple waterers, but it is still in the planning stages.
For those that I don't have electricity to (separate small coops), I use the rubber pans, and at least most of the ice breaks out easy. I flip them over when I start chores if the sun is shining and even on the coldest days the black rubber heats enough to drop the ice out cleanly by the time I get to watering.

 

[karlamaria]

Ike, thanks for this.  I've never raised chickens and have decided to give it a whirl.  My husband grew up on a ranch here in Montana and keeps telling me that no heat necessary, that at the most you want a 40 - 60 watt bulb on a timer (the old ones that are hard to find) for light to keep the laying going.  He hates chickens and has told me I'm on my own.  Although, he will help with construction stuff.  The biggest problem I've seen with them in the cold here is at a local place where the "rancher" (and I use the term loosely) allows the chickens to free range, doesn't have a coop for them, never feeds them unless she throws meals scraps out the kitchen door for the turkeys, chickens and dogs to fight over, has three roosters per hen you name it, it's just not right.  I'm not sure why she has the animals   She can't find eggs, predation is horrific.  Her chickens have had their toes frozen off, the hens backs are so raw from the roosters and they peck at each other on the raw spots.  This county is SOOO bad at animal protection no help for the birds there (I've tried).  So, I was freaking about heat on those -30 degree nights.  I finally met up with a woman raising chickens a couple of weeks ago and the difference was AMAZING.  Such beautiful birds!  It's good to have confirmation on the heat issue for me.

So, the journey begins!  I'm looking forward to 5  cold weather tolerant breeds (I think Buff Orpingtons and maybe two Australorps) in the spring.  Although, I'm considering some pullets right now.  I am just not sure buying the pullets from a hatchery would be the best move.   I'm curious about how easy they would be to handle being raised at a hatchery.  

Questions, questions, questions!  I'm obviously the newbie!

Charlotte

that is a terrible chicken owner, make me sick. Call the human society. I keep twelve in a nice double insulated coop, just cause people say they do fine does not mean a little comfort for all they give is not in order. My pen is totally warped in winter, but we do keep a small window at the top of the pen uncovered for air circulation. My coop is warm, even in winter the water hardly every freezes, when it's real cold I ad a heat lamp over the water to keep it unthawed.. Then turn heat off when the temps go above 2o as the coop is much warmer then out side. I used solar windows, and my coop, and pen stay dry all winter, spring etc. I have a pen with a roof. A must to me in Montana. No shoveling snow for e, and my girls feet stay dry.

 

[Cass]

that is a terrible chicken owner, make me sick. Call the human society. I keep twelve in a nice double insulated coop, just cause people say they do fine does not mean a little comfort for all they give is not in order. My pen is totally warped in winter, but we do keep a small window at the top of the pen uncovered for air circulation. My coop is warm, even in winter the water hardly every freezes, when it's real cold I ad a heat lamp over the water to keep it unthawed.. Then turn heat off when the temps go above 2o as the coop is much warmer then out side. I used solar windows, and my coop, and pen stay dry all winter, spring etc. I have a pen with a roof. A must to me in Montana. No shoveling snow for e, and my girls feet stay dry.

That is YOUR opinion and how YOU choose to raise your birds. It is NOT how I choose to raise my birds....everyone has their own way of doing things and no one way works for every situation. Please keep that in mind when you expound upon how things should be.

 

[Fred's Hens]

That is YOUR opinion and how YOU choose to raise your birds. It is NOT how I choose to raise my birds....everyone has their own way of doing things and no one way works for every situation. Please keep that in mind when you expound upon how things should be.

 

[Rhiahl]

No Humane Society here. I was on the board of one in a county over but there is very little animal protection here. Although, my question is answered. I've come across about 6 different flock owners in the last week and none of them heat coops. All had really healthy nice birds. Some had been in the flocks for 3 or more years. Only two of the owners were keeping a light on for laying in the winter. The others are okay with decreases in laying, and that's personal preference I imagine.

My take on it all is I'm raising the animals for a purpose, feeding my family. If I feed them, I'd like a return. If not, well, later baby. I know I say that now but some bird will get under my skin and probably live in the coop and break a world's record for longevity.

Charlotte

 

[chynasparks]

Everyone has their own setup. They have their own $$ capabilities. Search this forum and you will find coops so elaborate that I'd live in it, to coops that look a tad better than a lean too. But the chickens are all fine. If you keep a draft free dry place for them they will huddle up and keep each other warm. If you keep them in a heated coop and they step out into the cold it's going to be a bit shocking. My aunt kept chickens, the stayed in a barn on the cold of winter. They managed to survive and no one thought to call the humane society. If you want to go to the expense of insulation and all, well it's your coop, go for it. I bet you'll find some well cared for peeps all over this forum, and in your own town, who don't go there, and the peeps are fine. Making assumptions of animal cruelty because they don't insulate is well, to put it bluntly, rude. It's obvious you care about your flock, that's awesome, but please don't assume others don't.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I have been around the sun 63 times.

It is not my first "Rodeo!"

Nobody "I know" heats a chicken coop.

Healthy "cold hearty" chickens die from heat not cold.

I live in Canada last year was subject to -40º (C or F take your pick) no light or heat in coop NO PROBLEMS.

Chickens have been raised on this continent for over a hundred years without heat.

If you feel you must supply heat to your chickens I suggest keeping your chickens in the house that way you can huddle with your birds when the hydro goes out.

Chickens will die from cold if not given the chance to acclimatize. Hydro is more apt to go out in an ice storm or blizzard when subject to below 0º temperatures in my opinion.

How would you supply heat then to your un-acclimatized birds ???