Heating my coop with a seedling heat mat and a thermostat

[ezicash]

I used a smaller one last year and it only went on when the temp went below freezing so since I already have their water on this thermostate I added a seedling heat pad and placed it in the coop with newspaper on top and then hay on top of the newspaper. It does not get hot just warm - I use these mats to start my seeds in the spring so now I get to use in the winter and the spring. Anyone else ever use this heating system?

I have a 3 chicken coop so not very big and I keep their slider door open so there is plenty of air flow.
Temp will be below 20 tonight so just getting ready and my 2 girls are molting of all times to molt and have very little feathers to keep them warm. This picture was at the beginning of her molting since then she lost much more and the other girl started molting a week after Pearl.

 

[Rod-T]

You don't need to heat coop for adult chickens. . A wind break is good..

 

[ezicash]

I normally do not heat my coop but

1. both my girls are molting very bad hardly any feathers were left on their bodies
2. The weather is 7 degrees for the next 4 days

I have used my seedling heat pads before with no problems and last night I noticed both girls were sitting on the heat pad so I know they were very happy. The seedling mats just gets warm not hot and only comes on below 30 degrees.

 

[Rod-T]

Of course there happy. There on a heat mat... generally not a good idea.. since its only 7 degrees it will be on all the time...they'll be cold once they step off it.. so won't want to leave it... Chickens can handle cold... windbreaker is good.. heat pads or lamps bad..

 

[ezicash]

Well it has been over a week using my heat pad since my 2 RIR started molting and was almost bald. I shut the heat pad during the day and was plugging it back in at night and the girls were happy. They are now growing their feathers back and I have not turned the heat pad on in 3 days but until their feathers are fully grown back if temp goes into teens I will plug the heat pad back in when I put the girls to bed. One thing I do that I do not like is keep the door open in case anything happens with the heat pad so they have a way to get out....so as you know I only put on the heat pad when absolutely necessary while they are molting. Thank god it is almost done!

 

[Rod-T]

I'd taper off heat slowly.. so they can get used to climate. . Eventually you'll be good to go ...

 

[ezicash]

Thankyou, I am doing this only because they are molting other then that I do not heat at all and then even molting it has to be in the teens or below for me to turn it on. When I place my hand in there in the morning it hardly feels warm at all so I am really OK but thanks for your input.
Let them grow their feathers back before January and I am all set.