Why are people so convinced that chickens need heat?

[talkinboutchickens]

My mom came out this last weekend to see the chicken coop I built.

I told my wife, watch, the first thing she asks about will be heat.

And sure enough, it was "But won't they get cold?!"

I explain that no, chickens don't need heat, its more important they have good ventilation and a dry coop.

Then of course its "But my friends have chickens and they keep a heat lamp in their coop all winter!"

ok? So? Your friends clearly haven't actually done any research and are wasting money and will have dead chickens if they have cold weather and a power outage and chickens that aren't acclimated to the cold.

It just seems like the first thing every single person asks me when they find out I have chickens, is about heating the coop. Then when I explain they don't need it, they immediately argue with me like I don't know what I'm talking about.

I don't get it.

I agree to your statement. Someone I know in NH once used a heat lamp in her coop when it was below freezing and her coop burned down There are safe alternatives.
#1 is a giant heat plate heater that your chickens can stand in front of. Still, they might die because they go in shock when they go outside where it is below freezing or however that works.
Here's one from Chickcozy:

#2: insulate your coop more- use more bedding, add more fiberglass in between the walls. Maybe use an automatic chicken door to not let cold air in at night. Or you can close the door manually at night.
#3: do research on other alternatives

 

[Debbie292d]

Since you’re all talking about heating the coop or not, do you think that frizzles might need heat? Just a question out of curiosity.

If you can see skin, or blow on them and their skin is exposed, then yes.

Those that make blanket statements that "chickens don't need heat" need to change that to "My chickens don't need heat" or "Most chickens don't need heat," because they have no clue what other people have out there.

Having a couple of frizzles was the initial reason why we bought a heater for our coop, but that has since evolved into more reasons, like they stay healthier, no hauling water, no frozen eggs or wattles, etc.

A lot of people when they hear "heated coops" mistakenly think it's a sauna in there. Ours and most are kept just above freezing is all.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Since you’re all talking about heating the coop or not, do you think that frizzles might need heat? Just a question out of curiosity.

Some do, some don't, just like silliest and other breeds. They can't trap heat as effectively, so it depends on your climate

 

[alinas2010]

I agree with @Debbie292d - there is a time and a place for heat. Everyone does things differently and if it works for you and can be done safely I think it’s fine. I have no problem providing ours with a bit of heat in the bitter cold or when they’re having a rough molt. If our power goes out for too long in the winter and it’s too cold (like negatives), (which has happened to us on a -30f night nonetheless!), our flock comes inside in the utility room in the basement bc I know they’re accustomed to warmer conditions. Easy to do with a small backyard flock.

If you’re going to choose to use heat, I think the important thing is just to weigh the pros and cons and have a plan for mitigating the potential risks that could occur - such as a power outage. You’ll never stop everyone from providing heat to their chickens, so might as well just try to inform people of how to safely do it and things to think about.

 

[Debbie292d]

I agree with @Debbie292d - there is a time and a place for heat. Everyone does things differently and if it works for you and can be done safely I think it’s fine. I have no problem providing ours with a bit of heat in the bitter cold or when they’re having a rough molt. If our power goes out for too long in the winter and it’s too cold (like negatives), (which has happened to us on a -30f night nonetheless!), our flock comes inside in the utility room in the basement bc I know they’re accustomed to warmer conditions. Easy to do with a small backyard flock.

If you’re going to choose to use heat, I think the important thing is just to weigh the pros and cons and have a plan for mitigating the potential risks that could occur - such as a power outage. You’ll never stop everyone from providing heat to their chickens, so might as well just try to inform people of how to safely do it and things to think about.

You said this so eloquently and spot on!

When people ask about heaters for coops, I always recommend the radiant kind like Cozy Coop or Sweeter Heaters that can be placed in a location that the chickens can sit by or under if they get chilled. They do not heat the coop, just the chickens near or under them, and they're safe.

That said, we heat the coop with a thin oil-filled radiant heater (NewAir) that can keep it to 40F on nearly its lowest setting even in sub-zero temps. We had to turn it up during the polar vortex though. Like the others above, it shuts off if tipped over, but this is secured so it can't. It's been eight years for that one and still going. In the temp/breeding coops, we have Cozy Coop heaters in their hutches. The longest one of those lasted was five years. All of these are low-wattage.

 

[Penpal]

I also agree with Debbie292d. The annoyance is when people assume they know how to take care of livestock when they've never had any and don't know anyone else who has any.

When newbies ask about heating the coop, it's best to first answer with "What breed of chickens do you want?"

Most chickens and ducks in most climates do not need supplemental heat. We just have to remember is "most" is not "all".

 

[skeeeter]

Hi, If yall've read the old poultry books, you'd have noticed that the old farmers rejected many european breeds of chickens as "too delicate for our climate".
The breeds they accepted as "hardy" were: American Breeds such as Dominiques, Rocks, Javas, Reds; British breeds such as Sussex, Orpintons, Australorps; Asiastics such as Brahmas, Cochins and Langshans.
Some "newer" breeds: Buckeyes, Hollands and Chanteclers(I know I spelt that wrong, sorry.) were also "declared" hardy.
The above breeds lived and thrived without heat, and ate snow or shaved ice in winter.
Other breeds, the "delicate" ones, were housed, fed and taken care of differently.
That said, there are varying degrees of hardiness in breeds of chicken.
I suppose it all depends on where you are and what you have.
If I were living in "Frozen World", I too, would consider keeping my coop just above freezing for those breeds considered "Not Hardy".
If I saw my fowl showing signs of "going to freeze to death" I WOULD take measures, even if they were "just livestock".
The good stockman cares for his flock. Perhaps if mine was just a commercial venture, I would quickly change breeds to a hardier one if more care were costlier than I could afford.

 

[Suzz]

It’s the same thing with horses I live in rural Minnesota a lot of people blanket their horses which is completely unnecessary the best coat they could possibly have is the coat nature gave them and once they are blanketed for a certain amount of time they have to stay that way because their coats have been crushed down there are a lot of people who have a hard time accepting animals existed fine without human intervention for a long time

 

[Debbie292d]

It’s the same thing with horses I live in rural Minnesota a lot of people blanket their horses which is completely unnecessary the best coat they could possibly have is the coat nature gave them and once they are blanketed for a certain amount of time they have to stay that way because their coats have been crushed down there are a lot of people who have a hard time accepting animals existed fine without human intervention for a long time

I grew up in rural Minnesota and now live in Wisconsin, and know a few horse owners in Canada. Blankets are used for nights like tonight and tomorrow when wind chill is going to be -16 and -25 relatively, if the horses were going to be out in that at all. If in their shelters, they take them off. We just kept ours tied in the shelter if it was this bad out.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Our horses have to be blanketed for some nights, we've learned the hard way with one mare who colics when it gets below -20 if she has no blanket, regardless of if she's in her stall or not.