Question Heat in the Coop or Not?

[thejonesboy]

I've noticed a few of you are using the flat panel heater in your coops.

Who heats their coop? and do you heat all winter or just on extreme days?

[KimChick]

No heat for our birds. However, they are in an enclosure in the barn, not outside. And we blocked the spaces between the barn boards with feed bags stapled to them to keep out some of the blowing snow. Also in the barn is a hen house accessible through a little opening. The nighttime roosts and nesting boxes are in there.
I'm glad we did that, considering the low temps this winter. Plus we did not want to shovel snow inside the outdoor enclosures.

[Killerbunny]

It's on a thermostat set at 5degrees. That is enough on cold days to take the edge off.

[thejonesboy]

@Killerbunny do you use a flat panel heater?

[Killerbunny]

Yes, we use the ceramic kind - they are 400w. We got them at Home Depot a while ago. They are easier to clean than the metal ones.

[WLLady]

no heat here.....

[Ontario Chick]

No heat here, it's tough love all around.
Insulated barn and heated water dishes is all that we provide, BUT we only keep LF "working" birds, so ability to adjust to varied conditions is part of their job. :)

[Jaye]

I have a ceramic flat panel heater in the chicken coop and an electric hen in the quail house. They get turned on at night when the temps go below -20C when there's no wind, and -15C when there is, especially if the temps have been in the extreme range even during the day and for more than a few days in a row. Both the electric hen and the flat panel heater take the edge off, but not enough to raise the temps inside the coop significantly when the mercury has dipped to -20C and beyond. At -15C, the temperature inside the coop can be raised by about 5-7 degrees, but at -20C maybe only 2-3 degrees. The flat panel heater is installed on an inside wall near the roosts though, so they do get the benefit of being in close proximity to the radiant heat source.

[Epona]

No heat here. They are in an old run in that we closed up pretty tight. Empty water at night or it will freeze. Made sure the perches were the right type so they totally cover their feet at night.

[kenya]

No heat for the chickens in the barn but my silkies are more needy and some get heat, they are in my garage.