Chicken heater

[user 7704]

This is the chicken heater I made. I have a 60 watt bulb in it and it doesn't overheat and blow. Do you think it will handle a 100 watt and not overheat? It's going to be in low teens and single digits here. Thanks guys. Yea.....it does put off a little heat using the 60 watt.

 

[TexasFreedom]

I'm no fan of chicken heaters. All too often it leads to burning down the coop! Concentrated heat, dust/feathers, horrible combination.

Your idea has some good aspects. Minimizes dust around the heat source. Feel the tin, it'll be roughly the inside temperature. Swap to the 100w bulb, wait 30 minutes & check it's temp. I suspect it will not be that hot, more like barely warm in 15F weather.

A key thing, watch where the cord goes. Hens will peck it & electrocute themselves. Run it inside PVC if you can. And obviously keep the cord away from water (you would be surprised....).

The key thing is to keep the roost out of a draft, that's the #1 problem. Make sure their water doesn't freeze is also key. You can put your light under their roost, they'll appreciate the rising heat. But don't seal the coop, they still need some air exchange.

Oh, and put a heavy rock on top of it. I can see them knocking it over, rolling it around...

Good luck.

 

[user 7704]

I'm no fan of chicken heaters. All too often it leads to burning down the coop! Concentrated heat, dust/feathers, horrible combination.

Your idea has some good aspects. Minimizes dust around the heat source. Feel the tin, it'll be roughly the inside temperature. Swap to the 100w bulb, wait 30 minutes & check it's temp. I suspect it will not be that hot, more like barely warm in 15F weather.

A key thing, watch where the cord goes. Hens will peck it & electrocute themselves. Run it inside PVC if you can. And obviously keep the cord away from water (you would be surprised....).

The key thing is to keep the roost out of a draft, that's the #1 problem. Make sure their water doesn't freeze is also key. You can put your light under their roost, they'll appreciate the rising heat. But don't seal the coop, they still need some air exchange.

Oh, and put a heavy rock on top of it. I can see them knocking it over, rolling it around...

Good luck.

Thanks. The floor of the coop is all sand and I have zero paper products. I made sure that the lid cannot be removed even if knocked over , I put duct tape around the plug so that they won't shock their little beaks.

You are correct that not much heat is generated, but chickens pretty much have a down coat on so it's their feet and combs that get frostbite.

Oh, also, I don't keep water in the coop because the humidity isn't good for their respiratory systems.

You are correct that the red heat lamps cause lots of fires because the chicks brush their wings against the exposed light. Hopefully, mine has addressed these issues.

If you think of anything else, let me know. I appreciate any ideas.

 

[Mountain trapper]

My first question is; what is the heater for? Is it just for their comfort? I've never heated any of my coops before. We have weeks of single digit and lower temps here and about 4 months where it doesn't get above freezing. When we lived up north it would get even colder. The chickens have always done fine without heat. When they're cold they will huddle up on the roost and stay warm. On our new coop I put up double walls, double floor and a ceiling and covered the windows with plastic. And we use pine shavings on the floor. Our friends in Alaska used a heat lamp in their coop, even though it wasn't necessary. But it made them feel better. If you are going to use any kind of heat light, make sure you hang it above their reach. You might also want to add a reflector in order to direct the heat downwards.

 

[user 7704]

My first question is; what is the heater for? Is it just for their comfort? I've never heated any of my coops before. We have weeks of single digit and lower temps here and about 4 months where it doesn't get above freezing. When we lived up north it would get even colder. The chickens have always done fine without heat. When they're cold they will huddle up on the roost and stay warm. On our new coop I put up double walls, double floor and a ceiling and covered the windows with plastic. And we use pine shavings on the floor. Our friends in Alaska used a heat lamp in their coop, even though it wasn't necessary. But it made them feel better. If you are going to use any kind of heat light, make sure you hang it above their reach. You might also want to add a reflector in order to direct the heat downwards.

Arctic I know chickens are in greater danger from Summer heat than Winter cold, but ok just wanted to give them a little something to take the chill off. I would never use a hanging light because of the fire danger. (See figure A) lol. I saw someone had used a cookie tin ans put a bulb in it to put the water on so it wouldn't freeze and I thought I would take it up a notch.

 

[Maverick]

I generally only use hay, hell of an insulator. Chickens are pretty resilience, as long as they aren't exposed to the elements they will be fine, mine stayed in the coup when it was -10 outside the coup and had no heat. Adding heat only helps in aiding egg production. In -10 temps outside I was still getting eggs without heat just not at summer levels by a large margin.

 

[TexasFreedom]

I'll echo what others have said: hens really don't need heat.

But I've had this discussion so many times (hundreds? seriously), I don't try to convince people to not put some heat in there. I think people 'think' they need to do something, and if a little heat makes them feel better then so be it. The hens swat down on their legs to protect them. They tuck their beaks under their wings, problems solved.

The one thing I'll repeat again about your design is that I'd put the cord inside a PVC pipe. You said you tape the plug on so they don't half unplug it. That's only part of it. They can peck normal insulated wire & get to the copper. PVC will prevent that. And again, a weight on top. Even just a cinder block.

Now here's a true story where shelter matters. A cousin's best friend has a massive beef ranch in the midwest. A couple of years ago in a bad storm (-10F?) one of his prize bulls was outside and his scrotum froze. Yeah, ouch in a whole new way. He went from a $70,000 bull to slaughterhouse beef. True story... and I can hear you guys replying with 100 jokes. Have fun but please keep it clean guys, I'm just relaying animal care issues.

 

[user 7704]

I'm getting 1 or 2 eggs per day out of 11 ladies.

As to the hay. They now say hay is very bad for chickens. I've seen autopsies and the ladies died from these huge wads of hay stuck in their crops. Disgusting.

I always used shredded newspapers because we get 2 or 3 per day. I stopped because I wanted to try the heater and was afraid of a piece of paper getting on the bulb.

If I decide to forego the heater idea, I'll go back to the nests filled with newspapers.

 

[user 7704]

And dang for the bull. My grandmother had one "try" to jump a fence to get to a lady and ripped his open on the barbed wire.

I was about 5, but still remember it.

 

[Maverick]

Wow, never lost a hen using hay. This the first of hearing of it? ....perplexed

 

[user 7704]

Wow, never lost a hen using hay. This the first of hearing of it? ....perplexed

Yeah. The pictures are just a big wad of undigested hay that was stuck .

 

[Mountain trapper]

I'm getting 1 or 2 eggs per day out of 11 ladies.

As to the hay. They now say hay is very bad for chickens. I've seen autopsies and the ladies died from these huge wads of hay stuck in their crops. Disgusting.

I always used shredded newspapers because we get 2 or 3 per day. I stopped because I wanted to try the heater and was afraid of a piece of paper getting on the bulb.

If I decide to forego the heater idea, I'll go back to the nests filled with newspapers.

We used to use straw for the floor in the coop and in the nest boxes. Now we put down pine shavings on the floor. The shavings seem to do a better job than straw. My wife lined the nest boxes with AstroTurf. Now the hens can't kick out the straw and risk broken eggs.
We're getting 9-11 eggs a day from 26 hens. They just started laying around the first of the month.

 

[Psalm7]

My Family has lived in this area of the Country since the 1760's and have never used a heater for outside animals . Shelter and blocking the wind off of them is enough . Keep them fed if it stays below freezing for days and thier water will not thaw enough for them to drink I will soak whole corn in a bucket of water overnight and feed to chickens . Also keep a small water container to dump ice and fill with water .

 

[Gazrok]

I'd just hang a 100 watt with a reflector, out of their reach, running the cord along the top of the coop. Solves all of those problems. We also use straw. I've never heard of that death issue before, from anyone I know who does this. I only put the light up on really cold days, it's a clip up light. I don't really think it's necessary, but makes the wife feel better, so I do it. As mentioned, they pretty much all just huddle up and use shared body warmth. I do have a little section of the coop where the wind is blocked off, and their perching poles are there too.

 

[user 7704]

I'd just hang a 100 watt with a reflector, out of their reach, running the cord along the top of the coop. Solves all of those problems. We also use straw. I've never heard of that death issue before, from anyone I know who does this. I only put the light up on really cold days, it's a clip up light. I don't really think it's necessary, but makes the wife feel better, so I do it. As mentioned, they pretty much all just huddle up and use shared body warmth. I do have a little section of the coop where the wind is blocked off, and their perching poles are there too.

Oh that's so dangerous. They fly up and their wing hits it and ............ All I did is put the reflector in the tin canister and drilled holes in it for a little heat to escape. I made sure they can't open the lid and touch the bulb.

I don't even use the bulbs and reflectors for the baby chicks. I bought the Ecoglow that is warm and they just get under it if they get chilled. I really like using it.

 

[user 7704]

I agree that it's probably unnecessary for the ladies because they have all the down

Summer heat is much more dangerous to them.

 

[Gazrok]

So far, never had an issue with them wanting to fly up into the bulb. And it's not near their perch poles. just angled that way.

Of course, I only use it about 4 or so days during the year, when it's below 45 degrees. And that's only because the wife insists on it. I really wouldn't do it otherwise. Completely unnecessary.

for the summer heat, I have a fan on the outside of the coop.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Oh that's so dangerous. They fly up and their wing hits it and ............ All I did is put the reflector in the tin canister and drilled holes in it for a little heat to escape. I made sure they can't open the lid and touch the bulb.

I don't even use the bulbs and reflectors for the baby chicks. I bought the Ecoglow that is warm and they just get under it if they get chilled. I really like using it.

We've always used heat lamps for brooders before and never had a problem. Then the wife bought a new (to me) brooder like you're describing. The chicks can get under it if cold, and I think it makes them feel safer too. Ours has adjustable legs to keep up with their growth.

 

[Psalm7]

When We use a incubator to hatch eggs and set up a brooder We use a heat lamp after chicks are moved to the chicken house . We use the one with the clamp and shield rated for heat bulb . After chicks are quail size they dont need a heat source just protection from varmits and shelter .

 

[DrHenley]

What would the problem be with using a ceramic heater? There is no fire hazard, and most have a thermostat you could set way down low. Then when it's warm it's just a fan to keep the air moving (set on manual fan speed).

I used one in the shop when I had my reloading stuff there precisely because there was no fire hazard...which was important because of the powder and primers.

 

[Psalm7]

I knew a guy in East TN in the Smokies that used a regular space heater in a walk in brooder for years . He always had a big flock of birds . When chicks are just hatched I use a regular liht bulb over them about 3 ft away to keep a steady heat until they get their wing feathers and move out to their teenager pen .

 

[user 7704]

What would the problem be with using a ceramic heater? There is no fire hazard, and most have a thermostat you could set way down low. Then when it's warm it's just a fan to keep the air moving (set on manual fan speed).

I used one in the shop when I had my reloading stuff there precisely because there was no fire hazard...which was important because of the powder and primers.

I have no idea. We have very few days with Temps below 30 or so. That' the only times I will use mine.

I'll Google the heater and see what other chicken say.

 

[user 7704]

I knew a guy in East TN in the Smokies that used a regular space heater in a walk in brooder for years . He always had a big flock of birds . When chicks are just hatched I use a regular liht bulb over them about 3 ft away to keep a steady heat until they get their wing feathers and move out to their teenager pen .

I always used a red heat bulb on the chicks when they were still in the house. Now I use the Ecoglow and love it. Not afraid to leave home with it.

 

[user 7704]

We've always used heat lamps for brooders before and never had a problem. Then the wife bought a new (to me) brooder like you're describing. The chicks can get under it if cold, and I think it makes them feel safer too. Ours has adjustable legs to keep up with their growth.

That' the one I have too. I really like it.

 

[Psalm7]

I always used a red heat bulb on the chicks when they were still in the house. Now I use the Ecoglow and love it. Not afraid to leave home with it.

I use the red heat bulb with shield after they move outside . They get closer or further away from it as they want to . They like to stretch out under it and nap then get up and scratch n play .
After they are quail size they do not need a heat sorce anymore .

 

[user 7704]

I use the red heat bulb with shield after they move outside . They get closer or further away from it as they want to . They like to stretch out under it and nap then get up and scratch n play .
After they are quail size they do not need a heat sorce anymore .

They are the number one cause of coop fires. Chicken dust and feathers

 

[Psalm7]

Never heard of a coop fire . Guess some Folks are careless . I do know of a barn fire . Guy going to burn a brush pile and unknown to him a hen had a nest in it . She set on her eggs as long as she could then flew out blazing and flew straight into his barn setting it on fire . Being full of hay it burt to the ground in miniutes .

 

[user 7704]

Never heard of a coop fire . Guess some Folks are careless . I do know of a barn fire . Guy going to burn a brush pile and unknown to him a hen had a nest in it . She set on her eggs as long as she could then flew out blazing and flew straight into his barn setting it on fire . Being full of hay it burt to the ground in miniutes .

Dang.

 

[user 7704]

Update..... this little beauty is actually putting out enough heat to take the bite out of the cold snap.

Need the small cookie tin one to keep my water from freezing. Having to water at least 5 times per day.