A lot of chicken owners wonder if they should add supplemental heat in the their chicken coops during the cold winter months. What is it that stops your chickens from returning to the coop? If you only have two or three hens in a large coop so their body heat won't be sufficient to keep them warm; If you have breeds that are not cold-hardy, such as silkies, polish and frizzles. Do Provide clean, dry and warm bedding - Just like any other time of year, chickens need clean and dry bedding to live on. E very year, good chicken keepers who love their pet chickens unintentionally kill them, burn down their chicken coops, barns and homes and endanger their own lives with the use of heat lamps trying to keep their chicken coops toasty-warm. Our aim is to provide the reader with information to enable them to make a good decision when making a purchase or caring for their pet. The chickens need to adapt to their winter and summer environments slowly, over a period or weeks or months. I have since learned that my chickens actually do better without the heat. Do Chicken Coops Need Heat. Chickens have a natural ability to adapt to cold conditions by fluffing up their feathers (some have feathers that are actually suited to cold weather), regulating their metabolism, and roosting together in groups to maintain body heat. The time of year that everyone starts questioning: Should I start heating the chicken coop? The answer to the question “do chickens need heat in winter?” is a complicated one, but here’s what I do. If this happens in the beginning of winter, odds are your birds won’t lay again until spring. While it’s natural to think human intervention is needed to warm up a coop during winter months, it’s often not needed. When the temperatures drop, water freezes, not excluding your water dispenser. My chicken has frostbite. Keep a small pool in the shade. Sick birds will take longer to recoup when they have to fight the cold, so keeping the coop warm will help weak birds survive a harsh winter. What Breed of Guinea Pig is the Friendliest? Sun helps to heat shingled roof during day hours unless extremely cold and run a light even then. The ideal temperature for chickens is about 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. How much light do I need to add in my coop during the winter? When a chicken perches for the night it puffs its feathers and looks quite comical. On the other hand, smaller or lighter chicken breeds generally do better in heat. But supplemental lighting for chickens will almost certainly increase egg production through the winter. On cold days they refuse to range, preferring to stay inside, which should tell you something. Then checkout the Large Omlet Chicken Coop sold in the USA here! Lee Pearce. If the heat lamp is introduced early, it can stop them from molting correctly, and it can prevent them from building up a tolerance to the cold. Are you looking for a warm and modern chicken coop for your backyard? It is important for chickens to be able to keep themselves warm in case of a … And even then, I would only heat the coop to where the temperature was just enough to not stress them out. How to keep chickens warm in winter: Do not add heat lamps. Chickens are amazing animals, and can survive some pretty harsh environments. If you have a coop that leaks air where the chickens are roosting, it can be bad for them. Chickens can get used to the heat that they get from heat lamps. In fact, chickens are better suited to dealing with cold weather than they are warm temperatures, however, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t consider their wellbeing over the cold winter months. God gave them the tools to survive. Chickens will take care of themselves quite well if properly housed and visited twice a day. Each chicken has generated enough heat to keep themselves and flock mates warm. Also, as an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. But do chickens need light at night? It’s important to allow for ventilation in the coop, but not encourage drafts. There is a huge argument amongst chicken owners on whether or not chickens need supplemental heat during winter. Alternatives to Heating. Chickens adapt to the cold weather over time. Seriously! Oh I live in the Deep South of Louisiana. To protect their feet and legs, birds usually fluff enough to encompass their legs and to guard against frostbite. What is the best location for my chicken coop? Basically, you stop the water and hold the feed and the bird’s body goes into chaos. Chicks in this natural situation are typically raised in the coop or within a sequestered area of the coop (typically a brooder crate) and do not require lights or additional heat in the coop. Besides having backyard chickens who are generous everyday with egg production I plan to heat coop during night hours alone. Air circulation is vital inside your coop. It’s easy to want to keep your chickens as warm and comfortable as possible during cold winter months, however, we often confuse our chickens’ needs with our own. In the heat of summer, chicks may require supplemental heat for only a few weeks, in very cold weather, chicks may need supplemental heat for much longer. Hutch and Cage is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk. 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