Heating my chicken house - the solution,

I have been looking around to find something to heat my chicken house with since I noticed that my rooster Sophie was actually shivering in the cold. A heat lamp inside the chicken house wasn't a very good choice because it is just too bright and the chickens had a hard time settling down. I found a dog house heater, but that was basically just a metal box to cover the heat bulb. I almost placed an order for it when I came across these ceramic heat emitters that are used for reptiles and other small animals that need heat but not extra light. I have ordered a few and have been using one inside the chicken house now for several days. What I noticed since using it is that the chickens go inside the house earlier even when I have some bright lights outside for them after dark. Several times when I opened the door in the morning I found Sophie the rooster sitting right under the heat emitter, and the times he was already outside some of the hens were sitting under it, so it seems it is a winner.

I also have some heat lamps inside my little barn and I open that up in the evening and mornings for them also, so they can hang out in a larger place inside where their feet don't get so cold. What I noticed when they walk around in the morning when there is some ice on the ground or it is simply very cold, they spend a lot of time standing on one leg. Since they don't normally do that I assume that this is how they try to minimize exposure to the cold ground.

Bella and Tippi enjoying a cold morning, note the ice that covers the greenery.

Both Sophie and Bella are standing on one leg as there is a layer of ice on the ground.

Bella my Golden Campine hen. She is a very independant little soul, she is all over the place, checking out the different areas in the barn which requires for her to fly up on the dividers. She spends part of her days in the goat pen where she can forage without competition, but I noticed today that Tobi has picked up on that and goes in there now too. She hasn't figured out yet how to get back out. Bella gets in and out all day now.

My big boy Sophie, I know it's a funny name for a rooster, but he was supposed to be a hen. He seems to know his name as he usually comes running in his dinosaur kind of way when I call him, and what does he care about his name being a girl's name anyway. He is a very special guy.

Winterizing the chicken coop,

when it was around 20 degrees last week I noticed that Sophie my rooster was shivering. Up until then I was under the impression that chickens were fairly cold tolerant. But clearly he was cold. I have since then bought some more heat lamps, red and clear heat bulbs and a heated water bowl. A heat lamp keeps the chicken house temperature well above freezing, but the problem with the heat bulbs is that they give out bright light, and the chickens were constantly moving about and seemed to have a hard time settling down. I think I found the solution in ceramic heat emitters. I ordered them 2 days ago, so I am hoping to get them next week.

the above picture shows the outside heat lamp in the corner of the coop, if they want to warm up they can sit in that area. I have also added a lot of fresh straw on the ground. The chickens still like to scratch in that white utility sink that I always fill with fresh hay. The small coolers do keep the water pretty much from freezing if I add hot water in the evening. The temperature has been as low as 18 degrees and the water was not frozen in the coolers, but it was frozen in other containers. The concrete block allows the chickens to get up and drink from the cooler, but sometimes they just drink without getting on the block. I use a black plastic pallet to raise their food bowls, that way the hay and straw doesn't get so much into it, and the waste food isn't on the ground. In the corner I still have the little table with more food bowls. Chickens peck a lot at each other and always fight over the best places at the food bowl, so by offering several bowls it cuts down on the pecking. for now I have a heat lamp in the chicken house, but when I get the ceramic emitters I will put one of those in there, they don't give off any light, so I can heat the chicken house at night without having the light on. The picture also shows the heated water bowl on the right. I had it out the first time last night and the water was a nice temperature in the morning. This will help as I won't have to run out first thing in the morning anymore to add hot water to their bowls. All the lights are on timers, so they come on and turn off automatically. Which is great when I come home from work after dark, everything is on timers so the lights come on and turn off automaticall.

a few weeks ago I found some nice thick branches, they make nice perches for the chickens. The straw is a favorite for now and in the background is the pool with the hay. I usually throw some sunflower seeds into the pool and the sink so when they scratch in the hay they find some goodies.

The crate and the old piece of furniture make nice places to crawl into or sit on top. So looks like we are doing okay now for the winter.