How to Heat Chicken Coops
If you operate a chicken coop in a climate that frequently experiences freezing temperatures it can be difficult to maintain your hens' living environment and water at an acceptable temperature during the winter. By improving your coop's insulation and installing energy efficient and chicken-safe heating devices, you can create a coop that is comfortable for your hens and easy for you to maintain. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Insulation
- Wood boards
- Hay bales
- Pine shavings or straw
- Coop heater
- Heated poultry waterer
- Thermostatically controlled outlet
Instructions
-
Coop Insluation
-
1
Line the interior of your chicken coop with insulation. Any home insulation will suffice, although 1.5 inch Styrofoam insulation is optimal as it will help with ventilation in the summer months.
-
2
Cover up all insulation on the inside of the coop with an inner wall of wooden boards. This will keep your hens from pecking at or eating the insulation.
-
-
3
Place hay bales along the exterior walls of your coop for added insulation during winter.
-
4
Line the chickens' living areas with pine shavings or straw. This will help provide the hens with extra warmth while sleeping.
Coop Heating Equipment
-
5
Install a coop heat lamp. Specialized coop heat lamps emit only heat, not light, to keep your chickens warm during their night time sleep. As of July 2010 coop heat lamps cost from $45 to $140.
-
6
Install a heated poultry waterer. This device ensures that your chickens' water maintains an adequate temperature. As of July 2010, heated poultry waterers cost about $30.
-
7
Install a thermostatically controlled power outlet. A typical model will limit your electric costs by turning on your coop's heating system when the temperature drops to 35 degrees Fahrenheit and turning it off when the temperatures reaches 45 degrees.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit galinhas na capoeira image by fran_ from Fotolia.com
