# hen house heat ?



## farmboy (Jun 3, 2013)

I have a 10ft x 12ft hen,house I , will have about twenty birds in it this winter, do I need to heat it in any way ? currently there is no electricity to it but that isnt an issue .


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## Patman75 (Jan 11, 2012)

No. Just make sure there are no drafts. A heated water base is nice to keep their water from freezing.


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## Patman75 (Jan 11, 2012)

Also a light on a timer might be required to keep them laying during the winter.


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## ibthetrout (Sep 24, 2003)

Patman is correct. Do not heat. If you loose heat they will not be acclimated properly to the cold and could freeze. It's also very expensive. Chickens always have their down coat on so they will be fine. Wait until it is 10 degrees out and they are happily foraging around in your yard. That is when you will know you made the correct decision. I've been raising chickens for 6 years now. I use no additional heat or supplemental light. They do slow down their laying in the winter without the additional light, but it also gives them a needed break during harder times.


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## farmboy (Jun 3, 2013)

I have the chance to get a large quanity of dry sawdust, I was told it makes excellent bedding, Ive seen it used with horses and cattle but is it ok to use with poultry too. We have pigs,goats and alpacas also and with be using it in their bedding areas this winter. With straw at its current price it would be nice if I could use the sawdust.


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## Michael Wagner (Jul 17, 2007)

I always used the bales of wood/cedar shavings for the floor, it goes along ways and makes cleaning the house pretty easy.


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## Patman75 (Jan 11, 2012)

farmboy said:


> I have the chance to get a large quanity of dry sawdust, I was told it makes excellent bedding, Ive seen it used with horses and cattle but is it ok to use with poultry too. We have pigs,goats and alpacas also and with be using it in their bedding areas this winter. With straw at its current price it would be nice if I could use the sawdust.


Dry sawdust will work but it will get very dusty. I use pine shavings. The wood shaving help absorb moisture and keep the smell down. I use deep litter method. keep throwing down shaving every month or so and then in the spring clean the whole thing out, once a year. the extra shavings will keep help insulate the floor.


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

no need to heat their coop. Don't use a heat lamp either - major fire starter!

you do need to make sure it's not drafty (open windows).. but you will need some ventilation to prevent condensation from breathing, pooping etc. Too much moisture in your coop will cause frost bite on combs and toes. 

I personally keep the water outside in a plastic dog house on a heated pan. I've not had any issues with freezing.

Deep layer method is best with dirt floors. I have one coop with a dirt floor and use DLM and two coops with wood/vinyl floor. I keep the wood shavings (use pine, oils in cedar are not good for the birds) deep, but have to clean it out during winter to keep moisture and ammonia levels down.

I also have 2 x 4 roosts, 4" side up so the birds have the wide part to sit on. Don't have to waste energy balancing and helps keep their feet covered.


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## ibthetrout (Sep 24, 2003)

I also use the deep litter method on a vinyl covered wood floor. One thing I have to add is that I use diatomatious earth (food grade) sprinkled on the pine shavings every other week. It helps keep things dry and less smell. We haul out water twice a day in the winter. Not sure that I want to heat a waterer for months at a time. It works for us.


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

Yeah, DE is also good for parasite control, I use food grade in the bedding and food.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Glad to hear birds take winter well, with no additional heating needed. We are in our first year of raising them, and have 5 birds from 4 breeds. All are cold-hardy. They handled the snow/sleet/rain, wind and cold we had all last week well. I was thinking about insulating their coops this winter, but leaving vent spaces.


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

The last few years my coop was just wood w/exposed studs. This year I put up Luann sealed the cracks, and painted with enamel paint and put down vinyl. I imagine the dead air space will help cut some of the cold/heat for the birds. I'll know if it works this year! Hoping this will make it easier to clean and manage pests.


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## bilili_3 (Feb 21, 2001)

It's funny you ask because there was a post on my facebook from Mother Earth News and True Grit magazine on the topic...here's the link: 

http://bit.ly/1ap7gHf


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## ibthetrout (Sep 24, 2003)

Wendy said:


> The last few years my coop was just wood w/exposed studs. This year I put up Luann sealed the cracks, and painted with enamel paint and put down vinyl. I imagine the dead air space will help cut some of the cold/heat for the birds. I'll know if it works this year! Hoping this will make it easier to clean and manage pests.


Wendy, my coop is built the same way. I think the dead air space does help keep it a little warmer.


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

Thanks ib, good to know it will help. 

I have Sumatra, which are jungle fowl. They manage the winters fine without heat. They've actually been good layers and brood hens (one hen raised two clutches this year)The mutt chickens, we call Uggos (some turken mix) might be a tad colder with their bare necks. 

I have to keep 2 chickens in my rabbitry because they actually need heat. Yokohama and Phoenix do not handle the cold very well. Hoping for an epic tail on my rooster!

This last weekend we put 2x6 lumber on edge under the runs to have sand brought in. Helps with drainage and clean up. Not to mention will help with parasites. I'll put DE where they like to dust bathe.


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