Do You Need A Heat Lamp For Chickens In The Winter

Using a heat lamp in the coop is just not worth the risk no matter what.

Do you need a heat lamp for chickens in the winter.

Most of the time chickens don t really need heat lamps anyway. But in barns or garages which may run 60 degrees chicks need supplementary heat until they are fully feathered at six weeks of age. If you must use a heat lamp double and triple check that you are not creating a fire hazard. Most chicken care experts will agree your average dual purpose chicken breed will do just fine without any supplemental heating as long as they have a way to stay dry and out of the wind.

In this article we look at what to do and what not to do for chicken winter preparation. Every single winter someone s chicken coop catches fire due to an improperly used heat lamp. These fires not only wipe out entire flocks they can spread to other outbuildings homes and even woods causing incredible destruction. Unless you re brooding chicks you don t need to keep a coop toasty warm but i do suggest keeping your coop around 40 f.

Keeping chicks during summer months can be easier than winter because your house may be hotter. Do they need a heat lamp to keep them warm. In most cases chickens don t need heat in winter except if you live in a very cold environment such as parts of minnesota or canada that can easily reach 30 degrees f. If home temperatures range around 75 degrees you won t need a heat lamp past week four.

They put out 435 plus temperatures making them an especially risky way to heat your coops and brooder because they re dusty places to begin with and bedding is quite flammable. Make sure to read on to learn how to take care of your hens during the coldest months of the year.