# Coop heat lamp too warm?



## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

It's about 30 degrees out right now and during the day it's about 30-40 degrees out. Today I put in the heat lamp for my chickens in there roostin area. All 14 of them sleep in this small area witch is about 3.5 feet tall (not including run area below just how tall roosting area is) the heat lamp in there is 250w and its right above my chickens. I closed the window but I don't know if it's to warm in there for them. Otherwise it's partially insulated some of the areas I haven't gotten too yet. What do you think?


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Thirty degrees? They dont need a heat lamp at all. Also there's risk of a fire with the heat lamp.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What dawg said. Remember they have the best insulator in the world, feathers. If they become chilled they lift the feathers trapping the warmth from their bodies close to the skin.

You shouldn't need heat for them at all unless you live some where it gets below zero and the wind is howling.


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## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

It does get in single Digits in wind chill. For when it does how do you prevent heat lamps causing a fire? Making sure there's no dust and that it isn't wet?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

We get down in the twentys and teens. I never heat the coop. I have a propane heater for the grow out pen for any younger birds we may have.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Mine survived -24 in a metal shed without heat.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If the wind is not penetrating their coop they are not experiencing that temp at all. It's if they're in an open sided building that they get the benefit of wind chill. But sealing the coop where there is no ventilation at all is also a problem. Just keep them out of the wind, seal up cracks that the wind can whistle through but keep a vent source at floor level and the roof to prevent moisture build up. 

There is no absolute way to prevent fire when any heat source is involved. And from your description of the size that bulb is way too big for the space.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I put 1 heat light out already but my coop is a metal shed covered in 4 heavy duty tarps for the winter so it's completely draft free.If it gets down in the teens or lower at night and 20's or lower in the day,I put out a 2nd light.It does not warm the coop too much,their water would still freeze if it wasn't a heated waterer.It does take the chill off.I know they don't really need it but it makes me feel better.


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