There are mixed opinions on whether to heat a chicken coop or not. Sometimes, temperatures drop to minus figures and you have to get a chicken coop heater to keep chickens warm in winter.
It is not wise to sit and watch chickens die of hypothermia or frostbites. There are a number of ways to keep chicken coops heated in winter weather.
However, heating your chicken coop is a good way to keep your hens warm. But heating requires caution because beddings and litter can easily catch fire and lead to death of chickens.
In this article, I am going to take you through some of the best products for chicken coop heaters. This will help you know what is good for your hens.
Just continue to scroll!
What are the best products for a Chicken Coop Heater?
There are different products in the market that can be used to heat your chicken coop. I have prepared a review for some of the best products that I have used.
Additionally, I have also scoured through the internet to get the views of other users like me. All this is to ensure you get what is good for you and a value for your cash.
Let’s roll!
SWEETER HEATER Safe Heater for Chicks and Coops OH 11 by 40, 150 Watt
Color: White
Brand: SWEETER HEATER
Size: 40 by 11 by 2 inches
Heating Method: Radiant
Weight: 7 Pounds
No hot spots on this device. The heat will distribute uniformly using less power keeping your chicks, hens and roosters warm.
Mounting this heater is very easy. It allows for overhead mount using hooks and this lets it remain clean because chickens will not perch on top and contaminate it with poop.
It has an internal thermostat that will shut it automatically if the heat does not escape out. This makes it very safe because you do not have to worry about fire outbreaks.
This sweeter heater reliable chicken coop heater that will only keep your chickens warm during the cold weather without baking them to death.
K&H Pet Products Thermal Chicken Heated Perch
Brand: K&H PET
Size: 36 by 14 by 8 inches
Color: Black
Do not worry about frostbitten toes and frozen legs anymore. Chickens can roost on this heated perch which will keep them warm through the cold night.
This chicken coop heater will keep chickens warm by utilizing their circulatory systems to distribute heat uniformly in their bodies.
It is thermostatically controlled to shut off automatically in case there is too much heat coming from it. This makes it safe with no cases of coop fires.
This chicken coop heater is easy to clean, store and transport it. The roost height can easily be adjusted for chicks and big hens.
RentACoop 12 by 12 Chick Brooder Heating Plate
Brand: RentACoop
Color: Black
Size: 12 by 12 inches
This device will provide enough warmth for your baby chicks just like a mother hen. It can be used with comfortable feathers to simulate a hen for your fluffy chicks.
These chicken coop heaters will provide enough warmth for the chicks without baking them. The heat it will produce ranges between 105-110 degrees F just like a hen does.
It is very easy to clean this heater. The flat heating plate will only need a moist cloth to remove any dirt and poop.
Assembling this device is very easy. It has four holes drilled where you will fix the stands and it is ready for use.
The height can be adjusted as the chicks grow. This makes it good to use with day old chicks up to 8 weeks old when they are fully feathered and ready to leave the chicken brooder.
It comes with a 6ft long power cord. In addition to that, the manufacturers provide you with a manual to guide you on how to operate and use it.
Akoma Hound Dog House Heater with Bluetooth
Brand: Hound Heater
Color: Black
Weight: 2.72 pounds
Heating Method: Forced Air
This chicken coop heater is not just good for dogs but for your pet chickens too. It is very automatic and can be controlled via Bluetooth from your smart phone without even going to your chicken coop.
It is built to last. The corners are rounded and the heat proof shield protects the wires and other internal features from curious hen breeds that love pecking.
This is the ideal heater for your large chicken run. It discharges heat to a span of 75ft enough to keep a large flock of chickens warm.
It is easy to install. This chicken coop heater comes with special brackets that allow you to mount it or hang it on any type of a chicken coop.
The heater is equipped with a heat sensing bulb that will automatically detect the temperature changes to switch it on or off.
It is durable and built to last for long to serve your chickens and other pets you have on your farm.
Fiada Chicken Coop Heaters 100/200w
Brand: Fiada
Color: Black
Size: 15.7 by 11.8 inches
It is built with a high quality ABS material to ensure maximum security to your chickens. This chicken coop heater has an overheating protection design and anti-bite power cord to keep chickens safe.
These heaters are fitted with color sensitive stickers. The color changes on the sticker with temperatures of 122-127 degrees to alert you the temperature without disturbing your chicks when resting.
This chicken coop heater is power efficient because it is low wattage discharging heat at the span of 40cm to keep your birds warm in winter.
These heaters are versatile and allow you to use then in two ways. They can be used standing or when mounted on the wall.
Their 3m long power cords allow them to be connected on a power source away from your chickens for security reasons.
It can be used with chicks, chickens, dogs or even office heating. This makes it very good because of a wide range of animals it can provide warmth to.
Cozy Products CL Cozy Chicken Coop Heater 200 Watts
This chicken coop heater uses 200w power to discharge warmth to your exotic chicks. The heat it will produce is enough to keep chickens warm without using much power.
It is very safe to use in your chicken coop. This device will provide warmth to your birds in winter and will not ignite the chicken beddings to cause a fire.
The power cord is coated with a plastic layer for maximum safety. This will keep curious chickens who love to peck at new things safe and secure.
It is similar to a flat screen TV allowing it to be used when standing or mounted on the wall using brackets.
The radiant heating panel provides enough consistent warmth for your ornamental chickens without overheating the coop.
How to keep chickens warm during cold weather
There are a number of ways to keep chickens warm in winter. Although these birds can tolerate freezing temperatures, it can get very cold enough to freeze them to death.
1 Thick beddings
During winter, add a thick layer of bedding material to keep chickens warm. Remember that the ground is freezing and the chickens can get cold and die.
Thick beddings will start to decompose because of chicken poop and bacteria. The process of decomposition will release heat which will keep your birds warm.
The choice of bedding material is very important. Chopped straw and hay has some air pockets that will trap in some warm air.
Other types of bedding like sand will get very cold which is not good. Pine shavings and shredded papers are very loose and will lose heat very easily.
2 Toss a warm up snack
Snacks and tasty treats are a good way to keep our buff chicken breeds warm in cold winters. Some treats like cracked corn and bird seed will generate some metabolism heat when they are digested in the body.
Hot peppers and warm water will add some extra heat in their bodies.
3 Reduce the coop space
A large living room with few chickens will get very cold. This is because a few birds cannot generate enough heat in a large area to keep warm.
Reduce the amount of space in your chicken coop if you have a few hens. Use card boards, ply wood and pieces of timber to make a small comfortable area for your birds.
4 Break boredom
It is good to keep chickens busy and occupied in winter. When busy doing something, chickens will generate some heat to keep their bodies warm.
Nice chicken gifts like toys or putting treats in a chicken treat ball will keep these feathered friends occupied. Some folks will hang a cabbage head for them to keep pecking at before dusk.
5 Get some heated chicken waterers
Heated chicken waterers will do an amazing job in winter. They will not only keep chicken water from freezing but also make it a few degrees warm.
This will make the chicken drinking water more appetizing and help add some warmth in their fluffy bodies.
What is the right time to use a chicken warmer?
Chickens do not require supplemental heat all the time. During summer, the case is opposite because they will need to be kept cold.
However, it is time to keep them warm!
When raising chicks
Baby chicks are very fragile and can easily die from cold weather. These little critters are not able to supplement their body temperatures at hatching.
They will require to be provided with extra heat until they are fully feathered. A chick brooder will do a good job to keep these birds warm.
Use heating plates or infra-red bulbs to keep them warm until they are over six weeks old. Reduce the brooder heat by 5 degrees each week to harden them off and make them adapt to outside temperatures.
During winter
During the cold winter months, everything will freeze because of the dropping temperatures. Chickens will not have an extra coat like you and will need some extra heat.
Bring your chickens indoors and confine them up in a warm place like garage or any other available space.
When raising tropical chicken breeds
Some chicken breeds like Naked neck chickens and Minorca chickens are not adapted to live in Polar Regions.
These chickens will require some supplemental heat to keep them warm. Naked necks have hairless necks and clean feet that will suffer in the cold.
During the molting season
When chickens are molting, they will shed most of their feathers leaving their bodies and skin exposed to cold.
During this season, be kind enough and heat the coop to keep them warm. Leaving them to battle winter with few feathers can lead to hypothermia.
Additionally, provide a high protein diet like dried mealworms for them during this season. Chicken feathers are formed from a protein called keratin which is needed in large amounts during the molt season.
Factors to consider before buying a chicken coop heater
Heating mode
The heating mode matters a lot. This will determine the amount of heat a particular chicken coop heater discharges and the heating span.
Good heaters should use the radiant heating mode because this will produce enough warmth. Others are air forced and use the convectional method which can sometimes discharge a lot of heat.
Wattage
It is wise to be economical. Some devices are powered by high amounts of power which can result to hefty power bills.
A good heater should use a few watts to keep chickens warm during the winter. This will save you cash and keep your flock warm.
Size of your flock
A large number of chickens will require a big chicken coop heater or several of them. The heater should be able to discharge heat to a longer span to keep all the birds warm.
Age of you chickens
Baby chicks will need brooder plates to keep them warm. This is because the height of the heating plate can be adjusted depending on their height.
Summary
A chicken coop heater is an important device in chicken rearing. It will keep your chickens warm and safe from the biting winter cold.
However, if you live in an area with no electricity, chicken coop heaters will not help you. Here, you need to be creative to keep your flock warm.
You can bring your hens in your house during the night when the temperatures have dropped to negative figures.
Cold weather can lead to frostbitten combs and wattles especially if the coop is dump. Be there for your chickens if you want them to live to lay those fresh eggs for breakfast.
Sharing is caring!