A sweeter heater is a good chicken tool to keep your flock warm during the cold weather. As we all know chickens are at a risk of ill health and even death under freezing temperatures.
So what do you do to keep chickens warm in winter? Well there are a number of ways and each one of us has his or her own means to go about this.
Cold weather is not just tough for us, but even for our flock plus other farm animals too. You can’t just burry your head in the sand and assume that chickens are animals and will deal with frigid temperatures on their own.
What is a sweeter heater?
A sweeter heater is an electronic device that is made and designed to produce heat. These tools are powered by either electricity or solar power.
They will produce heat just enough to keep your chickens warm. In short, sweeter heaters are good at keeping your chicken coop warm during the cold season.
These chicken supplies come in different shapes, sizes and in various designs. You will only choose what will fit you best.
Sweeter heaters vs other heaters
Apart from sweeter heaters, there are a number of ways to keep chickens warm in cold winter. Among them are using other heating methods to provide chicken coop heat.
Chicken heat lamps are one way. They will make sure your chickens are warm but pose a fire hazard compared to sweeter heaters.
Charcoal stoves are a heating source for chickens but will release carbon monoxide. When inhaled, this toxic gas can wipe out your friendliest chickens within seconds.
Red bulbs are another popular heat source especially for chicks. However, the red light they produce will agitate the birds and frequent chicks chirping sound will be heard.
In addition to this, if a piece of burning coal accidentally falls on the cedar shavings, the entire chicken coop will catch fire. So, be careful on what you use to heat your chicken coop.
Why a sweeter heater?
I am not a pushy marketer neither do I rule out other methods you use for chicken coop heating. My aim is to recommend to you what I know is best based on experience.
A sweeter heater is far better than most heating methods I have previously used. But, for you to get a better understanding, below are the merits.
1 Reduced fire hazards
These heating tools are very safe to use inside your chicken runs. They will only discharge enough amount of heat to keep chickens warm and not ignite an inferno.
In most coops, chicken bedding is made up of dry plant material which can easily ignite when subjected under high heat.
A sweeter heater will not produce hot heat but instead it will produce warmth. This is makes it very safe to use on any chicken coop or chick brooder.
2 It is very versatile
Sweeter heaters are very versatile and will serve other animals apart from chickens. There is no loss if you decide to do away with chickens and bring in new guests on the farm.
It can be used to warm piglets, puppies, pet goats and even you. They can be mounted on the wall or even hanged from the ceiling using dog chains.
3 Adjustable depending on the amount of heat you want
These tools can easily be raised or lowered depending on how hot or cold your chicken coop is. This will allow you to control temperature easily.
Place a thermometer under the sweeter heater to know the exact amount of heat they are discharging to your hens. By doing this, you will tell whether they are too hot or cold and this will help you keep temperatures at optimum levels.
In addition to this, mount it on one of the coop walls if you can. This way chickens will get close to it and get warm when cold or move away to cooler places when hot.
4 Increased energy efficiency
If you compare a sweeter heater with other heat sources, it is very efficient on the amount of electric power it requires to run.
These tools produce enough heat to keep chickens warm using small amounts of electric current. This makes them very economical and cheap helping you save some cash.
5 It is environmental friendly
Sweeter heaters are environmental friendly and you do not have to worry about smoke or some dangerous radiant heat.
Unlike other popular heating sources, sweeter heaters will not pollute your air. It is super cool and effective to use.
6 It is easy to clean
This is one of the easiest chicken heaters to clean when compared to others. A dry piece of cloth or a wet one will wipe of the dust pretty well.
You can unmount it and blow the dust away using a blower and then hang it back.
What are the Best Sweeter Heaters?
There are a variety of heaters in the market but sweet heaters are the best. They will keep your hens warm and happy.
Let’s roll!
Fiada Chicken Coop Heaters 100/200W Adjustable Wattage UL Tested Radiant Heat
Key Features
Size: 16.78 by 16.35 by 4.89 Inches.
Weight: 4.7 Pounds.
Manufacturer: Fiada
This product is made with durable materials that chickens will not bite and cause damage. Additionally, it has a powerful thermal protection system that animals cannot interfere with thus, making it safe.
It has sensitive light stickers that change the color according to temperatures from 122-167 degrees F. This will help alert you temperature change without disturbing your resting chickens.
These heaters have an energy length of 40cm and chickens can get warm from a safe distance. In addition to this, you can either choose 100 or 200 watt option depending on the amount of heat you want.
It is very versatile and can be used standing or mounted with screws on the wall. The power cord is 3m long meaning it can stretch to a good distance from the socket.
The heating plate is wide enough to warm a large area. It can keep chickens, dogs, pigs and even you in your office warm
Pros
- Easy to clean.
- It is very versatile.
- This heater is sturdy.
Cons
- Cannot withstand dump conditions.
- Chickens will roost on top and contaminate it with poop if used when standing.
SWEETER HEATER Infrared Heater for Chicks, & Pets, Side Mount 11 by 11, 32 Watt
Key Features
Size: 11 by 11 by 2 Inches.
Weight: 2 Pounds.
Brand: Sweeter Heater.
Color: White.
Heating Method: Radiant.
There are no hotspots and develops uniform heat using less power. This helps keep chickens safe and free from burning.
It is a safe and efficient infrared heater for your chickens and other farm pets that need to be kept warm during winter.
This tool is very versatile allowing side mounting, flash mounting, ceiling or wall mounting with included brackets upon purchase.
It has 121 square inches of heat making it ideal for cages, chicken coops, chick brooders and any other structure where your chickens live.
Pros
- It is easy to install.
- This sweeter heater is easy to clean.
- Easy to use.
- It is very versatile.
- Uses little amount of power.
Cons
- You may be required to use a converter depending on the voltage requirements in your country.
SWEETER HEATER Infrared Heater for Chicks & Pets Overhead 11 by 16, 50 Watt
Key Features
Size: 11 by 16 by 2 Inches.
Weight: 3 Pounds.
Color: White.
Brand: Sweeter Heater.
Heating Method: Radiant.
It is a safe and energy efficient pet heater. Expect no hefty power bills when using this tool and this allows you to save some cash.
This tool will work very well with chicks and small birds. It has 176 square inches of heating area enough to keep your birds warm.
It is made in a way that it will work well with overhead mounting. This will discourage chickens roosting on it and soiling with poop.
Pros
- It is very economical in terms of power usage.
- Easy to clean.
- This tool is very easy to install.
- It can be raised or lowered depending on the coop temperature.
Cons
- You may be required to use a converter depending on voltage requirements in your country.
- It is not good for a large number of birds.
SWEETER HEATER Infrared Heater for Chicks & Pets, Flush Mount 11 by 40, 150 Watt
Key Features
Size: 40 by 11 by 12 Inches.
Weight: 7 Pounds.
Color: White.
Brand: Sweeter Heater.
Heating Method: Radiant.
There are no hotspots that will develop when using this tool. Heat will develop uniformly around it using less power.
It is very safe and efficient with chickens and other pets that require to be supplemented with heat during winter.
This heater is large and has a big surface area of 440 square inches that will allow you to heat a large coop enough for many hens.
It is versatile and can be mounted on walls or ceilings with brackets.
Pros
- It is easy to mount.
- This tool is easy to clean and remove any dirt from it.
- It will serve many chickens at a time.
SWEET HEATER Infrared Heater for Chicks & Pets, Side Mount 11 by 16, 50 Watt
Key Features
Size: 16 by 11 by 2 Inches.
Weight: 3 Pounds.
Color: White.
Brand: Sweeter Heater.
Heating Method: Radiant.
When using this chicken coop heater, there will develop no hotspots. Heat will distribute uniformly using small amounts of power.
This infrared heater is very efficient for chickens plus other farm pets.
It has 121 square inches of heating area enough to keep chicks and other small aviary birds warm during the cold winter months.
These heaters are made in a good way making them very versatile. They allow mounting on the walls ceilings and flush mounting using brackets.
Pros
- It is very versatile.
- Requires small amounts of power to operate
- It is easy to clean.
Cons
- It is ideal for heating chicks and other small birds.
SWEETER HEATER Infrared Heater for Chicks & Pets, Overhead 11 by 30, 100 Watt
Key Features
Size: 30 by 11 by 2 Inches.
Weight: 5 Pounds.
Color: White.
Brand: Sweeter Heater.
Heating Method: Radiant.
There are no hot spots on this tool. Heat is distributed in a uniform way using small amounts of power to keep your chickens warm.
It just requires 100 watts of power to heat an area of square inches. This enough to keep your feathered friends warm in a cold night.
This tool is very safe and energy efficient on your peats and other birds.
It is very versatile and can be mounted on the wall, on ceilings and also flush mounting.
Pros
- This tool is easy to clean.
- It is versatile.
- Requires small amounts of power to operate.
SWEETER HEATER Safe Heater Safe for Chicks, Coops & Animals, OH11 by 40, 150 Watt
Key Features
Size: 40 by 11 by 2 Inches.
Weight: 7 Pounds.
Color: White.
Brand: Sweeter Heater.
Heating Method: Radiant.
This sweeter heater has an internal inbuilt thermostat that will automatically shut it off if the heat does not does not escape properly.
No hotspots will develop on this tool. The heat will distribute uniformly keeping your chicken breeds warm on winter.
It is very versatile and allows overhead mount. This helps keep the chicken warm from above their heads where they cannot roost on the heat source.
Pros
- It is easy to install.
- Cleaning this sweeter heater is easy.
- Can provide warmth to a large number of chickens.
Final Thoughts
Chickens require warmth to keep them through winter. Cold weather will be a recipe for ill health and even death.
Besides providing them with supplemental heat, toss tasty treats like cracked corn for them before they sleep.
This way, they will generate some extra heat to keep them warm as they digest it. In addition to this, buy them a heated waterer as a gift because every drop will be solid and they risk dehydration.
Kindly share!