A Safer Way to Heat Your Chicken Coop

[@wannabetrucker7475]

yeah, fire is like my #1 fear all the way around. I live in the city and farm animals are frowned upon 😊. But I do like to have warm areas for various critters

[@wannabetrucker7475]

Now it's December, how is the heater working?

[@HomesteadDIY]

Sorry for the delay. December was warmish by me so it wasn't really a factor but its gotten colder now and I'll say it probably takes the edge off the cold without making it especially warm like my ceramic lamps did. My chickens haven't been near it and tend to roost on the opposite side from the heater so it's difficult to say whether they're enjoying it or not.

[@philipjdry1234]

How well does it work in a van?

[@cindybell3694]

That's what I'm wondering?

[@sherizuech6562]

I was just wondering that for my truck topper. 6×5 space 🤔

[@TearDrop455]

We just bought a producers pride brooder/coop heater. Haven’t used it yet- debating if I should keep it. It’s my understanding, depending on the air temp is- the chickens need to be inches away in order to feel warmth. Not actually designed to heat a room/area. The idea of this is for baby chicks to get under (artificial momma wing) chicks nestle under.

[@philipjdry1234]

Interesting, I don't know but where I'm at it's getting 40 degrees, I'll buy one from Amazon and try it out, if it works I'll post, if not, it's getting returned. I'll post my experience from the one I get

[@philipjdry1234]

Justed tested a chicken coop heater and about an hour I'm ready to quit. Still very cold, it gets really hot which is better than nothing, but it doesn't circulate the warm air outside it's hot plate surface. You have to cozy up to it. For the numbers in a minivan for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 47⁰ Fahrenheit drawing 195w of power on all 3 levels of heat, it auto shuts off and on which is great to make a power station last longer but the heat wont fill up a minivan space. But it's silent. Maybe under floor boards or some kind of tube with a fan to push air over it and heat up but otherwise it won't work. For it to just sit there hot it has to get really hot to change the temperature of inside a minivan. Cool experiment and found out blink makes great security cameras that work perfect for a van. Product is kesfitt chicken coop heater 100/200 watts. You won't burn your hand quick but maybe if you hold it on long enough a.co/d/2Pu55tD

[@ledakerrigan8403]

It looks like its too high up. Heat rises and I don't think its getting to the chickens. Other people I saw put them on the ground and chickens get close to it to keep warm.

[@HomesteadDIY]

Normally you would be right but the video is deceptive. There is actually a roosting bar that sits right in front of it that I had removed when installing the heater. Because I use deep litter bedding the roosting bar is slightly higher than it might otherwise be. But again, you're right it would be too high in typical situations. Thanks!

[@brumhildanepal9531]

I found out these heater heat the bird with radiant heat, which means the bird not the air in the coop.

[@HomesteadDIY]

Thanks! I should probably do a follow-up video because I've since discovered the same thing. I mounted mine too high up. Although it's not as high as it appears in the video (there's a roosting bar that raises the girls up), it should still be lower for the radiant heat you mention.

[@shaneb.3982]

This product is junk!!!!! It can even heat a match box. I can't even tell a difference.

[@HomesteadDIY]

I haven't had the same experience. It definitely doesn't heat up the coop the way my ceramic lamps did, but overheating chickens is more of a concern than the cold. Also, it may depend on the size of the coop you're trying to heat. Mine is about 4 ft cubed and it seems to keep the edge off the cold more than throwing off tons of heat. I've checked my coop several times over the winter during cold snaps and it has not been cold in the coop. Not warm like with the ceramic lamps as I said, but not cold either. My chickens roost on the opposite side of the heater and haven't gone near it as far as I know but I think they're still comfortable during the winter.