What temperature should be in the chicken coop in winter: optimal heating performance

Many poultry farmers want their hens to consistently produce eggs throughout the year, not just during the warm season. For this, laying hens need to create certain conditions, since in winter, due to a decrease in the temperature level and the amount of lighting, egg production in birds decreases. You should correctly prepare the chicken coop for the winter cold so that the birds feel comfortable. Let's figure out what the temperature in the chicken coop should be in winter for a stable growth of eggs.

Do chickens lay in winter in a barn without heating

In temperate regions, it is possible to do without additional electric heating.It is necessary to get rid of all the cracks in the room, leaving only one hole for ventilation. The walls should be double, with insulation. There should be a thick bedding on the floor.

By equipping the house in this way, you will be able to provide a positive temperature without electrical appliances and gas heaters, provided that there are no severe frosts in winter in your area. However, most often, heating equipment is indispensable - chickens will feel bad in the winter cold and produce fewer eggs.

How cold can chickens stand?

The temperature of keeping birds, as well as proper nutrition, directly affects their ability to produce eggs. The specific temperatures that chickens can withstand depend on their breed - there are breeds that are relatively frost-resistant, which are not afraid of small climatic differences. Other breeds are sensitive to cold and need the right conditions.

In the chicken coop

Birds should not be exposed to frostbite while in a chicken coop. Therefore, it is vital to maintain the temperature regime at a suitable level. The optimal indicator indoors is twenty-five degrees Celsius, the minimum below which the indicators should not fall is fifteen degrees Celsius.

On a walk

When it gets cold, birds should be let out for a walk. Fresh air is useful for keeping laying hens alive. The yard for walking should be securely fenced. It is desirable that the fence be high, as many breeds of chickens are able to jump over low fences.

The walk itself should be carried out in sunny and non-frosty weather, at a temperature not lower than minus ten degrees Celsius.

The very presence of birds in the air should last no more than two hours, in order to avoid frostbite.

Optimal winter coop temperature for laying hens

In order for the hens to lay regularly and give a stable quantity and quality of eggs, the temperature in the room must be kept at about plus twenty-five degrees Celsius. This is the optimal temperature for maintaining normal life and egg production. At the same time, temperatures should not fall below fifteen degrees throughout the season - this is the minimum at which a chicken is able to produce eggs.

When the temperature drops below this level, the bird can get sick and die.

Be careful about heating the room during the cold season so as not to endanger the birds.

Methods of space heating

Sometimes it is enough to equip the house with heated double walls and thick bedding on the floor, carefully sealing all the cracks in the structure. However, this method will only work in regions where there are no severe frosts during the cold period.

For most regions of Russia, it will be necessary to install additional equipment for artificial heating indoors, otherwise the hens will not be able to withstand the winter cold and will not regularly give eggs. Consider the types of heaters suitable for installation and use in a chicken coop.

Household heaters

Household electric convectors are suitable for space heating. The principle of operation of the convector is that it draws in cold air and releases it already heated, after contact with the heating element. The main disadvantage of convectors is the high power consumption. Such heaters are suitable as an additional source of heat, but it is problematic to use them as the main one.

The same goes for oil coolers. An oil cooler is able to heat the air directly around itself, while consuming a significant amount of electricity.

Gas heating

Gas heaters are more suitable for space heating, but they tend to be expensive. The boiler is suitable for a large industrial chicken coop, but for a small private poultry house, its purchase will be an unnecessary waste. Plus, using the cauldron can be dangerous for birds, so it needs to be monitored at all times.

Stove potbelly stove

Unlike a gas boiler, a compact potbelly stove is a suitable option for heating a private chicken coop. It does not take up much space and is able to warm the room. A potbelly stove is inexpensive, but you need to be prepared for the fact that, unlike infrared heaters, its operation will require fuel in the form of coal or firewood.

Indoors, you will need to install a chimney and constantly monitor the operation of the device, adding fuel when necessary. A diesel oven is also worth considering as an alternative.

Infrared heaters

Infrared heater - the best choice for heating the chicken coop. It does not need additional fuel, it is energy efficient and safe to operate. A feature of the infrared emitter is its principle of operation - under the influence of radiation, it is not the air itself that heats up, but the objects inside the room.

Air is heated directly from solid surfaces and objects. Depending on the specific model, the emitter can be installed on the floor, wall or ceiling. It is a compact and ergonomic device, easy and intuitive to use.

Infrared lamps

Another option for an infrared emitter is an infrared lamp. This is a compact device that works on the same principle, but is designed for a smaller space. One bulb is enough to warm a ten square meter room.

The lamp will cost less than a full-fledged infrared heater, so is a more cost-effective option for a small space.

Water heating

If your house is equipped with a water boiler, and the chicken coop is nearby, it is possible to run pipes into the chicken coop. In this case, the poultry house will receive heat directly from the boiler located in the house. If there is such an opportunity, it would be best to use it, as this is the most practical method of heating, requiring a minimum of additional spending on heating equipment.

Nutrition to keep warm

Of course, heating alone is not enough to keep hens well and give stable eggs in the winter season. In addition, you should take care of the right diet.

In winter, the frequency of feeding should be increased to three times a day. Diversify the diet of birds with vegetables, cereals, mash. Give the birds wheat and oats. Use vitamin and mineral supplements.

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