What warming measures are suitable for chicken farms in the winter of 2020?
As winter gradually arrives, temperatures everywhere are getting lower and lower, and many people have started putting on thick clothes. But chicks find it hard to resist the cold, so warming measures need to be taken to get them safely through the winter. So what warming measures are suitable for chicks in winter?
1. Heating with a coal stove
Heating the chicken coop with a coal stove is one of the most common heating methods at present. The temperature with this method is relatively stable, but you need to get up several times at night to add coal. Winter nights are quite cold, and getting up to add coal to the chicken coop is very hard work. If no coal is added at night, the temperature in the coop may drop, the chickens may catch cold, and they may even huddle together and die.
Coal stove heating also requires attention to the problem of gas poisoning. If the flue is not well sealed, gas poisoning of the flock may occur. To achieve good insulation, the chicken coop is sealed fairly tightly, which may lead to gas poisoning of the chicks.
2. Heat lamps
Depending on the condition of the chicken coop, heat lamps can be used appropriately. Although heat lamps are simple and convenient, their warming effect is poor: the temperature is high locally and low around it, so the temperature is uneven. Using heat lamps for heating requires electricity and is easily affected by external factors. For example, a power outage caused by severe weather can easily cause a sudden drop in the coop temperature. Old wiring may also cause short circuits or fires.
3. Flue heating
This kind of heating method generally has an operating room. Heating is carried out in the operating room outside the chicken coop, and then the flue runs inside the coop. The temperature rises directly from the ground, which can keep the temperature in the coop balanced from top to bottom. When the chicken coop is being built, this method costs a bit more than the previous two. There will be changes in the temperature difference between the front and back of the coop, but the impact is not too great.
When the chicken coop is empty and being repaired, the flue should also be checked. If the flue is blocked, heating will be hindered and the coop temperature cannot rise. I once came across a case at a farmer's home where a brick had fallen into the chimney and had not been checked and removed. After the chicks arrived in the evening, the temperature kept failing to rise. The chicks were chilled all night, and the problem was only discovered the next day.
4. Fan heaters
Conditions for raising chickens are getting better and better now, and many farmers have also bought fan heaters. The temperature of a fan heater can be controlled automatically, which makes things much easier for people at night. However, the cost is relatively high, so it is not suitable for long-term use; it is suitable for use during cold weather when the temperature cannot be raised, or for emergency heating after a power outage. At present, fan heaters are generally used together with coal stove-type heating, and then the fan heater is set. This method is also mostly used during the brooding stage.
When raising chicks, winter warming measures must be done well so they can safely get through the harsh winter. This ensures the healthy growth of the chickens the following year.