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A guy at the Tractor Supply in Bakersfield changed how I see my flock
About ten years ago, I was picking up feed and an older man, Frank, saw me looking at the heat lamps. He asked how many birds I had, and when I said twelve, he just shook his head. He told me, 'You don't need that heat for a dozen healthy birds in this valley, you're just making them soft.' I stopped using the lamp that winter and never lost a single hen to the cold. Anyone else get a piece of advice that completely shifted your routine?
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derekgibson15d ago
Depends on the weather, I've seen more birds die from sudden cold snaps without proper heat.
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Frank's "making them soft" line made me ditch my coop heater too and my birds toughened right up.
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Stopped using my heat lamp three winters back and honestly thought I'd lose a few but they just fluffed up and got on with it. Toughest birds I've ever had now, they barely even come inside when it drops below freezing. Only time I've ever stepped in is if we get ice or something really nasty coming through, like a blizzard. Letting them adapt naturally just makes more sense than keeping them in a bubble their whole lives.
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