I Have A Question

[Jay3]

I have a question. With autumn approaching, and the nights getting cooler, it is a reminder that winter is on its way here in New England. Since it will be my first winter with the loft, I'm wondering about heating it. I know every one has different ideas and opinions. I have a few different ideas, but am not really sure. How do you guys in the colder climates heat your lofts, and how warm should it be kept? I would love suggestions on what to do. My loft is 8X10 and insulated. I would really appreciate any help you could give me. Thanks

[EgypSwiftLady]

Hello Jay3,
Don't remind me that winter is coming!

Last winter I used a 250 watt heat bulb in a domed fixture I hung in the middle of the aisle, the birds can't even get close to it, I also have a thermostat that its hooked up to. It basically takes the chill out of the inside of the building which is 10' x 10'.
Oooppss, almost forgot I live in WI. and we can get down right frigid here!

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by Jay3

I have a question. With autumn approaching, and the nights getting cooler, it is a reminder that winter is on its way here in New England. Since it will be my first winter with the loft, I'm wondering about heating it. I know every one has different ideas and opinions. I have a few different ideas, but am not really sure. How do you guys in the colder climates heat your lofts, and how warm should it be kept? I would love suggestions on what to do. My loft is 8X10 and insulated. I would really appreciate any help you could give me. Thanks

You said a mouth full there!! LOL
Bearing that in mind, here's MY opinion. These guys don't need heat. If you're going to heat the loft, then that means that you need to close it up and that means no air flow and that's not good. As long as they are fed good and are healthy, they don't need heat. I know lots of ferals probably perish in the winter time, but it's not because it's cold necessarily, but because they don't get near enough food and can't keep their body temps up. It's not the cold that gets them. It's the lack of food. Now, sometimes, if it's going to be extremely cold, and by that I mean mid 20's or below, I will close up my loft just for the night, but it gets opened back up in the morning.
When we got our first birds, we lived in MI. The first really cold night, I was sure I'd go to the loft in the AM and find frozen birds everywhere. Wasn't the case at all. They were chasing each other and acting like it was 80 degrees. Didn't faze them a bit. Cold air is better than no air and if you close up the loft, that's what you've got, no air.
I even raise my babies in Jan, Feb and March. Now, needless to say, it probably doesn't get AS cold here as it does there. At least not as long. But, I also raised babies one winter up in MI with 4 feet of snow on the ground and windy and it was as cold as I've ever known in my life. I don't know how you guys live up there. BRRR........
The good lord prepared these birds to live in any type of weather. He didn't make them to live in a loft, so they are prepared to deal with what ever is thrown at them.
And your loft is insulated too? You're birds are going to have it made even without heat.
Most lofts are built with a 1/2' or 3/4" plywood between the birds and the cold.

[Msfreebird]

I worry about my birds every winter especially when the wind chill gets below zero - but Lovebirds is right, they always do fine.
I do cover my aviary and flight cage with heavy guage clear plastic (clear, like glass purchased at a fabric store), because my loft is open to the flight cage. I roll up a four foot section during the day for fresh air, and drop it down at night. I also give them hay for bedding in the winter - they love it! I also rip small pieces of fleece (4 inch squares) and scatter them around. The birds put them in their nests or wherever they want to sit and it keeps their little feet warm

[Jay3]

Thank you everybody for your help, and for taking the time to explain. I appreciate your suggestions. I have been worrying about this for a while now. When we built the loft, I had heard that the V perches were not good for cold weather climates, because the birds have to wrap their feet around them, and cannot therefore sit on their feet to keep them warm, so we had Dave put in perches made from 2X4s so that they would have perches 4" wide to stand on. I had purchased hay, because I thought that it would help them to stay warm also. Then my sister told me that sometimes they don't dry the hay well enough, and it can cause respiratory problems ( she had chickens in Maine). Is this true? I thought it was a pretty good idea myself. Then I wondered how I would heat it. You guys have helped a lot. And I feel a lot better about the oncoming winter months(not that I like winter. I hate it). I think it would be a lot easier to live in maybe Virginia or Carolina. But I do feel much better. I know I'm going out and buy some fleece. Going to cut it up in 4 inch squares and scatter it about. Do they really drag it back to their nests. That must be so cute. Maybe I should buy red and green for the holidays. Thanks for the idea Msfreebird. Thank you all.

[Lady Tarheel]

Jay, it can get pretty cold here in NC, especially in Jan/Feb. We don't have a loft but use aviaries. Each fall, Lewis builds "screens" with heavy duty plastic on all sides of the aviary. All these screens are permanent except for four door-like openings - one each on the North, East, South and West. These "doors" are closed at night but the next morning one or more are opened, depending on which way the wind blows during the day. So far, this system has worked very well and we have never needed to have an alternate heat source for our guys. He replaces the plastic on all the screens each year because the plastic does deteriorate. In the summer we leave 2-3 which helps protect them from driving summer rains.

[NitaS]

Gets pretty cold here in southern PA, but I don't provide any heat source and my birds do fine. I do close up the openings with heavy plastic to keep the winds out, but let the lower areas open for ventilation which is important.

[re lee]

In areas where the temps stay in the 20s or lower Much of the winter. You might consider heated wtaters ,so the water does not stay frozen. You can get those at a supply place. Also when temps stay in the low 20s you might need heat IF you plan to breed early. BUT some people just wait till march to start breeding. That is a person own call on what they wish. We get cold here BUT my breeder loft faces south And I close the windows IT has never froze but maybe 1 time the water froze lightly. IT is not heated And temps can get from freeezing to 0 degrees and sometimes colder. The flying loft freezes though. I just change waters 2 times daily And have no problems

[Msfreebird]

I considered getting heated waterers at one time, but then I read someplace that they are not safe for birds in very cold climates. It seems birds were bathing in them and the water was freezing on the feathers before they dried. Wild birds were dying at the hands of well meaning people who put heaters in their bird baths. We are usually below 20 degrees and at times the wind chill can get to 18 below 0. Brrrrrrr.
I also open the plastic panels on the sunny side against the wind during the day.
Buy top quality (feed) hay. Its more expensive than mulch hay - but I only buy 1 bale a year.
They love the fleece squares, and I change them weekly. Red and green for Christmas is cute! I never thought of that.
One winter it was extremely cold, for quite awhile it didn't break, wind chill was below 20 for about a week. I was so worried about my birds I went out and bought some of those "pocket hand warmers" that you shake to activate. They put off a low heat for about 11 hours. All my birds were fighting over who was going to sit on them! I indulge my pets

[re lee]

Originally Posted by Msfreebird

I considered getting heated waterers at one time, but then I read someplace that they are not safe for birds in very cold climates. It seems birds were bathing in them and the water was freezing on the feathers before they dried. Wild birds were dying at the hands of well meaning people who put heaters in their bird baths. We are usually below 20 degrees and at times the wind chill can get to 18 below 0. Brrrrrrr.
I also open the plastic panels on the sunny side against the wind during the day.
Buy top quality (feed) hay. Its more expensive than mulch hay - but I only buy 1 bale a year.
They love the fleece squares, and I change them weekly. Red and green for Christmas is cute! I never thought of that.
One winter it was extremely cold, for quite awhile it didn't break, wind chill was below 20 for about a week. I was so worried about my birds I went out and bought some of those "pocket hand warmers" that you shake to activate. They put off a low heat for about 11 hours. All my birds were fighting over who was going to sit on them! I indulge my pets

Heated waters Made for pigeons,that you buy from a pigeon suply store FOYS is closer for you. The pigeons can not get in them to bath. They can only get a drink as they are coverd waters. This helps keeping the water cleaner also. They have a heater on the under side where you set the water on it basicly just keeps the water from freezing. You are talking about open outside waters that have heaters they are different.

[Msfreebird]

Originally Posted by re lee

Heated waters Made for pigeons,that you buy from a pigeon suply store FOYS is closer for you. The pigeons can not get in them to bath. They can only get a drink as they are coverd waters. This helps keeping the water cleaner also. They have a heater on the under side where you set the water on it basicly just keeps the water from freezing. You are talking about open outside waters that have heaters they are different.

Ya, the one's I've seen in the feed stores sit in a bird bath or watering pan. I haven't seen the other type. I have a Foy's catalogue - I'll check those out, thanks

[newday]

We are in southcentral PA, certainly not as cold as others farther north but we do get our share of extremely cold days/nights. As most everyone is saying - no heat needed in the loft, and its essential that lofts aren't closed up too tight. There must be air ciculation. I use heaters under the waterers - the birds can't get into the commerial made waterers.

I see ferals bathing in slighly thawed puddles of water downtown during the winter - pigeons are a hardy species.

Link
www.martinlofts.com

[Jay3]

Originally Posted by re lee

Heated waters Made for pigeons,that you buy from a pigeon suply store FOYS is closer for you. The pigeons can not get in them to bath. They can only get a drink as they are coverd waters. This helps keeping the water cleaner also. They have a heater on the under side where you set the water on it basicly just keeps the water from freezing. You are talking about open outside waters that have heaters they are different.

Yes, they have heaters that you put your regular waterer on. Just keeps it from freezing. I believe you can use any waterer with them, even the heavy plastic ones. What are your waterers made of?

[Jay3]

Originally Posted by Msfreebird

One winter it was extremely cold, for quite awhile it didn't break, wind chill was below 20 for about a week. I was so worried about my birds I went out and bought some of those "pocket hand warmers" that you shake to activate. They put off a low heat for about 11 hours. All my birds were fighting over who was going to sit on them! I indulge my pets

Msfreebird, how did you ever think of that? That's cute. I'll bet they loved them. They don't get too hot?

[Jay3]

Originally Posted by newday

We are in southcentral PA, certainly not as cold as others farther north but we do get our share of extremely cold days/nights. As most everyone is saying - no heat needed in the loft, and its essential that lofts aren't closed up too tight. There must be air ciculation. I use heaters under the waterers - the birds can't get into the commerial made waterers.

I see ferals bathing in slighly thawed puddles of water downtown during the winter - pigeons are a hardy species.

Link
www.martinlofts.com

Okay, I have three large windows in my loft. The loft is stucco, and it is insulated. So should I crack a window for air circulation? How much air circulation do they need? And would you close them up at night, and open them during the day. We have many days in the twenties and lower, and some nights in the single digits.