# keeping a loft heated????



## vegeta2802

Hi everone, 
As most of you read I am buileding a loft, and I would like to 
keep the loft heat. I have been looking for some way to do that 
I was thinking about a heat light but still looking at other items I
could use. To day I fond this http://cozywinters.com/shop/houndheater.html, 
its a heater for dog house but do you guys think I could ues it for my loft?
Also what way do you keep your loft heated/warmed win its cold out?


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## learning

I guess you can do whatever you would like but the birds really don't need the heating. There are many members here that live further north than yourself that do not heat their lofts. It may be more for your benefit than anything else!

Dan


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## Charis

You don't need to heat but when the temperature drops well below freezing, my birds actually huddle around their heater. That leads me to believe that they appreciate it. 
You are right, Dan, that makes me feel better. Easier for me to sleep at night.


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## maryjane

Nice of you to think of it for your birds, I provide mine with heat in the winter and they do crowd around it (and we're in Northern California where it doesn't get below 30 usually lol). I simply put an infrared heat bulb (about $8 here) with a clamp in side of a small bird cage, then put the cage inside the aviary. I actually ended up using two by the end of the winter as they really did fight about who got to stand closest to it at night.  They may not need it, but they definitely appreciate it. It's hard to tell with that picture of the dog heater you are thinking about, you would just want to (of course) make sure that it doesn't get hot. I suppose you could put it inside of a small cage too, then put in the aviary, so they couldn't land on it and touch it. Good luck!


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## vegeta2802

Well as you cah see it gose out side the cage and a little part is in the cage, So we would just 
have to cut a hole for it and make a box to go around that pace. Wich is the same thing I would do with a heat light.
Wich do you think is best? I really do not like my babies in the cold and have even have a 
night that I was going to put them in my room (ever tho i do not have cages for all of them) cuz I 
did not like how cold it was.


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## Margarret

I use a space heater with a thermostat on it in the winter.(I'm in So. Calif. and most of you will think I'm nuts). The heater is actually outside where the birds are as I have my loft divided with screens inside. I place it on the floor aimed away from the birds so it will simply raise the air temp a bit inside the loft if it gets below about 45 at night. I have one elder bird with a healed fracture of his ankle and he seems to feel better with some heat. His limp is much more pronounced when it gets cold.

Margaret


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## Charis

Margarret said:


> I use a space heater with a thermostat on it in the winter.(I'm in So. Calif. and most of you will think I'm nuts). The heater is actually outside where the birds are as I have my loft divided with screens inside. I place it on the floor aimed away from the birds so it will simply raise the air temp a bit inside the loft if it gets below about 45 at night. I have one elder bird with a healed fracture of his ankle and he seems to feel better with some heat. His limp is much more pronounced when it gets cold.
> 
> Margaret


Margaret, Bless your heart.


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## Victor

This question has arisen again I see.

First off, I hope you built your loft facing the south or south east. Assuming it is, lets move on.

Everyone here has their own style of keeping their pigeon outside in their pigeon lofts or coops. 

Some say heat, others say they don't need it.

Last year, I installed heavy plastic on my coop screen door and the front of the coop with the exception of the top vent areas. I also had plexiglass panes in the front that can be removed when warm days come around. 

I am one of those that want to insure my pigeons stray warm. I used a non-ceramic heater in a small cage to take the bite out of the cold.At night I would even put a tarp on the front till dawn. At that point the southern sun warmed up the coop, and many days I would turn it off till the sun started to set.

Last winter my wife Bev and daughter Lisa MADE me bring them all (6 at the time) in mid January when temperatures were at times 20 below 0, and they stayed in the laundry rom for a month or so. I don't know if I will do that again, but someting tells me they will MAKE me do it again. No wonder my birds are so spoiled.

I also provided my pigeons with plenty of yellow corn (not cracked) to help warm up their insides.

No drafts

No wetness penentrated their living area.


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## roxtar

You'd need about 4 of the largest model that they make in order to heat a loft of any decent size. How big is your loft? The largest model they make will only heat 32 cubic feet so if you're going to use these things you better plan on buying more than 1, perhaps maybe 2 or 3 of them. 
The birds have feathers, really don't need to heat the loft anyway and all depending on who you talk to you may be doing the birds more harm than good by giving them artificial heat. Artificial heat has been known to affect feather growth and cause respiratory problems. Not saying it will in your case, just that nature has kind of already taken care of this for you and there's no need to do it really. Your best intentions might come with unintended consequences that you didn't even think of.


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## vegeta2802

my loft.
the inside part 6 by 6 by 6


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## DEEJAY7950

I agree heating a loft"WILL" do more harm then good for your birds! When i was up north (BUFFALO YEA WE KNOW COLD) the only heat used was to keep the waterer from freezing!


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## trailbound

I am in Alaska and will not be heating my lofts until mid Jan when I will start increasing light and adding heat to my breeding loft. Just want to mention something about water heaters, as I had purchased a few of the slim electric models for use under plastic type waterers, and much to my disapointment, they are only good to like 30 degrees, and then the water starts skimming over, and we are getting down to 0 at night now which makes those things the biggest waste of my money. So, a word of caution to those in northern climes, don't waste your money on these things. They are obviously marketed heavily in Europe as they came with a converter plug deal in order to work on our 110 systems here.
Kelley


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## amoonswirl

I have been wondering about this too, as this will be my birds' first winter in the aviary. It is attached to the house, so is very protected from drafts & moisture. But I am a little worried about the waterers freezing. Any advice on good waterer heaters or the like would be appreciated!


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## Lovebirds

When we were in MI, my husband built a box with a regular light bulb fixture in it. On top of the box, he cut a hole just big enough to hold the base of the water. We used 25 watt bulbs. He also put a dimmer switch on it if I remember correctly. My water didn't freeze up there. If you use a heater for the water, you ONLY want it to not freeze. You don't want the water to actually be warm or it will grow bacteria very quickly.


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## Charis

Victor said:


> This question has arisen again I see.
> 
> First off, I hope you built your loft facing the south or south east. Assuming it is, lets move on.
> 
> Everyone here has their own style of keeping their pigeon outside in their pigeon lofts or coops.
> 
> Some say heat, others say they don't need it.
> 
> Last year, I installed heavy plastic on my coop screen door and the front of the coop with the exception of the top vent areas. I also had plexiglass panes in the front that can be removed when warm days come around.
> 
> I am one of those that want to insure my pigeons stray warm. I used a non-ceramic heater in a small cage to take the bite out of the cold.At night I would even put a tarp on the front till dawn. At that point the southern sun warmed up the coop, and many days I would turn it off till the sun started to set.
> 
> Last winter my wife Bev and daughter Lisa MADE me bring them all (6 at the time) in mid January when temperatures were at times 20 below 0, and they stayed in the laundry rom for a month or so. I don't know if I will do that again, but someting tells me they will MAKE me do it again. No wonder my birds are so spoiled.
> 
> I also provided my pigeons with plenty of yellow corn (not cracked) to help warm up their insides.
> 
> No drafts
> 
> No wetness penentrated their living area.


Victor, If after I die and happen to come back as a pigeon, I hope I get to live with you and Bev.


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## Victor

Charis said:


> Victor, If after I die and happen to come back as a pigeon, I hope I get to live with you and Bev.


Bless your heart Charis. I would find the room if you strayed to us!

I was out adding the sign above my pigeon coop which states,"TOOTER VILLE" and it feels good in the sun, but is the temperature is 55, but no wind. The days are growing shorter too I see. 

I have just found some trim to install my Plexiglas panes inside my coop. The north side of the flight pen is tarped as well as the top, so it is a start. 

Time to start winterizing. I am getting the insulation this week to add to help keep them warm this winter.

Bev still insists on bringing them in again this year when it drops near zero again. Oh, geeze what am I going to do with her?

The pigeons are nearing the end of their molt and are starting to get back to their good looking selves. They seem to be ready for the change.


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## trailbound

lovebirds (or anyone else for that matter) is there a chance you could post a photo of your light bulb box from MI? I want to build a few of those, and get rid of these worthless heaters I had purchased. 
Kelley


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## Lovebirds

That was a few years ago...............I'll have to see if I can find any pictures.


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## Lovebirds

No pictures. Sorry.......I just went through a bunch of old CD's with pics and there are none of the heaters.............


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