Cold nights in central Alberta put every backyard flock owner in front of the same question: does the coop need heat, and if it does, what kind? This guide sets out what two university extension services say about winter heat and ventilation, then compares the low-wattage K&H coop heaters we carry (heated perches, heated floor pads and a brooder plate) using K&H's own specifications.
Do chickens need heat in winter?
University of New Hampshire Extension's answer is mostly no: "In most circumstances, we advise against adding supplemental heat to your chicken coop." Its reason is fire: "The risk of a heat source causing a fire is too high with combustible bedding materials present and given the tendency of chickens to knock things over."
If you decide your birds do need some warmth, the products below are low-wattage heaters with no bulb, not heat lamps. They are still electrical devices in a coop full of bedding, so read and follow K&H's instructions for each one.
Ventilation and dry bedding come first
Frostbite on combs, wattles and toes is a winter risk in any coop. Dr. Jacquie Jacob of the University of Kentucky writes that "Frostbite is more likely to occur during the nighttime hours in a cold, poorly ventilated coop with damp bedding." and that "Proper ventilation is necessary to prevent moisture and ammonia increases that can negatively impact the birds." UNH Extension makes the same point: the coop has to "allow for interior moisture and ammonia gas from chicken droppings to escape", with vents placed away from the prevailing wind.
So before adding any heater, close the coop against drafts but not against air, and keep the bedding dry.
Heated perches: the K&H Thermo-Chicken Perch
A perch is where the flock spends the night. The K&H Thermo-Chicken Perch 26" is 66 cm long and draws 40 watts; the K&H Thermo-Chicken Perch 36" is 91 cm long and draws 55 watts. Both are oval rather than round (K&H: "an oval perch is more suited to the hens' foot pads"), with dual internal thermostats, a 5½-foot (1.7 m) cord, MET listing and a one-year limited warranty.
How long a bar do you need? UNH Extension allows around 9 to 12 inches (23 to 30 cm) of roosting space per chicken. On that figure the 26-inch perch seats roughly two or three birds and the 36-inch perch roughly three or four, so a larger flock still needs unheated roost space beside it.
Heated floor pads: Thermo-Chicken and Thermo-Peep
The K&H Thermo-Chicken Heated Pad is a flat pad, 18.5 by 12.5 inches (47 by 32 cm), that draws 40 watts. It has a rigid ABS plastic shell, rounded edges and a steel-wrapped cord, and K&H recommends it "for baby chicks 30+ days or older". The smaller K&H Thermo-Peep Heated Pad is 9 by 12 inches (23 by 30 cm) and draws 25 watts; on that one the first 18 inches of the 5.5-foot cord are steel-capped. Both are MET listed to UL 499 standards and carry a one-year limited warranty.
Neither pad has a switch. In K&H's words: "There is not an off/on switch. The pad is always on when plugged in." K&H says to clean them with a damp towel or sponge and mild dish detergent, and never in a washing machine.
Chicks: the K&H Thermo-Poultry Brooder
For chicks too young for the pads, the K&H Thermo-Poultry Brooder is a heated plate on legs that the chicks go under for warmth. The small size draws 25 watts and is rated for up to 15 chicks; the large draws 40 watts and is rated for up to 30. Height and angle adjust on a pegged shelf as the chicks grow. It is MET listed and carries a two-year warranty. The rest of our brooding range is in Poultry Heat and Brooding.
How do you keep chickens' water from freezing?
UNH Extension's options for frozen water are a water heater, or a low-walled rubber bucket that can be turned over, the ice knocked out and the bucket refilled. We carry the heated K&H Poultry Waterer; K&H describes it as an "Ice free 60 watt heated poultry waterer" with a "2.5 gallon heavy duty water tank" (about 9.5 L) and a "no roost top". Our guide Heated Water Buckets and Stock Tank De-Icers: Keeping Livestock Water Open Through an Alberta Winter covers heated buckets, bases and de-icers. For Alberta's small-flock guidance on drinker types, water temperature and cleaning, see Chicken Waterers and Feeders: Types, Height and Cleaning (Alberta Small-Flock Guide).
Setting up any coop heater
- Follow K&H's instructions for each product: mounting, cleaning and the cord.
- Route cords out of reach of beaks and rodents. K&H lists the pad's steel-wrapped cord among its peck-resistant features.
- None of these heaters has a switch, so check cords and housings for damage before the season and unplug them when it ends.
- Keep the ventilation open after a heater goes in.
- Ask your veterinarian about birds that are young or unwell.
Where to find them
- K&H Thermo-Chicken Perch 26" and 36"
- K&H Thermo-Chicken Heated Pad and K&H Thermo-Peep Heated Pad
- K&H Thermo-Poultry Brooder
- K&H Poultry Waterer
- All K&H Pet Products, the Thermo heated products range and our Poultry department
- Fencing the run: Electric Netting for Chickens, Sheep and Goats: Choosing, Powering and Grounding a Net
- Hatching your own chicks: Incubator Temperature and Humidity for Chicken Eggs: Little Giant's Directions
Sources: University of New Hampshire Extension, "How Should I Take Care of Backyard Chickens in the Winter?" (2024); Jacquie Jacob, University of Kentucky, "Frostbite in Chickens", Small and Backyard Poultry (poultry.extension.org); K&H Pet Products product pages for the Thermo-Chicken Perch, Thermo-Chicken Heated Pad, Thermo-Peep Heated Pad and Thermo-Poultry Brooder (khpet.com). All viewed October 2026.