K&H Pet Products Thermo-Chicken Heated Pad

Details

Heat lamps are the traditional answer in a coop and the reason a fair number of barns have burned down. A heated pad puts the warmth at floor level, in contact with the birds that want it, with no bulb to fall and no glass to break. The pad measures 47 by 32 cm (18.5 by 12.5 in) and draws 40 watts. The shell is rigid ABS plastic with rounded edges and a peck-resistant surface, and the cord is steel wrapped along its 1.7 m (5.5 ft) length. Two internal thermostats manage the surface, warming it toward bird body temperature on contact rather than radiating heat into the room, so it does not fight the coop ventilation. It is MET certified to UL 499 standards. K&H rates it for birds 30 days and older; younger chicks belong under a brooder. Lay it flat on the coop floor where birds already congregate, not under the roost where it collects droppings. It is water resistant rather than waterproof, so do not hose it or leave it sitting in standing water. Clean it with a damp cloth or sponge and mild dish detergent, never in a washing machine. There is no on-off switch; it works whenever it is plugged in. Use a grounded, outdoor-rated circuit with GFCI protection, and run the cord out of the coop through a protected route where birds and rodents cannot work at it. Talk to your veterinarian about what supplemental warmth your particular birds need.