K&H Pet Products Thermo-Chicken Perch Gray 36"

Details

In a coop with more than a few birds, one short heated bar becomes contested property. The flock sorts itself out by rank, and the birds at the bottom of the order end up on the cold end of the roost. The 91 cm (36 in) length solves that by giving the whole row somewhere warm to sit. It draws 55 watts, more than the shorter version simply because there is more bar to hold at temperature. The oval profile is shaped for a chicken foot rather than borrowed from a round dowel, and dual internal thermostats hold it steady through the swing between a mild afternoon and three in the morning. The cord is 1.7 m (5.5 ft). It is MET listed with a one-year limited warranty. Support a bar this long properly at both ends. A 91 cm span with a row of birds on it carries real weight, and a perch that shifts underfoot will not get used. Mount it at the height your flock already chooses, clear of the feeder and waterer, with head room above. Clean it with a damp cloth and mild dish detergent during your regular coop turnout rather than soaking or hosing it. There is no on-off switch. Run it from a grounded, outdoor-rated circuit with GFCI protection, keep the cord clipped tight to a rafter beyond reach of beaks and rodents, and look it over for damage each fall.