Before you buy a heater for your coop you will need to consider what type of bedding you are using, what type of heat is safest for your chickens, how much heat you need, and how much you can afford to spend.

Heating your hen house may be needed if temperatures in your area consistently drop below 40F degrees. Your chickens can suffer from frostbite and even death when exposed for extended periods of time in extreme cold below 32F and hens will generally produce less eggs when they are too cold. When considering what type of heat you plan to use you should consider each of these things carefully so you can make the best choice for you and your chickens. The size of the area to be heated will be a major consideration to help you decide whether you will be using residential types of heat or commercial.
Type of bedding to use with heaters
The type of bedding you use can affect your type of heat choice. When you are using a heater in your hen house you should only use sand and Pdz bedding unless you have your heater hanging from the ceiling or secured in a caged area where bedding cannot accumulate. Most other bedding's are highly flammable and could easily get kicked into the heater unless you have the heater placed properly and secured hanging from the ceiling of your hen house. You should secure your heat lamps with wire that can withstand heat like electric fence wire to make sure that your heat lamp does not fall. You should also check your heaters daily for dust buildup, loose connections, melted or torn wiring, and to make sure they are still securely attached.
Check out PDZ bedding here:

• PDZ bedding

Types of coop bedding
Check out the various types of coop bedding to find out which one is right for your chickens here:

• Types of bedding

Type of heat
Decide on what type of heat you plan to use, such as gas, electric,  propane, wood, alternate fuel, or solar powered heat. Keep in mind that gas and propane give off fumes which are harmful and can even be deadly to your birds. Electricity can be very expensive to use. Pro's and Con's of Various types of heaters You should examine the pro's and con's of each type of heat and heaters before you choose one.  Be sure to read customer reviews when available. 

• Heater's for hen houses, coops, and pets

Note: Heat lamps can be very dangerous and have been known to cause many fires in chicken coops and barns. The only way to safely use a heat lamp is to secure it inside a metal bottom cage and make sure the cage is hung securely at least three feet from anything flammable and where chickens cannot roost on top of it. More often than not the clamps and handles on heat lamps can easily come loose, be knocked loose, and the lamp will fall, often killing baby chicks and causing fires. See more below.

Cost of heating your hen house or coop

Cost of heat depends on you and the cost of your electricity. How much you can afford to spend, how much heat you use, how often you use it, and what type of heat you use. Different types of heat have different price ranges Depending on where you live and where you get your utilities from can also make a huge difference.  Some types of heat are cheaper than other's while solar powered heat may initially cost more to get set up-it quickly pays for itself by eliminating your electricity or battery costs (depending on what type of power you are presently using), plus there is an almost immediate increase in egg production when your hens are comfy warm but not too cold or too hot. 

• Safety-Safety is the most important issue for you and your chickens when you are considering a heater.

On average our heat lamps (we run three) cost approximately 23 cents per day. A small price to pay to keep your chickens comfy. However, if you are looking to save money over the long haul you should consider buying a solar powered generator which operates on the power of the sun and is stored in batteries for days with no sun. 
Solar powered genenrators

Determining How Much Heat You Need For Your Coop

You need to determine how much heat you will need for your hen house or coop.  Smaller coops may only need a small heat lamp, or wall heating pad, whereas, larger coops or barns may need a larger heat lamp, heater, or commercial grade heat. If your chickens are huddled up, standing on one leg or their feathers are fluffed up, they are too cold and if they are showing these signs, you may need to add heat or more heat to your coop.

Featured Video: Heating the Chicken Coop! (Why we changed our minds)

Some folks do not believe that chickens need heat during the winter but anyone who has lost one or more chickens to frostbite will tell you that heating the coop does help the birds. Bantams are particularly susceptible to death by frostbite. Some chicken breeds are more cold hardy than others but in my opinion and in the opinion of this family, heating the hen house can save the lives of your birds.

See More Heaters for Hen Houses and Coops

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Memory Verse: Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26

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References:
1. Hen, Snow, Chicken, Winter, Bird. (2018). Pixabay.com. Retrieved 21 August 2018, from https://pixabay.com/en/hen-snow-chicken-winter-bird-1146644/
2,​Heating the Chicken Coop! (Why we changed our minds). (2018). YouTube. Retrieved 21 August 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIHhgUqijrc