Are my chicks going to be okay in my cold(ish) basement?

[cmlew99]

Hello!
I'm very excited to receive my first chicks from the post office in about two weeks. Like I said, this is my first time doing this, so I have quite a few questions. My first one is, can I keep my chicks in a basement that is about 55 to 60 degrees? Their brooder will be a dog crate lined with thin pieces of cardboard on the walls and floor, with shavings over the floor pieces of cardboard. They'll obviously have access to food and water, but the heating source I'll be using is an EcoGlow20. For those who haven't heard of it, it sits on the floor of the brooder and radiates heat with a temperature that imitates that of the warmth of a mother hen. Therefore, the heat won't be the 95 degrees emitted by the heat lamps that are more commonly used. Do you think my new, days old chicks will be alright in these temperatures? Is there anything I can do to keep them warmer, without changing their location or using a real heat lamp (I really don't want to risk fires)? My other option would be to keep them upstairs. Next to the kitchen. On carpet. I'm positive my family members wouldn't appreciate that... Well, thanks for reading, and I appreciate all of your responses!

Thanks very much, and wish me luck!

 

[donrae]

They'll be fine. They'll be under the ecoglow more when they're younger, then spend more and more time out from under it. I love the concept of the ecoglow for that reason--it's a far greater risk to the chicks to over heat them than for them to be a little cool. Broody hens raise chicks in those temps all the time and they do great. I brood chicks in the early spring in my unheated barn and don't have any issues. I'm still using a heat lamp, but I think the ecoglow is going on my birthday/Christmas wish list this year.....that or an incubator

 

[MountainOrchard]

Sounds great to me!

 

[cmlew99]

Thanks for the prompt responses! Will I have to disinfect the dog crate with a bleach solution? It belongs to my pug, but he hasn't used it since August.

 

[donrae]

Honestly, I've never disinfected my brooders, ever. I hose them out when I'm done, let them air/sun dry and they just hang out until next season. I've never disinfected any animal housing.