Brooder heating and bedding

[Nslangton]

Hi everyone, I am getting day old chicks in February. I would like to keep the brooder in a barn that is heated. The temperature in the day is around 70 degrees, but can go down to 40 overnight. Will the chicks be all right in a brooder under these conditions? Also can i use puppy training pads as the bedding for first few days?

 

[suzeqf]

A barn is a great place mine live in my hubbies shop but you will need a heat lamp since 70 is to cool for day olds they need to be around 95-100 and then decrease the temp 5 degrees per week of age

 

[bj taylor]

my first ever babies are coming 1st week in feb too. i'm getting the brooder set up going tomorrow so i can see how the heat works & tweak things as much as possible before they come. here in Tx. the weather swings so much it will be challenging to keep the temp stable.

 

[Hunter0704]

Make sure your brooder is draft free...very important. A heat lamp is a must...place it in a corner above the brooder so if the chicks get too warm they can move away from the heat....placing it low or high above the brooder, is something you will have to figure out by watching the chicks. If they are all clumped together under it, indicating they are cold, you may need to lower it closer to them. If they are never under it, you need to raise it as it's too hot. Cover the rest of the open area on the top with towels, tarp, whatever to keep drafts out and keep the heat inside.

Make sure they have food and water available 24/7 for as many weeks as they are in the brooder. The day of arrival, the next morning at the latest, pick up each chick and stick there beaks in the water...repeat a few times a day until they get the idea of water and where it is. Just make sure they are drinking water so you don't get pasty butts.

My brooder is on an enclosed porch with a room heater on 24/7 so the room temp is around 80 degrees. First week temp inside brooder should be at least 90 degrees. The next week you can lower it no more than 10 degrees. Each week you lower the temp 10 degrees. Do not put them outside in a coop until they are fully feathered, as they will freeze.

The dimensions of my brooder is 2' x 2' x 4' long on legs, wood walls, top on hinges for opening with hardware cloth stapled to it. I drape one or more towels on 1/2 to 3/4 of the top area to keep the heat inside the brooder...then hang the heat lamp in another corner. Placement of how high or low you place the heat lamp is regulated by how the chicks react to the heat. More heat needed, I lower the heat lamp. Less heat needed, I raise the heat lamp.

Good luck with your new babies!!!!! They are so much fun and interesting to watch. I ordered four ducklings and four chicks to arrive in March, so like you, I am soooooo excited to see my new babies. I already have three Welsh Harlequin ducks 4 mos. old and four chicks 4 mos. old. so I will have a full house including the newbies.

 

[Nslangton]

Thanks so much. Mine will be in a heated barn, but the temperature in Pennsylvania varries so much that the room temperature will most likely be about 15 degrees colder at night. Snow today and 20 degrees is the high. By Wednesday it will be in the fifties. I am gonna do my first brooder in a clear rubbermaid that is about 2'x3' and move them to a larger one after a few weeks. I have heard not to use pine shavings for the first few days so they don't eat them. What do you use as bedding? I was either going to use towels or a puppy pad

 

[Nslangton]

I can't wait either. Let me know how it goes for you, the temps in PA are from one extreme to the next

 

[AnnieOK]

Do puppy training pads have some kind of scent put in them to draw the puppy to pee on them? I've always used them for my pups but can't remember for sure if they are 'treated' to attract the puppy or not. If so, wonder if that would harm the chicks in any way? I'd like to hear an answer to this too, have lots and lots of puppy pads.