First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[Serenashome]

First time posting, not sure if I'm in right spot but I am picking up chicks in a couple days. My friend set up cardboard box with heat lamp, I'm terrified that it isn't safe or it won't be warm enough. Has anyone used this setup successfully? Are chicks as fragile as l literature says? Thank you for any info.

I have not used this set up (first time chicken mom, long time thread stalker) but you are sure to find good advice here, we certainly have.

Welcome to BYC!!!!

We went with the momma heating pad method from @Blooie 's thread which is now a huge thing.

 

[RonC]

Vadgoo, welcome to BYC If you go with the heat lamp make sure that directly under it is about the recommended temp for their age. The rest of their brooder area should be much cooler. For example for my two week olds under my light is about 90 degrees (checked with a thermometer) and the far end four feet away is room temperature (75 for example). Being able to get to a cooler area is as important as having the warm area to warm up in. First week they are most vulnerable, by week three depending on ambient temp where they are they may not even want to be near the lamp. I find it easier to give them room to decide for themselves than try to micromanage the temp of the whole brooder..

 

[sebloc]

A week old

 

[MiniIndyRanch]

Came home today and discovered that my chicks can now jump up onto the edge of their 100gal horse trough brooder. My DH wants to move them into an empty horse stalled in an unheated barn. At 3.5 wks old, will they be able to handle this? Temps are in the 40s-50s at night, and 50s-60s during the day. We have an Ecoglow 20 and are concerned that very soon they won't all fit underneath it...

 

[sebloc]

I just got chicks, and I do not think I would risk that. If the temps were around 70s-80s I would take that chance, but.

 

[AmandaMBG]

3 week update. They are now officially out in the coop! Yay! I did keep my runt and two little bantams I bought to keep him company inside. Everyone else is running around the coop loving life, sun bathing, dust bathing, jumping, flying

Here is a couple of shots (No singles probably until next week.)

And here are my two new bantams. I think they might be Old English Game (waiting for someone to confirm).

 

[ladynewtochicks]

Came home today and discovered that my chicks can now jump up onto the edge of their 100gal horse trough brooder. My DH wants to move them into an empty horse stalled in an unheated barn. At 3.5 wks old, will they be able to handle this? Temps are in the 40s-50s at night, and 50s-60s during the day. We have an Ecoglow 20 and are concerned that very soon they won't all fit underneath it...

I'm using a 100gal tank but I have a make shift lid over it, they've been able to jump out for a while so I would have been screwed without it. Can you get a chunk of fence or something to go over it? I'm new but I don't think your chicks are feathered enough to go without heat at those temps but I could be wrong...

 

[amberwar8]

Came home today and discovered that my chicks can now jump up onto the edge of their 100gal horse trough brooder. My DH
wants to move them into an empty horse stalled in an unheated barn. At 3.5 wks old, will they be able to handle this? Temps are in the 40s-50s at night, and 50s-60s during the day. We have an Ecoglow 20 and are concerned that very soon they won't all fit underneath it...

We are using a 100 gallon trough and my husband made a cover/lid a few cut 2x4's stapled to some rabbit wire we had to keep the flyers in lol works great

 

[OilyChick]

I have not used this set up (first time chicken mom, long time thread stalker) but you are sure to find good advice here, we certainly have.

Welcome to BYC!!!!

We went with the momma heating pad method from @Blooie 's thread which is now a huge thing.

Glad to hear you are doing the MHP too Serenashome! I think there should be a group dedicated to Mama Heating Pad and the natural way of "non-brooder" brooding of baby chicks. We need to connect Been following Blooie and Azygous too. I'm a total noob here too and don't even know all the in's and out's of BYC yet. Not sure a special interest group can even be supported?

 

[Jensownzoo]

Came home today and discovered that my chicks can now jump up onto the edge of their 100gal horse trough brooder. My DH wants to move them into an empty horse stalled in an unheated barn. At 3.5 wks old, will they be able to handle this? Temps are in the 40s-50s at night, and 50s-60s during the day. We have an Ecoglow 20 and are concerned that very soon they won't all fit underneath it...

If you move the ecoglow out with them then they should be fine and will likely finish feathering in even quicker. That's about the age when I've been kicking mine outside. They have huddle boxes and a homemade lectro-kennel heating pad cave to get out of the wind/warm up under if need be. The only ones who really used them during the day were the Silkies.