About to get some chicks....

[frenchiegirl21]

As I stated earlier IF raising chicks without a heat source was sucessful, we all would raising our chicks in that manner.

In some places it is possible and successful to raise chicks without added heat. As I stated earlier, I add no heat to my chicks that I hatch during the summer because external temperatures are at least 95 degrees and typically exceed 100. Having additional heat would kill the chicks. Whether or not heat is needed depends on where you live and what season it is.

 

[res]

In some places it is possible and successful to raise chicks without added heat. As I stated earlier, I add no heat to my chicks that I hatch during the summer because external temperatures are at least 95 degrees and typically exceed 100. Having additional heat would kill the chicks. Whether or not heat is needed depends on where you live and what season it is.

Very true...

But the OP lives in Frederick County, Maryland, and has stated in other posts that she plans to purchase chicks in mid-March and keep them in her garage. Not necessarily warm conditions. At all. I think she would be wise to use a heat source...

 

[frenchiegirl21]

Oh, well, that makes more sense. I did not realize she lives in Maryland. I would definitely use a heat lamp on those chicks! Even in Texas during March it is much too cold to leave the chicks without another heat source.

 

[gg706]

Yes I can see in the heat of the summer even here in Georgia I could possibly raise them without much heat. Sometimes it does get chilly at night though even if it is hot during the day. Your point about adapting the situation to your climate is important. No matter where you live I feel watching the birds closely and reacting to their behavior is best, and have a lamp on hand to use when necessary.

 

[TwinWillowAcres]

The brooder box was made of wood and was 4x8. It was homemade and kept inside the (unheated) barn in a stall.

 

[Too Fast]

^^^not gonna be warm enough. Please do more research or your hatchlings will die. Do what you want.

 

[Bellatrixed]

The brooder box was made of wood and was 4x8. It was homemade and kept inside the (unheated) barn in a stall.

I assume you are knowledgeable about sheep since you have mentioned them a few times. What you're doing would be equivalent to someone going to a sheep forum and stating that sheep don't have to graze and being adamant that they can eat carpet instead because they claim to have seen someone feeding sheep old carpet scraps. You can ignore the advice from people who know what they're talking about all you want, but I'm willing to bet your chicks with no heat source won't fare much better than sheep eating carpet. Good luck to you.

 

[castle6]

In our house we use a heat source when they are only a couple days old. We keep them in a box in our garage with a broody light. we let our chicks outside at about three days old during the day. at night we generally keep the light on them until they are about three weeks. the light keeps them up all night, I fear it will bother their growth and development. We could probably get one of the red or blue broody lights just havent done it. We also live in sunny SoCal. Good luck with you chicks TwinWillowAcres.

 

[suebgbr]

i am currently cuddling a 1 week old chick in a towel under a duvet. it is in shock because it left the brinsea brooder in the night and fell asleep away from the heat.
there is nothing worse than watching a tiny chick gasping.
CHICKS NEED HEAT!

 

[gg706]

TwinWillowAcres......Good Luck with your chicks. It seems there is no changing your mind about anything.