Are they ready?

[eggsandfeta]

If I kept the 9 chicks (3? 4? weeks old) in this pen in our garage (modern, no weak points for large predators to come in but mice may) with a brooding plate on heat setting outside of it facing their pen, would this be sufficient?

They’re currently in our basement in the largest plastic tub we can find and they’ve outgrown it and I’ve outgrown the up and down the stairs daily to hose it off and having them in our basement. My husband is finishing building their coop but they’re still, as you can see, not quite there yet.

Temps go to the mid 30’s right now at the coolest.

 

[brandonstokley]

View attachment 3447075
If I kept the 9 chicks (3? 4? weeks old) in this pen in our garage (modern, no weak points for large predators to come in but mice may) with a brooding plate on heat setting outside of it facing their pen, would this be sufficient?

They’re currently in our basement in the largest plastic tub we can find and they’ve outgrown it and I’ve outgrown the up and down the stairs daily to hose it off and having them in our basement. My husband is finishing building their coop but they’re still, as you can see, not quite there yet.

Temps go to the mid 30’s right now at the coolest.

how cold does the garage get?

I wanna say yes. as long as they can all get under the heat plate if they get cold and if the garage doesn't get too cold.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

It'll be fine in the garage. Curious how the bedding stays in it and how do predators get in the garage?

 

[eggsandfeta]

how cold does the garage get?

I wanna say yes. as long as they can all get under the heat plate if they get cold and if the garage doesn't get too cold.

I honestly don’t know. I’ll see if I can’t find the ambient temp tonight and report back. Our basement is finished so it’s warmer there than the garage for sure. And the garage has cement floors.

 

[rosemarythyme]

with a brooding plate on heat setting outside of it facing their pen,

Brooding plates work via direct contact. Not sure why you want the plate outside the pen? Some plates also have optimal temperature ranges listed for use, so you would need to check for that information for your exact plate to ensure it would work in the temperatures you have in your garage.

 

[eggsandfeta]

Brooding plates work via direct contact. Not sure why you want the plate outside the pen? Some plates also have optimal temperature ranges listed for use, so you would need to check for that information for your exact plate to ensure it would work in the temperatures you have in your garage.

Ours has a heater and brooding function. The heater setting is pretty darn hot to the touch so I currently have it outside of their plastic tub hovering just above it because it will emit a lot of heat. That said, that’s in the basement so the ambient temperature is much more controlled.

 

[eggsandfeta]

It'll be fine in the garage. Curious how the bedding stays in it and how do predators get in the garage?

Tbh I’m not sure how the mice get in, or if they do during the night/times when the garage door is closed. We don’t have bedding for them but have just been using drawer liners in their bins

 

[jreardon1918]

Ours has a heater and brooding function. The heater setting is pretty darn hot to the touch so I currently have it outside of their plastic tub hovering just above it because it will emit a lot of heat. That said, that’s in the basement so the ambient temperature is much more controlled.

Have you tried using the heat plate on the lowest setting. Where the chicks would be able to press against it to simulate a mother hen?

 

[eggsandfeta]

Have you tried using the heat plate on the lowest setting. Where the chicks would be able to press against it to simulate a mother hen?

Yes we did that when we first got them but they started staying away from it and now they’re all too big for the bin and we have it hovering on heat setting above the lid.