Brooder in winter

[Lelilamom]

11 degrees IS cold! What are the temps typically like when you move them outside in 4 weeks?

I have had many broody hens hatch in March - August and the coldest morning we ever had when a hen had chicks was 43. Using that as a guide, I have never moved them out in temps colder than 45 degrees. Even though they are fully feathered by four weeks.

 

[3KillerBs]

there could be an advantage in keeping the area where the water is above freezing.

This is one of the reasons I use the dual heat of a heat lamp plus a brooder plate in cold weather. I set the lamp so that the edge of the warm area is at the edge of the brooder plate. Then I put the foot and water at the other perimeter of the lamp-warmed area.

When shipped chicks first arrive, they are cold and hungry and thirsty all at once, they do not know what things are good to eat and drink, and they do not know that the brooder plate is warm. But they are attracted to light, and when they go to the lit area they find warmth and food and water all in one place.

This is very well explained.

I think using a heat lamp for at least the first day makes a real difference in survival of shipped chicks. (Of course the brooder still needs a cool area so they can get away from the heat if they want to, even that first day.)

IIRC, several hatcheries STRONGLY recommend using a heat lamp rather than a brooder plate for shipped chicks. I'm not sure if it's true or not that they won't honor liveability guarantees for people who won't use them.

 

[NatJ]

IIRC, several hatcheries STRONGLY recommend using a heat lamp rather than a brooder plate for shipped chicks. I'm not sure if it's true or not that they won't honor liveability guarantees for people who won't use them.

It's always best to read the fine print, especially because it changes sometimes.

For example, I just checked Cackle Hatchery, which I thought had a policy like that. But it's different now:

https://www.cacklehatchery.com/guarantees-policies/

LIVE POULTRY MORTALITY OR MORBIDITY NOT GUARANTEED AFTER SAFE AND TIMELY DELIVERY
Cackle Hatchery is unable to refund or replace any poultry after it has arrived safe and in a timely manner.

(A different place on that page has strong advice to use a heat lamp, not a heat plate, for the first two weeks. But they changed the guarantee so it no longer has any tie to what heat source is used.)

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's always best to read the fine print, especially because it changes sometimes.

For example, I just checked Cackle Hatchery, which I thought had a policy like that. But it's different now:

https://www.cacklehatchery.com/guarantees-policies/


(A different place on that page has strong advice to use a heat lamp, not a heat plate, for the first two weeks. But they changed the guarantee so it no longer has any tie to what heat source is used.)

I had not seen that. It is disappointing.

 

[NatJ]

I had not seen that. It is disappointing.

They aren't the only hatchery that guarantees live delivery and nothing past that.
A quick check of 8 other hatcheries today shows that is common, and companies that guarantee any longer seem to be the exception:

McMurray guarantees they live for 48 hours.
https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/faq.html

Meyer guarantees they live for 48 hours "when properly cared for."
https://meyerhatchery.com/products/Loss-Reporting-Form-c136533811
They mention both heat lamps and brooder plates on their page of brooding instructions:
https://blog.meyerhatchery.com/2012/04/brooding-for-beginners/


Ideal, Welp, Privett, and Dunlap only guarantee that the right number of chicks arrive alive.

https://www.idealpoultry.com/order_policies
https://www.welphatchery.com/ordering_information
https://www.privetthatchery.com/shipping-information
https://www.dunlaphatcherypoultry.com/guarantee/

My Pet Chicken guarantees that chicks will arrive "alive and healthy."
https://www.mypetchicken.com/pages/alive-healthy-guarantee

Hoovers is a little ambiguous:
https://hoovershatchery.com/faq.html
"What happens if I have chicks that are dead upon arrival? Can I get a refund or re-ship?
We will refund or send a replacement for the death loss of birds if you report the death loss at the end of your 48 hour guarantee period."
(Based on how the question is phrased, and how they answered it, I can't tell if that covers deaths within the 48 hours after arrival, or just ones that arrive dead.)

 

[3KillerBs]

It's always best to read the fine print, especially because it changes sometimes.

For example, I just checked Cackle Hatchery, which I thought had a policy like that. But it's different now:

https://www.cacklehatchery.com/guarantees-policies/


(A different place on that page has strong advice to use a heat lamp, not a heat plate, for the first two weeks. But they changed the guarantee so it no longer has any tie to what heat source is used.)

Thanks for checking into that. I was on break at work and couldn't hunt down details to check my memory.

 

[NH Friend]

Since you're a first timer, I'll state something fairly basic about chicks and brooders:
healthy chicks can self regulate their temperature by moving to a warmer or cooler place.

The warm area can be heated by a heat lamp, in which case it tends to be several feet across, with the hottest spot in the middle and cooler areas further out. Or the warm area can be a heat plate, or a heating pad cave, or a broody hen, and all the rest of the space is cool. Once the chicks are warm & healthy after being shipped, any of those can work just fine.

Specific notes about heat lamps:
Because of how much space gets warm with a heat lamp, it is a very poor choice for a small brooder in hot weather or inside a human house. But with a large brooder (so there is still plenty of cool space), it can be a very good way to provide heat for chicks, especially when the brooder is outdoors in cold weather. There is also a very real risk of fire with a heat lamp, if it gets knocked down or if something flammable gets too close to it, so do be careful if you use one.

Thank you for the explanation. I'm eager to learn, so all input is much appreciated!
My overall fear is keeping the hot spot just hot enough, and the cool spot not too cold. I feel rather stupid ordering chicks so early in the year with ZERO experience. My brooder is about 2-1/2 x 2-1/2x 3-1/2, and will be outside.

If I understand correctly, as long as I have

1. the hot spot hot enough, supplemented by a red, ceramic cuff thingy, heat lamp,
2. a cool spot
3. no drafts or humidity
4. access to fresh food and clean (unfrozen) water
5. protection from predators and
6. appropriate ventilation,

my little flock should have a good start?

Thank you again. I really want to do this the right way, and the willingness of this group to answer the same questions every dang time they're asked is very uplifting!

 

[NatJ]

If I understand correctly, as long as I have

1. the hot spot hot enough, supplemented by a red, ceramic cuff thingy, heat lamp,
2. a cool spot
3. no drafts or humidity
4. access to fresh food and clean (unfrozen) water
5. protection from predators and
6. appropriate ventilation,

my little flock should have a good start?

Yes, that sounds right to me!

My overall fear is keeping the hot spot just hot enough, and the cool spot not too cold.

As long as the hot part does not start a fire, neither one of those is a big deal. The chicks always need to have enough space at the correct temperature, but it is fine if one area is too hot and another area is too cold. The area that is too hot in the afternoon might be perfect in the middle of the night, and the area that is too cold at night might be pleasantly cool in the middle of the day.

I feel rather stupid ordering chicks so early in the year with ZERO experience.

I think we've all done plenty of stupid things in life.

Since you recognized that you needed to learn, and you are making sure you have it right before the chicks arrive, I think you're doing pretty well overall

My brooder is about 2-1/2 x 2-1/2x 3-1/2, and will be outside.

That will probably work.
Larger is always nicer, but I think that's big enough to avoid the most common too-small issues with heat sources.

How many chicks did you order?
Do you already have a coop ready as well?

 

[NH Friend]

Yes, that sounds right to me!


As long as the hot part does not start a fire, neither one of those is a big deal. The chicks always need to have enough space at the correct temperature, but it is fine if one area is too hot and another area is too cold. The area that is too hot in the afternoon might be perfect in the middle of the night, and the area that is too cold at night might be pleasantly cool in the middle of the day.


I think we've all done plenty of stupid things in life.

Since you recognized that you needed to learn, and you are making sure you have it right before the chicks arrive, I think you're doing pretty well overall


That will probably work.
Larger is always nicer, but I think that's big enough to avoid the most common too-small issues with heat sources.

How many chicks did you order?
Do you already have a coop ready as well?

Our coop construction begins tomorrow when Lowe's delivers our fence brackets and fence rail brackets. Turns out those are essential! We've got the plans, the lumber, the hardware cloth, tools, all the goods! Now if it would just stop snowing!

 

[NatJ]

Our coop construction begins tomorrow

Depending on how soon the chicks arrive, and when you finish the coop, you might just brood the chicks in the coop (from whatever age they are at that point.)

When that is possible, it is usually the easiest way.