Brooder Temperature Variations

[Justicedog]

3 years ago I began my backyard chicken farmer days and got 6 chicks. I kept them in a Rubbermaid brooder in the basement. The old girls are slacking off and I'm getting more chicks tomorrow to help with the egg production, particularly the 3 months in the winter.

My darling husband is a reluctant backyard chicken farmer. He'd asked that I compromise and not have the chicks in the basement, but in the garage. I've set up the Rubbermaid brooder in the unheated garage. We get below 32 degrees at night. I've got an indoor/outdoor thermometer and have put both parts inside the brooder in different areas. Directly under the light will register at 95-100, but the edges away from the light will register in the 80s. Directly under the light is too hot, but if I raise the light, then the edges get colder and they're not even up in the 90's.

I don't recall having this issue last time, but then didn't have two thermometers in the brooder at a time and just made the temperature right for the one thermometer.

Are the chicks going to be ok if the whole brooder isn't in the 95 degrees, but there's an area in there that is, maybe an area that is hotter and an area that is cooler and the chicks can decide where they want to hang out?

Or, do I need to just have them in the basement, where I think I'd get a more uniform temperature?

Janelle

 

[crazyfeathers]

A picture of your brooder would be helpful. Do you have a lid on it? IMHO the temperature is good, if the chicks get too hot they will just move away from the lamp, and when they get too cold move back under. 6 chicks aren't so many that they all can't get under the light for warmth, and receive heat from each other without fear of them trampling each other. If your worried just observe them for a while you should be able to see if adjustments need to be made. We've had chicks in a brooder box with a lid and heat lamp for 2 weeks (since they were 3 days old) in the unheated garage, they are fairing well. Good luck!.

 

[MamaRudey]

Sounds fine. If they are cold they can go under the light, and too warm they can move to a cooler area by the side.