Brooding chicks outside in winter

[hanneke]

I have been reading up on older posts regarding brooding my chicks in my chicken coop. I have read on the mama heating plate. It's not super clear to me but I guess I will read more of the comments and see the pictures.
Most of these posts are older but still relevant.

I would like to know if any of you have used a regular chick heating plate that you can adjust in height for outside/coop brooding. Have you tried this and maybe put some kind of insulation around it so the heat stays trapped? I have heated pads too that don't turn off. I am thinking about putting them on the ground and cover with sand (my coop has sand).
Any experience with this will be welcome.

My last batch of chicks will be 2 weeks old Saturday and I want to put them in the coop.
I have raised many chicks before with a broody hen outside/coop. The hen will of course keep them warm but it always surprises me how much they run outside even in colder temps.
Our temps in central WA will be 30's at night and 40's going to 50's during the day.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I would like to know if any of you have used a regular chick heating plate that you can adjust in height for outside/coop brooding

The problem with regular brooder plates is that they are not recommended for temps below 50 degrees, so they wouldn't provide enough heat to keep chicks warm.

I am thinking about putting them on the ground and cover with sand (my coop has sand).

Chicks need the heat above them so they can press their backs up and touch it, not below them.
There are tons of didn't ways folks have made mama heating pads, so lots of options to choose from. I brood outside with a mama heating pad, it's simply a piece of welded wire bent to a proper height for the chicks, heating pad on the underneath secured with small bungy cords.
Here is a great article
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't use the heating plates but some forum members do. Some heating plates come with a warning about not using them below 50 Fahrenheit. You might contact the manufacturer and ask about theirs if you have a question.

The Mama Heating Pad has worked well for many people. Like anything else you need to use it correctly.

You might search for Ohio brooder. That's an inverted box. Hot air rises so it traps warm air. It was used a lot in WWII as a cheap way of raising chicks because of wartime rationing.

I use a heat lamp but I understand how frightened some people are by them.

 

[hanneke]

The problem with regular brooder plates is that they are not recommended for temps below 50 degrees, so they wouldn't provide enough heat to keep chicks warm.

Chicks need the heat above them so they can press their backs up and touch it, not below them.
There are tons of didn't ways folks have made mama heating pads, so lots of options to choose from. I brood outside with a mama heating pad, it's simply a piece of welded wire bent to a proper height for the chicks, heating pad on the underneath secured with small bungy cords.

Thanks. I didn’t mean the heat below them. I know they need it above. But thanks for letting me know about the ambient temp not getting below 50. That’s good to know.

 

[debid]

The chick heating plates vary greatly in warmth. You'll want to avoid any that are super low wattage. If it has a disclaimer about ambient temperature, it's not the right tool.

The 12x13" Sunbeam pad I used to build my hen is 50W. It's proved enough for temperatures in the teens, I haven't tried anything colder. I do have a "blanket" top that hangs down to cover 3 sides because their pop door stays open and I didn't want drafts hitting them while they sleep. I attached it in a way that it cannot move and there isn't anywhere for chicks to get trapped. I don't know how you would manage that with a heat plate. I'd work on making the enclosure draft proof where the plate is going to be instead.

I don't see any advantage to putting a heat pad underneath the sand with a heat plate above.

 

[WingItRanch]

Brooding outdoors with a Mama Heating Pad is the way to go! I used one of these off Amazon (https://a.co/d/06qy3jZ0) and secured a large heating pad to it. Just make sure you buy a heating pad that doesnt have an auto shutoff.

 

[SemiSweet2391]

I’ve finished brooding chicks outside with a brooder plate. It was in May/June and my chicks were 5-6 weeks old. They still liked the plate and went under it but I wanted them outside. I put the plate under a big tote that I had cut some entrances into. It worked really well until they were old enough to be sick of the plate!

 

[debid]

They seem to be really content with it. It's as close to a hen experience as I could manage.

 

[hanneke]

The problem with regular brooder plates is that they are not recommended for temps below 50 degrees, so they wouldn't provide enough heat to keep chicks warm.

Chicks need the heat above them so they can press their backs up and touch it, not below them.
There are tons of didn't ways folks have made mama heating pads, so lots of options to choose from. I brood outside with a mama heating pad, it's simply a piece of welded wire bent to a proper height for the chicks, heating pad on the underneath secured with small bungy cords.
Here is a great article
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

So looking at your pictures you don't bother with wrapping in towels and using cling wrap? I'm reading that in the original post about it and it's confusing how she did it.
Maybe I am replying to the wrong person @debid

 

[hanneke]

Brooding outdoors with a Mama Heating Pad is the way to go! I used one of these off Amazon (https://a.co/d/06qy3jZ0) and secured a large heating pad to it. Just make sure you buy a heating pad that doesnt have an auto shutoff.
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I love it when people have great ideas!