California Winter Brooder Heat Advice Needed (stream of consciousness rant)

[chfriedmam]

Hi, So we've got 26 chicks coming next week and they will be in a brooder in our garage. I live in SoCal and day high temps are anywhere from 65 to 78, but at night it's getting down to 45-47F. Ya, I know that's not cold -

Previously we brooded chicks in the garage under a brinsea ecoglow (on the floor with no predator protection, ignorance really is bliss!!) and they did fine, but it was later in the year. Now I realize I shouldn't rely on the ecoglow alone if it gets under 50 degrees. But it's just barely under!! And I really don't want to bring in a dangerous heating lamp for 5 degrees! But then again 50's the bottom of the range that will work and I want my chicks comfy... I'm not bringing them in my house, sorry. I've thought of putting an infrared space heater on in the room, or even stealing my toddler's regular space heater with a thermostat feature and giving it to the chicks (ouch my heating bill!). Or should I do some kind of reptile lamp of the lowest wattage?

I also knit and have some bulky wool. Do I need to knit up a mama hen thing? Add in a "Cone of Silence" to seal in whatever warmth they have? put towels on the top at night? Their brooder is actually a crib, should I insulate it more?

I need advice. Please be kind tho. Pic for interest.

 

[swamphiker]

I'll bet they will be fine with your current set up. If you're concerned, you could try turning on the heat lamp and seeing how warm it gets at night. With larger groups of chicks, I have found that they don't need quite as much heat as the written guidelines recommends.

I really like the creativity of the crib brooder! It looks very safe from predators, though it might start to get cramped for them after they reach 3-4 weeks.

Best of luck with your new chickies!

 

[chfriedmam]

I'll bet they will be fine with your current set up. If you're concerned, you could try turning on the heat lamp and seeing how warm it gets at night. With larger groups of chicks, I have found that they don't need quite as much heat as the written guidelines recommends.

I really like the creativity of the crib brooder! It looks very safe from predators, though it might start to get cramped for them after they reach 3-4 weeks.

Best of luck with your new chickies!

Thanks, I went a little crazy with the staple gun... Yes, maybe I will have a heat lamp on with a 125Watt red bulb and mount it very securely just for in the beginning .

I'm hoping that with our weather we may move them out to their coop earlier rather than later or start brooding them in their coop as they get bigger. Plus, friends are taking all but 15, but it's still too small for 15 as they get older. We are rebuilding our coop tho, so they will be our motivator. Right now the newly poured slab awaits our creativity.

 

[swamphiker]

Yes, Well, I'm hoping that with our weather we may move them out to their coop earlier rather than later or start brooding them in their coop as they get bigger. Plus, friends are taking all but 15, but it's still too small for 15 as they get older. We are rebuilding our coop tho, so they will be our motivator. We had one roof rat in our house last year, so I got a little rat-obsessed and crazy with the hardware cloth.

There's nothing like having new chicks for making sure the coop gets fixed up! Hahaha

 

[NatJ]

day high temps are anywhere from 65 to 78, but at night it's getting down to 45-47F. Ya, I know that's not cold -

Previously we brooded chicks in the garage under a brinsea ecoglow (on the floor with no predator protection, ignorance really is bliss!!) and they did fine, but it was later in the year. Now I realize I shouldn't rely on the ecoglow alone if it gets under 50 degrees.

Before you do anything more, I suggest you put a thermometer inside the crib brooder, with no heat at all, and see how cold it really gets.

Considering that outdoors is just below 50, but the brooder is in the garage, I think the brooder might stay above 50 with no extra heat needed.

I've thought of putting an infrared space heater on in the room, or even stealing my toddler's regular space heater with a thermostat feature and giving it to the chicks (ouch my heating bill!).

If the brooder does get below 50 at night, maybe add heat that way for the first week, to keep yourself from worrying too much.
Once they are older, they do not need as much heat because they are bigger and have more feathers.

I do not think you need any extra insulation, covering, or anything else added to the brooder you already have in your garage.

Yes, chicks do need to be protected from wind and rain, but they also need plenty of fresh air. So I would trust the garage to block the weather, and not close up the crib any more than it already is.

 

[chfriedmam]

Before you do anything more, I suggest you put a thermometer inside the crib brooder, with no heat at all, and see how cold it really gets.

Considering that outdoors is just below 50, but the brooder is in the garage, I think the brooder might stay above 50 with no extra heat needed.


If the brooder does get below 50 at night, maybe add heat that way for the first week, to keep yourself from worrying too much.
Once they are older, they do not need as much heat because they are bigger and have more feathers.

I do not think you need any extra insulation, covering, or anything else added to the brooder you already have in your garage.

Yes, chicks do need to be protected from wind and rain, but they also need plenty of fresh air. So I would trust the garage to block the weather, and not close up the crib any more than it already is.

Ty I'm on it! I work 3 nights a week but I did leave a thermometer in the brooder last night and had somebody check it before they went to bed and it was 60°! Low temps around here around 5:00 a.m. so that's when we'll get the lowest reading and I'm going to see what it is.ty

 

[Tonyroo]

Test the temperature of the brooder, day and night to know before the chicks arrive. It will give you an idea of what you might need or don't need for it.

Garages are notorious for temperature swings.