Came home to the power out!

[jenesis536]

We have 8 chicks in the brooder in the garage, and I came home today to find the circuit blew and they were without heat - not sure how long but it was 66 in there. Thankfully they were all ok! They are all 1.5-2.5 weeks. I'm so glad they were fine! When I was trying to get it up again, the bulb blew, so thankfully I had a spare. I didn't realize that over time the bulbs lose strength. We used the bulb with our last batch in October for 7 weeks. I had that in the current brooder and the light was pretty low to keep it at 90 degrees... I put the new bulb on and came back after awhile and it registered 116! Holy moly I thought I was cooking them! Luckily they had a place to hide from the heat and I raise the bulb up pretty far to get the temp right.

Makes me scared to go to work during the day when stuff like this happens, but I'm glad the chicks are hardier than I thought!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Wow that is fortunate that you were there at just the right time, both times!

 

[scoopy82]

My 4 chicks are just over 2 weeks old and seem happiest now when the temp in their brooder is at about 75f. If i have it any warmer they spend the whole time flat out in the furthest corner from the light. At 75f they frequently have races round and round like the brooder is a speedway and will have naps under, near or away from the light. They seem to be growing feathers very quickly too, and they are being deported from the laundry to the shed in a few moments. Being summer here our temperature has been nice and warm and if i dont move them now I never will!

 

[Judy]

Quote:
My two brooder experiences were much the same as this. Now broodies raise my chicks, and they run around all day or almost all day at 2 or 3 days old in temps as low as freezing, usually in the 40-50 range. They sleep under mama, of course, but I rarely see them go under her during the day to get warm, although the mamas often offer this comfort. My coop is designed for summer heat, quite breezy even in winter, no heat, no insulation.

 

[jenesis536]

Yes, I think they are much hardier than we are led to believe from the feed stores. My first batch I was told they drop heat so quickly they could die, so I was scared to take them out for more than a few minutes at a time. With each batch we learn I guess... same as kids. I'm less of a worry wort with this brood than I was the first, but still had me worried for a second until I saw they were all ok!