Can you raise baby chicks in unheated garage

[LisaR720]

Hello All,
This is my second time raising littles. The first go round they were in my house. We have recently built a garage and my question is can you keep the brooder out in an unheated garage? They have a mother hen cave with a heating pad. But can the garage be too cold for them? Its in the high 20 low 30s at night and the 40's during the day here in good old northern maine...HELP!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Put a blanket folded under the brooder if they have the cave to stay in they will be fine
till they feather

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hello All,
This is my second time raising littles. The first go round they were in my house. We have recently built a garage and my question is can you keep the brooder out in an unheated garage? They have a mother hen cave with a heating pad. But can the garage be too cold for them? Its in the high 20 low 30s at night and the 40's during the day here in good old northern maine...HELP!

With the heating pad cave.. and daytime light, they should be fine. Monitor behavior and adjust setting if needed. If the chicks are piling on top of each other mad peeping they are too cold. If they are relaxed and sleeping they should be good. Check throughout the first night at the coldest time.

Without ANY heat... NO way.

Good luck!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Put a blanket folded under the brooder

Good idea... to combat the cold concrete.

Slightly raising it off the ground could also work.

 

[LisaR720]

With the heating pad cave.. and daytime light, they should be fine. Monitor behavior and adjust setting if needed. If the chicks are piling on top of each other mad peeping they are too cold. If they are relaxed and sleeping they should be good. Check throughout the first night at the coldest time.

Without ANY heat... NO way.

Good luck!

last night was the first night. they seemed fine in the morning, came out and ate and drank but sometimes I noticed they are huddled in the corner instead of under the mhp .. once I show then where it is they seem to run back in...I would never put them out there without a heat source. It the surrounding air temp that I am concerned about. If I should add a heat lamp too??

 

[DobieLover]

Hello All,
This is my second time raising littles. The first go round they were in my house. We have recently built a garage and my question is can you keep the brooder out in an unheated garage? They have a mother hen cave with a heating pad. But can the garage be too cold for them? Its in the high 20 low 30s at night and the 40's during the day here in good old northern maine...HELP!

Yes, they can. As long as it is warm enough for them under the MHP and all of them can fit under it, they will be fine.
My brooder was up on a folding card table off the concrete floor. I also used a 150 watt ceramic heat bulb as added heat when it got below 45 at night last year when I brooded in my unheated garage.

 

[LisaR720]

Put a blanket folded under the brooder if they have the cave to stay in they will be fine
till they feather

The brooder is raised about 3 feet off the ground. My husband made it out of wood and half way up the sides and top is surrounded by chicken wire...just don't want to freeze them. Wasn't sure if I needed to add a heat lamp too...the brooder is good size

 

[LisaR720]

Yes, they can. As long as it is warm enough for them under the MHP and all of them can fit under it, they will be fine. My brooder was up on a folding card table off the concrete floor.
I also added a 150 watt ceramic heat bulb as added heat when it got below 45 at night last year when I brooded in my unheated garage.

that's what I was thinking...those things freak me out though

 

[DobieLover]

that's what I was thinking...those things freak me out though

I triple secured mine and only turned it on when it was below 45. And it was a 150 vs 250 watt heat source. I didn't even use it after the second week.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

It the surrounding air temp that I am concerned about. If I should add a heat lamp too??

If your heating cave seems sufficient... all my broody's take the chicks out foraging in cold weather and they pop back under her to warm up as needed.

With part of the point of using MHP being safety, I would not want to a second heat lamp also costing extra energy in addition to the fire safety issue.

sometimes I noticed they are huddled in the corner instead of under the mhp

They should learn quickly... I would just keep double checking and directing them like you did... instead of adding possible confusion.