Chicks arrive in 7 days! First time owners. Can they survive in the garage? With brooder heat pad and heaters?

[Head Coach]

First time owners. Can they survive in the garage? With a brooder heat pad and heaters?

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC. Do you have a picture of your brooder set-up?
Are you using a heating pad as a cave? It needs to be open on at least 2 sides so that no one gets crushed.
You'll need to cover it with hardware cloth so that mice, rats, or other pests can't get to them.

 

[Nomadicus]

Hello and Welcome to BYC. Thanks for joining this fun and poultry loving community.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
They can survive in the garage provided they have a proper heat source and are protected from drafts.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You don't need to heat the whole garage, just one part of the brooder. The other part needs to be cooler so they can move away from the heat source if they get too hot.

We're told chicks need to be at 95°F the first week and the temp dropped by 5° every week until they're at ambient temperature. But the best way to judge if they're too hot or cold is by their behavior. A hot chick will pant and stand with its wings extended. A cold chick will cheep loudly and huddle with the other chicks, trying to burrow in toward the center. They do huddle to sleep, but if they're comfy they will just make soft, contented chirps, not loud distressed screaming. Comfortable chicks will spread out and eat, drink, wander around, explore, play. Good luck and have fun! Welcome to the flock!

 

[chrissynemetz]

Welcome to BYC! Good luck with your chicks!

 

[007Sean]

Howdy, and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

Thanks for joining our community!

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Debbie292d]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC!

They can be raised anywhere provided they've got a heat source keeping them at the appropriate temp, room to get away from the heat, chick crumbles, and fresh water.

The only concerns about a garage is if there are fumes in there from gas cans, oil leaks, etc. Fumes from even an air freshener can kill a chicken or make them very ill.

 

[sourland]

Good morning, and welcome to BYC. Set up properly, the garage is a great place to raise them.