Chicks in the Winter

[Robo]

They're week old chicks. I already brought them in the garage.

 

[joe125]

Week old chicks still need their heat. The exact temp. is debatable, but somewhere 80 and 70. Personally I would err on the hot side, because cold chicks will pile, and that's not good. You defiantly should brood chicks indoors when it is cold.

 

[Robo]

Does a garage with an oil heater count?

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
CAREFUL WITH THE OIL HEATER

 

[Robo]

Yeah, I have had them turn over and leak before.

It isn't that fun to have to get out the speed dry at 2 o clock in the morning. I might switch to an electric heater this year.

 

[Rozzie]

Quote:
That's pretty cold for one week old chicks. Most folks start them at 90 or 95 degrees in the brooder. A few folks go a bit warmer than that - closer to the 100 degrees that they were incubated at. Figure on reducing the temperature five degrees each week. One week old chicks would thus be at 85-90 degrees, depending on your starting temp in the brooder.

You also want to watch how they act. If they are cheeping loudly and huddling together, they are COLD.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Well, mine are over 3 weeks and it got down to the 40's last night or rather this morning. They were cozy at 70 degrees in the grow out pen, no piling. Spread out all over the place. I think we tend to keep them a bit to warm as they grow. I have noticed with the chicken and quail chicks that the sooner they go out, the sooner they feather out.

Still haven't used my outside brooder but I will in about 2 weeks. It has 2 lights and a plastic small mesh mat for the first few days at least. The mat really helps keep them a bit warmer, especially on the open grow out pen bottom.

 

[Rozzie]

My month old's still want some warmth. I don't keep them WARM but it has been dropping pretty cool here (last night went to 30 outside). That means that it's dropping below 60 in my garage. I turned a heater on low for the young ones. They actually RAN toward it last night the minute we turned it on. I figure that is indication enough that they are still not quite ready for 50s temp wise. That said, it may be because I'm talking about a SMALL number of birds so they don't have as much body warmth to share with each other.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
NOT JUST THE SPILLS, BUT THE FUMES AND OF COURSE SINCE IT IS USING COMBUSTION OF THE FUEL THERE'S THE WHOLE CARBON MONOXIDE THING... RATHER SEE A FEW DIE FROM HUDDLING THAN ALL FROM CO POISONING

 

[Robo]

You're right. My garage is ventalated pretty well though. My chickens haven't died from it so I guess it's fine. I bought an electric today anyway.