Cold Weather Strikes Again with babies

[LibbyR]

I have a question concerning cold. I have 11 3 week old chicks. All are fairly feathered out except for a little Phoenix. It’s supposed to be down to 30 tonight and I had two heatlamps on warming up the box and of course now I turned one off because that’s too much of a fire hazard so now it’s just one 250w bulb . Will the temperature of 80-85 be okay for them. I sealed off all the drafts except one crack to allow them to have some ventilation.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I have a question concerning cold. I have 11 3 week old chicks. All are fairly feathered out except for a little Phoenix. It’s supposed to be down to 30 tonight and I had two heatlamps on warming up the box and of course now I turned one off because that’s too much of a fire hazard so now it’s just one 250w bulb . Will the temperature of 80-85 be okay for them. I sealed off all the drafts except one crack to allow them to have some ventilation.

I would think it would be warm enough, I would think two heat lamps at 250 W bulbs would be too hot! Is your brooder really large? They can huddle together and I am sure that they have some feathers by three weeks old.

 

[LibbyR]

I would think it would be warm enough, I would think two heat lamps at 250 W bulbs would be too hot! Is your brooder really large? They can huddle together and I am sure that they have some feathers by three weeks old.

The other is a 175w and is now off I just wanted extra warmth. They do have feathers except for the littlest bantam one who’s still fluff with just feathery wings. It is a cardboard washing machine box with one corner for food and water and another for heat. I think they’ll be okay but wanted second opinions. These were hatchery born and they lost 6 hatchmates so I wanna keep them going.

 

[Willowspirit]

I have a question concerning cold. I have 11 3 week old chicks. All are fairly feathered out except for a little Phoenix. It’s supposed to be down to 30 tonight and I had two heatlamps on warming up the box and of course now I turned one off because that’s too much of a fire hazard so now it’s just one 250w bulb . Will the temperature of 80-85 be okay for them. I sealed off all the drafts except one crack to allow them to have some ventilation.

If you reduced the temp every week which is suggested some places you would be down to 85 anyway.

 

[LibbyR]

If you reduced the temp every week which is suggested some places you would be down to 85 anyway.

We did that. However it is freezing cold outside and the shed is not much warmer so concerned that it will be too cold still. The heat on my digital thermometer was fluctuating towards lower than 85

 

[SurferchickinSB]

We did that. However it is freezing cold outside and the shed is not much warmer so concerned that it will be too cold still. The heat on my digital thermometer was fluctuating towards lower than 85

Oh, you keep them outside? In a cardboard box?

 

[LibbyR]

Oh, you keep them outside? In a cardboard box?

Yes we do. In a repurposed shed that is nearly draft free with doors closed. Its been 60-70 degree days until now (weather in this area is crazy). The box is away from the door with draft shield just in case with all that I’ve already described. They were scratching and pecking around still no huddling...yet.

 

[LibbyR]

Update: checked in at 3 am and still doing fine. I’m just one of those overly concerned people. Thank you for advice!

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

We kept our 25 chicks in a 25-30 degree pole barn with a heat lamp very low creating a hotspot and another heat lap amp up High acting as the”room temperature”, but we had a 6x4 brooder so the chicks could get away from the light

 

[Beccazon]

Update: checked in at 3 am and still doing fine. I’m just one of those overly concerned people. Thank you for advice!

Nothing wrong with being concerned. I am in Michigan. Weather here is freaking ridiculous this spring. More so than usual. Mine are 6 weeks and in my unheated and only partially insulated mudroom. I removed their lamp a week ago. On cold nights they huddle together some. If they get cold or water gets empty they chatter like crazy. I just cover one end of the pen (which is open-topped) to trap their warmth. They are all happy and active and healthy. The ones shy of 2 weeks are in their own half-covered brooder box with a lamp on one end in the same room. Temps have been around 30 here at night and last few daytimes have been struggling to hit 50 and damp n rainy. My opinion is that your 3weekers should be fine with one lamp and an outdoor enclosed shed. Is the cardboard staying dry?? If it gets too damp it will not be good and may even breakdown which would probably be a bigger issue. Especially if they start pecking and scratching at walls and floor as mine do.