Dilema

[Tricia's Triple Z]

My chicks should be in on Wed. The weather has changed here in NJ, I was planning to put them in my basement, well, the basement is now 40 degrees. I will have them in a 175 gallon galvanized trough. I have all the heat lights etc. My mudroom is another option but that is where we enter the house and there could be a draft and the temp isn't much warmer. Any ideas? Oh yeah, I think that there will be 17 chicks.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Put something in the brooder that they could snuggle against, along with the light. You could put a hot water bottle wrapped with a towel, a stuffed animal, a feather duster, etc. You will probably need to get up and check on them periodically throughout the night because if they are too cold they will crowd together and possibly crush or suffocate one another.

Do you have an electric space heater that you trust to let run when you aren't in the room?

 

[CityClucks]

If your basement temperature is pretty stable - even at 40 degrees, you may be able to keep the temp in the brooder pretty steady with your heat lights and a thermometer. (plus the suggestions from The Chicken Lady)

I had my brooder in the garage, but the weather here has been too crazy for me to keep the brooder temp steady (50 degrees one night, 19 degrees the next night). I finally brought the brooder into the house where I have better control.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

The important thing is what the temperature is inside the brooder, where the chicks will be living. Set it up and run it ahead of time. If you are maintaining a temperature of 95 degrees for them directly under the heat lamp the first week, that's what they need.

 

[Tricia's Triple Z]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think that I am just being an overbearing parent. Remember the kid on the Christmas Story with so many snow clothes on she couldn't move....well.....
It looks like the weather is going to pick up later in the week. I think that I want to put them in the mudroom, so I can spoil them better. They will get more attention there too

 

[lichick28]

I would put cardboard or a piece of rug under the trough so it is not directly on the cold floor