Does anyone else think anything over 90* is excessive, not necessary?

[SandyRiverChick]

Have you raised chicks with broody hens?
Have you raised chicks with heat lamps?
If so, how do you think either of them compares?

I have most certainly raised chicks with heat lamps. I add only about 5 chicks/year but I've been doing this (I never actually counted the years until this question,) for 24years. Heat lamps for 16 years, mommy hut for 8 years. I have not raised with a broody, however my Grandma did and I grew up watching her chickens. That's a different rabbit hole, the way my parents and their parents did things. Some of it was great, some of it, ehh not for me. In comparison I shouldn't make it sound like I think heat lamps are the devil. They are so very helpful when you really do need some more heat! I grew up in Alaska.... I didn't raise chickens in Alaska but I think I really would have a heat lamp in my coop at -40* I got frostbite, it's real. I just think that given my circumstances in Oregon, mommy hut is the way to go with no extra heat needed. I'm getting my littles today! Overnight temps are high 30's. I tested the mommy temp with a meat thermometer just now, it has 2 heating pads and I had to turn it down a bit, it got up to *89.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

How many chicks have you raised this way?

This way under mommy hut, I've raised about 50 chicks.

 

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

I brooded my 3rd set of chicks with a 100w ceramic heat bulb. Inside temps ranged 50-70 degrees.

50 birds. They did fine.

 

[NatJ]

I grew up in Alaska.... I didn't raise chickens in Alaska but I think I really would have a heat lamp in my coop at -40* I got frostbite, it's real.

That's neat! I also grew up in Alaska, and we did raise chickens.
We only raised baby chicks in the spring & summer, so during the winters they were all adults.

When I was younger, I think they may have gotten a heat lamp in really bad weather, and I remember there was one cold snap we hauled buckets of hot water (tightly lidded) out to add a little extra heat-- they could sit next to the bucket or on top of it, at least until it cooled off again.

I know the chicken coop was below freezing inside for much of the winter, but I know it was at least a bit warmer than outside (my Dad had insulated it well, which probably helped.)

Later, we had a bigger chicken coop and Dad built it too well. With just the heat produced by the chickens themselves, at one chicken per 4 square feet of floor space, it stayed over 70 degrees inside even when the outdoor temperature was -20! Unfortunately it smelled awful because there was not enough ventilation! We didn't reach -40 every winter, just some years, so I don't remember how that coop performed in that amount of cold. I'm positive it would have stayed above freezing, at least that year (it was later modified to have more ventilation, and did not stay as warm, although it was always much warmer than outdoors.)

I just think that given my circumstances in Oregon, mommy hut is the way to go with no extra heat needed. I'm getting my littles today! Overnight temps are high 30's. I tested the mommy temp with a meat thermometer just now, it has 2 heating pads and I had to turn it down a bit, it got up to *89.

For your conditions, I do think your method sounds good.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

That's neat! I also grew up in Alaska, and we did raise chickens.

Where in Alaska? I'm from Fairbanks. I had a horse and my Dad built a wonderful barn for him that we definitely could have had chickens in. I remember being so worried about my horse being cold in -40 that I made my Dad buy this heater than was insane, it looked like a missile. It warmed up the barn big time.... And my horse.... went outside to get away from it, haha. Just my opinion, but raising chickens in the cold of Interior Alaska is a much greater challenge than lower 48, props to you!

 

[NatJ]

Where in Alaska? I'm from Fairbanks.

I grew up in Nikiski, on the Kenai Peninsula. Being so close to the ocean, we had less heat in the summer AND less cold in the winter than what you would have had.

I thought of going to college in Fairbanks, but decided I did not want to deal with the weather there!

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I grew up in Nikiski, on the Kenai Peninsula. Being so close to the ocean, we had less heat in the summer AND less cold in the winter than what you would have had.

I thought of going to college in Fairbanks, but decided I did not want to deal with the weather there!

So beautiful there! We still have a place at Big Lake. My Dad worked at UAF and I attended. It was brutal cold, you're right. But that dry climate I do really prefer to the wet cold of the PNW. A vet told me they don't do as well in Alaska because animals don't suffer from as much sickness in the drier climate compared to the stagnate water with virus and bacteria down here. Interesting..... I don't miss looking for a spot to plug my car in (and I don't mean electric car.) Lower 48 peeps have no idea what I'm talking about.... hahaha.

 

[Jaime918]

So much awesome information here! After what felt like endless reading, I personally sprung for my Titan heat plate, over a heating pad. I saw more benefit of the heat from above vs. below. Starting them indoors, in my bedroom I didn't want the worry of a heat lamp plus with kids it didn't seem like a smart choice. I love that my Titan gives so many level options to choose from, I'm able to angle it slightly so one area sits lower if need be and adjustable to any sized chick. I absolutely despise my producers pride heat plate! The cord got shifted just a tiny bit and the temperature shot up 15 degrees! (I now always keep a govee thermometer placed under the plate in the lowest spot so I can assure the temperature is where I want it after that little incident.)

 

[Blooie]

HA!!! You think we don’t plug our cars in in South Dakota or Wyoming?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Titan gives so many level options to choose from, I'm able to angle it slightly so one area sits lower if need be and adjustable to any sized chick.

Thank you so much, I'm going to look into this for next year. I agree with you that the bottom heat is proving to be unnecessary. It just didn't seem warm enough to me when I considered my overnight temps with nothing but my ole reliable heating pad, so I panicked. Now I'm thinking it just takes a really long time to heat up. It could be ready to die since it's 8years old.