Heat for chicken tractor

[Darlene30683]

How close is their coop to being ready for them?
They are going to need a bigger brooder very soon. If you can move them to their permanent coop with a brooder plate, that would be ideal.

Hopefully, wihin a week. No more than two weeks. But I know they can do a lot of growing in that length of time.

 

[DobieLover]

Hopefully, wihin a week. No more than two weeks. But I know they can do a lot of growing in that length of time.

I'd order a brooder plate and help get the coop done! They need out of that bin.

 

[Darlene30683]

I'd order a brooder plate and help get the coop done! They need out of that bin.

Will do! Thanks so much, everyone, for the good advice.

 

[aart]

Definitely need more space, like now.

Here's some tips about chick heat with a lamp:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-chick-heat-blurb.75619/

 

[NatJ]

Depending on the style of your chicken tractor, you can probably just move the heat lamp outside when the chicks go outside. You might want a tarp to cover part of the chicken tractor for a few weeks, too. (So about half of it is free of wind.)

The chicks will need one warm spot in the tractor, just like in their current brooder--the rest can be as warm or cold as nature makes it.

As they grow more feathers, they will spend less time in the warm spot, and more time in the other spots. When you check them at night in the tractor and find them all sleeping away from the heat, then you'll know it's time to remove the heat lamp. That will probably somewhere between 3 weeks and 8 weeks, depending on the weather and the particular chicks.

 

[aart]

We live in Northeast Georgia

Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Darlene30683]

Thanks for all the help. We've had chickens before, but haven't raised any babies without their Mama. I think i have the heat lamp set alright. They're a week old today, so I removed the heating pad and put a little more distance between their box and the heat lamp. It's about 85° at one end and 79° near the feed and water. I'll decrease the temperature again next week.

I saw something at Tractor Supply that looks like it would work for the tractor my husband is making. It's actually two pieces, a brooder plate and a heater. I'm thinking we can put a brooder box on the floor of the tractor with the brooder plate inside while they are still very young. They could come in and go out as they want. The heater could be used in the roosting area when they get older. Do you have any experience with these brooder plates and heaters? Does that sound like a good idea? I'll try to attach a screen shot of what I'm talking about.

 

[NatJ]

The heater could be used in the roosting area when they get older.

The heater should not be needed in Georgia, once they are a month or two old.
Not in the roosting area. Not at all.

The brooder plate would be fine in the tractor.
At first they will sleep underneath it, later they may roost on top of it, and later yet they will roost just like adult chickens (probably by the time they are 2 months old or so, if you move them outside soon.)

They're a week old today, so I removed the heating pad and put a little more distance between their box and the heat lamp. It's about 85° at one end and 79° near the feed and water. I'll decrease the temperature again next week.

If you can get that cool end to be cooler yet, it would be even better.
The more they have access to cool temperatures, the faster they grow their feathers and the sooner they are ready to do without heat. (As long as they can run back to the warmth when they need to, there is no danger of making the rest of their area too cold.)

I'm thinking we can put a brooder box on the floor of the tractor with the brooder plate inside while they are still very young. They could come in and go out as they want.

Do you have a picture of the tractor? Or the plans being followed? Or the basic idea or style? There are many styles of tractors, and the one in my mind may not match the one you will have

 

[aart]

It's about 85° at one end and 79° near the feed and water. I'll decrease the temperature again next week.

Don't go by the 5° a week, go by their behavior.
Turn it down until the squeak, then bump it up a bit.

 

[Darlene30683]

Basically, the tractor will be 30 " high, 4 feet wide, and 8 feet long. I'll send a picture when he gets through with it.