Heat plate outside?

[Sg4]

Hello BYC friends! After raising 3 flocks in the house, I'm never doing it again! lol I love being close to the babies, but now that I've got my "chicken cam" up and running, I'm moving to the great outdoors this year! The natural way I've got plenty of space to set them up in my current coop/run for easier integration with the big girls. A lot of people seem to like the heating pad cave method. I've always used a heat plate in my brooder. I'm thinking that using the heat plate outside would be just as good? I do not have electricity inside the coop, so I will need to run an extension cord. Any thoughts or suggestions? Outside temps are averaging mid 80s during the day, 60s at night. So I doubt they will need too much extra heat. Thanks!

 

[casportpony]

I think you will be okay.

 

[Doublete]

My brooder is outside
I have the premier 1 plate which doesn’t have a minimum temperature it works at..

 

[aart]

A lot of people seem to like the heating pad cave method. I've always used a heat plate in my brooder. I'm thinking that using the heat plate outside would be just as good?

What plate do you have?

I use a heating pad in a flat configuration:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate.67729/

 

[Harmony Fowl]

EcoGlows are supposed to work down to 50 degrees F. Cozy Coop heaters also work when laid flat over bricks or blocks so the chicks can get up against the surface. I've done both outside.

 

[Aunt Angus]

It should be just fine out there. I did the same last year with no problems in similar temps.

 

[Sg4]

I use the premier heat plate. Sized for about 8-10 chicks

What plate do you have?

I use a heating pad in a flat configuration:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate.67729/

 

[Doublete]

I have the 11x24 coming tomorrow... the 12x 12 isn’t big enough lol

 

[jgarner1327]

I tried two "flat screen" coop heaters but it was still freezing in there this winter so I got two overhead shop lamps (very cheap at Home Depot) and put red heat lamps in them. They keep it warm even on the really cold nights. Warm enough now that I don't need them. I can use one or two, I'm using one heavy duty extension cord for each heat lamp. I hung them about three feet above the laying boxes. Before I got those, it was freezing cold in the coop, colder in the coop than outside!

 

[aart]

I got two overhead shop lamps (very cheap at Home Depot) and put red heat lamps in them.

Make sure those fixtures are rated for heat bulbs(ceramic rather than plastic sockets).