Hello All

TimmG

In the Brooder
Feb 6, 2025
19
49
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(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens? -I am new to chickens. I have been dreaming of having them for years, but couldn't until we bought our first house.

(2) How many chickens do you have right now? -0

(3) What breeds do you have? -none. But I want to start with egg layers, and progress to multi purpose.

(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens? -the egg production, and then the meat. Raising your own food is better for you and it will teach my kids respect for the animal that we eat.

(5) What are some of your other hobbies? - gardening, home steading

(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share. Married to a beautiful wife, we have 3 children 12, 5, and 2.5 and one on the way in August. We have 2 dogs Cheddar and Biscuit. I work for Northrop Grumman as an Electronic Manufacturing Specialist. I am starting my flock this year. I hope to add quail, pheasant, and peacocks to my menagerie, maybe ducks.

(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community? :D- found through Google search. I have a question about brooder temps (which I will try to post in correct thread)
 
Hiya, and welcome to BYC! :frow

The most important thing about brooders is making sure it's big enough so they can get away from the heat if they're hot, and move to the heat if they're cold.

This is only a guideline. Most times, ours come off heat sooner than this.

temp chart.jpg
 
Hiya, and welcome to BYC! :frow

The most important thing about brooders is making sure it's big enough so they can get away from the heat if they're hot, and move to the heat if they're cold.

This is only a guideline. Most times, ours come off heat sooner than this.

View attachment 4044975
I am running a dry test on my 2 brooder now in my garage. I will post a picture. The brooder with 2 lamps is at 84°. The brooder with one lamp and a heat plate is at °74 degrees. The garage is not insulated and I can not heat said garage. Will the temp come up once I add a base layer to the bottom of the brooder? I know i still need to build hardware cloth lids.
1000002437.jpg
 
I am running a dry test on my 2 brooder now in my garage. I will post a picture. The brooder with 2 lamps is at 84°. The brooder with one lamp and a heat plate is at °74 degrees. The garage is not insulated and I can not heat said garage. Will the temp come up once I add a base layer to the bottom of the brooder? I know i still need to build hardware cloth lids.View attachment 4044980
For newly hatched chicks/day olds, they'll be cold at 84F and should be another 10 degrees higher, just for a week or two.

Where are you at? I'm not sure of the ambient temps you are fighting with there.

If it were like up here in Wisconsin, laying a rug or something down on the floor underneath them would definitely help, and depending, might find something to insulate the outside of them, like taping tarp or feed bags around it.

Is it pretty draft-free? I hope so, so that you can keep most of the top open for air circulation.
 
For newly hatched chicks/day olds, they'll be cold at 84F and should be another 10 degrees higher, just for a week or two.

Where are you at? I'm not sure of the ambient temps you are fighting with there.

If it were like up here in Wisconsin, laying a rug or something down on the floor underneath them would definitely help, and depending, might find something to insulate the outside of them, like taping tarp or feed bags around it.

Is it pretty draft-free? I hope so, so that you can keep most of the top open for air circulation.
Located in MD. Temps fluctuate, but around freezing in winter. Garage is draft free, but not insulated. I might try the rug thing to get it off concrete.and once bedding is in it might help with a ° or 2.
 

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