** Help...Cold Chicks Tonight??

[Goaldielocks]

We are a bit worried... Our 3 day old chicks are outside int he brooder with a 250 watt heat lamp. It is supposed to get down to 40 degrees tonight. They are draft free and seem to be running around. Thermometer inside says 75 degrees...?

Do you think they will be ok? Warm enough?
Are there other things that we can do? Wrap the brooder in a blanket?

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!!

 

[duckman14]

They should be fine. They will huddle under the heat lamp and actualy be warmer than if there mom was sittin on them.

 

[bj taylor]

3 day old at 75 degrees is pretty chilly. I think you will be in trouble before the night is over if you don't boost that heat. can you put another light in there? doesn't have to be a 250. a 100 or 75 will be helpful. you need to boost a corner of your brooder to 90. the whole brooder doesn't need to be that temp. they can huddle under the heat. that way if it gets too much they can move away a little. depending on what your brooder is made of, wrapping it might be a good idea. if you have litter on the floor, making sure hit has some depth to help hold heat might help. if they can't get warm, they will expend too much energy trying to maintain their body heat & you may start losing chicks.

there is always a big risk of overheating and fire hazard when you're trying to boost brooder heat. you might be in for a night short of sleep.

good luck with your new babies. I love your avatar with the pigs. wish I raised pigs.

 

[Fred's Hens]

If you can cover some or most the brooder with a blanket or pieces of cardboard, you can raise the temps.

We brooded this past winter in an unheated garage, with temps well below 30F. Safety, safety, safety. That's you first concern.

Anyhow, it is simply a matter of controlling the heat loss. Your 250 puts out enough, if hung low enough, but if you have to top of the brooder completely wide open, the heat mostly rises out. Here's some photos of our rig from last winter.









This is actually our grow out pen, but I drug it into the garage and pressed it into use. It is about 42" tall and 4' wide by 8' long. I card boarded up the sides and top and draped the whole thing in some moving blankets. Since this wasn't just one cold night, but 7 weeks of bitter cold weather, it seemed reasonable to make the effort. It worked well. Didn't lose a chick.

 

[duckman14]

I guess no one has asked yet. How big is the brooder you have them in?

 

[Goaldielocks]

It's a plastic tote...maybe 16x2? They are still moving around freely though.

 

[duckman14]

Might be to late to give advice now. So ill ask, how'd it go? Everyone still kickin this morn?