*How Cold can it get??*

[Tripp16]

Ok so I may be getting some chicks. I cant have them in the house but its getting down to about 50 degrees at night. I thought about putting them in my storage building right outside where the chickens are and let them out during the day. If I put like 2 heat lamps out there and they have eachother, should 1 to 2 week old chicks be ok??

Thanks in advance!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

I never raise chicks over the winter, much too cold and they never seem to do as well as spring chicks.

 

[teach1rusl]

You can brood anywhere as long as you can maintain appropriate temperatures for them. Obviously a brooder not in the house at this time of year would need to be draft free. Before getting any chicks, test your lamp and brooder with one of those digital thermometers that tell high/low...the shed you mentioned sounds doable if your lamp can provide the heat needed. One week olds will need temps. around the 85-90 mark, with two week olds 80-85. Of course their behavior will show you whether they're too cold, but if they're not close by (in the house/garage), you may not notice that they're huddling.

 

[Tripp16]

Quote:
Well the lady needs me to foster them because she doesnt have room for them in her brooder box. She didnt think of it getting cold when she hatched these chicks...

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Quote:
Well the lady needs me to foster them because she doesnt have room for them in her brooder box. She didnt think of it getting cold when she hatched these chicks...

Ahh, I see. Stupid people. Good to you for taking them in!

 

[Fred's Hens]

99% of the chicks in the world are brooded out in barns, of course. Many of us here on BYC brood outdoors in garages, sheds and barns. It's not a problem. With the temps being right, even if it takes two bulb rigs, it works just fine and all the smell and dust is out there.

I actually love fall brooding. Their youthfulness and high energy allows to endure the winters very, very well. Usually, one has eggs by late winter. How good is that?

Enjoy.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Quote:
I have 14 10 day old chicks in the coop in a brooder with a heatlamp in Maryland at this very moment. I had no trouble keeping them at 95 degrees with a 250 bulb red heatlamp and have now dropped the temps to between 85-90 degrees as they seemed to be hot judging by their behavior. Temps have gone down in the 50s on some nights. But even then, the heatlamp kept the brooder plenty warm.

 

[Tripp16]

Thanks for the replies Ill probably be getting them sometime next week so hopefully they wont be to small and vulnerable as day olds.