How long can 3 day old chicks go without power? (snowstorm)

[PoultryGirly]

Hi. We're supposed to get a lot of snow here and I'm afraid the power is going to go out on my chikies. Most of them are 3 days old. We have a generator to run the light, but the bad part is that we don't have any gas to run the genator at the moment. How long could chicks go without their light and heat at this time? It's around 70* in our house. What are other ways to heat them? Could I use a heating pad?

 

[MoonShadows]

A heating pad is a possibility. If you have a way of heating water, you can fill some plastic water bottles, too.

 

[PoultryGirly]

Thanks! The power is blinking :/ How long could these chicks go without their usual ligh? At what temperature?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Pioneer farmers would warm their chicks along side their wood stoves.

If you've lost electricity, you have to find other ways to provide heat, both for the chicks and for yourselves. We have propane stoves and a wood stove, neither of which require electricity to operate. The Old Order Mennonites and Amish use propane or kerosene heaters to incubate and to brood.

 

[PoultryGirly]

Okay, thank you! We have a wood stove and a cooking stove, both of which don't require electricity.

 

[PoultryGirly]

Anymore info? I'm pretty sure the power is gonna go out today. 8 inches of snow and it's still snowing. I'm worried about my chicks.

 

[bruceha2000]

Watch the heating pad, don't put it right under them because it doesn't have good temp control. Put it to the side so they can hunker up next to it if they want. Of course, if it is working, you have power so you don't need it (unless you have a pretty good sized generator)

Since you have the wood stove, move the birds to an area that is close to it and high enough to get heat. I assume you have a thermometer. Put it in the box and see if you can keep them at at least 85F.
Watch them to make sure they aren't all trying to get away from the side next to the stove, that means they are too hot. If they are huddled next to the side by the stove, they are cold. If they are wandering around, they are happy. Just do like you do with their heat lamp in the brooder!

I've not had to deal with this problem, but I would also suggest a lot of shredded paper (long pieces, not crosscut) or pine shavings so they can huddle together (which they will do naturally) and the "nesting material" will help them hold heat. This isn't needed when they have a working heat lamp.

Also, you say you have a cooking stove that doesn't require electricity. I presume propane or gas. But unless it is old (like my 1932 Glenwood

) it might still require electricity to light it. "Newer" gas stoves might have a pilot that is always lit but NEW ones require electricity to spark the gas when the valve is opened so make sure you have "long lighters" on hand. Hopefully it isn't so fancy as to need electricity to allow the gas to be turned on (as a safety feature). If that is the case, it won't work at all.

You shouldn't use the cooking stove specifically to heat the house but heating water for hot water bottles would be OK. And, if you make a roast, bake some potatoes then some cookies, etc, the oven will help heat the house.

Bruce

 

[PoultryGirly]

Thanks! I just now figured out that are cooking stove is electric :/ I have 2 chicks in my incubator that hatched a few days ago (they are in there because one is injured and I wanted him to have a buddy). The temperature in there is around 95-97. I expect the incubator will hold heat the longest? Also, the humidity is 77% in there with the 2 chicks. Will that hurt them? (I think it's so high because they have drinking water in there.) For the chicks in the brooder (there are 7 in there and they are only 3 days old) could I drape a blanket over the top to hold in body heat? Thanks!

 

[sab]

How many chicks are there? Let them snuggle next to you. Might be time to mother hen them.

 

[PoultryGirly]

I have 7 chicks in the brooder and 2 in the incubator.