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

[Squeaky McMurdo]

Could you go out and get some of those 8 hr hand warmers? Just one would probably be fine for them to snuggle up to and when it looses it's umpf you can replace it with another

 

[PoultryGirly]

Actually we don't have any. We live 30 minutes away from any shopping towns and there's around 10 inches of snow.

 

[bruceha2000]

could I drape a blanket over the top to hold in body heat? Thanks!

Any covering will help hold heat in BUT the reason we need heat lamps when they are young is because they don't generate much heat of their own. Ever put your hand under a chicken on the nest? REAL WARM!
So the blanket could help keep what ever heat is in there from escaping AS QUICKLY but it won't.

At this point, I would think you want the smallest "container' the chicks will fit in plus enough space for food and water and a small heat source. Then wrap that in whatever you have to keep the heat in. You can heat water on top of the wood stove then seal it in jars of some sort and put them in the box. Replace as often as you can. Another possibility, if you happen to have a few bricks around, heat those on top of the wood stove and use them in the box. The will hold heat longer than water.

With whatever heat source you come up with: make sure if they are much over ~106F (chicken temp) that there is physical separation between them and the birds. And try not to have the temp vary up and down a lot. I would think that would stress the chicks.

Bruce

 

[PoultryGirly]

Thanks again! If I close the doors to the room they are in (they are already in the room with the woodstove) the room gets really warm. I guess that's what we'll do. Can I use a rock instead of a brick to warm them? One more thing: like I said earlier, I have 2 chicks in my incubator. One of which had a slipped tendon. The injured one is 3 days old and the other is 2 days old. How long can I keep them in the incubator? They have food and a little bit of water. I'm trying to keep the injured one away from the other "flock" of chicks so he doesn't get trampled. Should I just put the 2 chicks in with the rest of them and let mother nature take her course?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Well, I assume that if you're still using the internet, you've still got power, no?

Maybe your worries will be for nothing. Here's hoping.

 

[PoultryGirly]

Yes, we still have power. I was just planning ahead of time if the power goes out. It has been blinking and went off for around 5 minutes. Anyone know about. Y chicks in the bator?

 

[jcarter3]

Light is not the issue only to feed and drink, putting them inside your coat is the best answer so far that would keep them above ninety degrees. keeping them warm is important but quick fluctuations in the temp is the worse thing for dayolds. Good Luck

 

[PoultryGirly]

Thanks again! I've had to open the doors in the rom they are in now because its so hot in there from the wood stove. If the power goes out, I will crank the wood stove up, put a blanket over there tub, and maybe add a warm rock, heating pad, or water bottle. Will the incubator hold heat for the injured chick and his buddy?

 

[MontanaDolphin]

I had to face a power outage due to snow today myself. We got 11 inches, and the power went out this morning. Didn't have the ability to run the generator right away (too much snow coming down, and generator in shed which is quite a distance from the house. I was worried about my babies, and so this is what I did and it kept them snuggly warm:
I had these little soda bottles I had stored water in. I emptied the bottles into a cast iron pot and put it on top of our wood stove which had already been up and running since 6 am. It took about an hour for the water to warm up, and once it was really warm (could only hold my finger in it for a few seconds before it began to burn), I poured it back into the bottles. I made a semi-circle around the chicks where they were huddled together for warmth, and they scooted right up against them and fell asleep. Two of them stuck their tiny necks between two bottle tops and fell asleep that way, it was so adorable! I had tried filling a hot water bottle first, wrapped in an old pillow case, and placed them near it, but they didn't like it apparently, but the soda bottles did the job nicely. I did have to change the water in the bottles a few times because they cooled off. Hubby finally got generator running, so the heat lamp got cut back on, so I took the bottles out. But, at least I know what to do if it ever happens again! Putting them next to the wood stove didn't work...it only got the brooder up to 80 degrees (it stayed around 77 in the room with the wood stove), so that's why I had to figure out another method to keep my one week old babies warm!

I hope you don't lose power...we won't have ours back on till Friday (so the Electric company says), and it sucks. Good luck to you!

Here's a couple of pics of the babies snuggling up to the water bottles:

 

[PoultryGirly]

Thanks so much! That really helps!