My long suffering husband has put his foot down. I am no longer allowed to raise chicks in the house, or garage. I can't really say that I disagree (filthy! dusty creatures!), but I need to start raising chicks in Feb. to get ready for the show season next year. So here are my questions: Can I let a few broodies raise them? Would they need supplemental heat? Could I simply hang a heat bulb somewhere that they could get under? Does anyone have plans for a brooder that can be kept outside? (I know they will need supplemental heat) I have raised several batches of chicks, just not in the Winter. Any help would be great!
My hubby said the same thing but he is a little flexible, however, he would rather have chicks outside! If we can find a small shed, all for the better!
I raised some ducks in an outdoor storage closet in February. I had a heat lamp in there, lots of bedding, and some turkey feather dusters for them to snuggle under (you duct tape them to the wall about an inch above the bedding). Even with horrible snow, they did fine.
They should be fine, it's done all the time. I think your main concern would be having a reliable electrical connection to the lamps outdoors, to reduce the risk of power outage or fire. As long as the chicks are in a place free from drafts and have sufficient warmth they should be fine. If you used hens to hatch & raise them they'll do even better. The other concern I would have is predator protection. Make sure your brooder is secure enough to keep all the critters who would love to eat up your tasty tender chickies, you'll have to guard against additional animals who may not pose a threat to your adult birds but wouldn't mind eating baby chicks. Such as snakes, opossums, & cats. I wish you & your new chicks the best of success!
I usually just read everyone's thoughts but we've actually raised our chicks for the last three years using this (have a batch outside right now that are 2 weeks old): http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1977-01-01/A-Quick-and-Simple-Outdoor-Brooder.aspx Maybe it will help. Best of luck
