I'm here to learn

[hunnyjoconnor]

Hey there! I think I need some moral support and maybe someone to point out any holes in my thinking. I have 12, 1 week old chicks that were supposed to go into an outdoor brooder. That was until that arctic blast came down just as I received them from Hoover's. It looks like after this weekend we might be back to our normal average temps, 60+ during the day and 40 something at night for a bit. As much as I like having my peeps close by so Grace and I can mother them, I have a small list of reasons why I want them outside. I read that brooder plates should only be used in a heated setting. How heated? When I first brought them in the house I had to keep them in my dining room which really isn't that warm, 60ish during the day, but in addition to the brooder plate I was using a heating pad and a space heater. Now that some work done over the weekend in my grandsons room I've moved them in there since it's warmer, 68-70 and I've taken the space heater off of them. They are still doing fine. I'm worried that because they are now acclimated to the warmer area that putting them in the outdoor brooder might be a bit of a shock. Mind you the brooder plate and the heating pad will also go out with them. Is that sound logic? This is what the weather looks like coming up. I know that's a lot of rain but that is also pretty typical for where I'm at and they wouldn't be out in it. They would be tucked up in the coop. And perfect weather days only happen when I'm at work. I want to get them out there probably not this weekend but next, the 26th or 27th. What else should I be thinking about. What factors am I missing?

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

I think they would be okay but @nuthatched might know more than me.

 

[hunnyjoconnor]

This is what they would be going into if that helps at all. They would be shut off from having access to the run at least for another 2-3 weeks.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Check the directions on your heat plate, most of them are designed for 50F+. A mama heating pad can work in lower temps.

 

[DobieLover]

View attachment 3728615

This is what they would be going into if that helps at all. They would be shut off from having access to the run at least for another 2-3 weeks.

I hope this is just temporary. It's not large enough for 12 grown birds and let alone for 12 chicks.

Check the directions on your heat plate, most of them are designed for 50F+. A mama heating pad can work in lower temps.

A heat plate works just fine in lower than 50F temperatures as long as an old towel is folded up to double it's thickness and draped over the top of the plate to trap heat underneath to set it up like a cave. I brooded with one this way in temps in the low 20s and it work very well.

 

[hunnyjoconnor]

I hope this is just temporary. It's not large enough for 12 grown birds and let alone for 12 chicks.

A heat plate works just fine in lower than 50F temperatures as long as an old towel is folded up to double it's thickness and draped over the top of the plate to trap heat underneath to set it up like a cave. I brooded with one this way in temps in the low 20s and it work very well.

Yes it's just until integration. This is my big girl coop.

 

[DobieLover]

Yes it's just until integration. This is my big girl coop.

That's too small for 12 chickens which will be in addition to the current inhabitants. You are likely to have integration problems with a setup that undersized.
You want to have a very, very bare minimum of 10 sq ft of space in the run per bird. 15 is far better for many reasons. You also need to have lots of structure for the birds to hide behind and perch on.
You just don't have enough space. During the time in which these chicks are being brooded I would triple or quadruple the size of your run. And if it is as predator-proof as you can make it I would never close the pop door to the coop because that too is undersized for 12 plus birds.

 

[hunnyjoconnor]

That's too small for 12 chickens which will be in addition to the current inhabitants. You are likely to have integration problems with a setup that undersized.
You want to have a very, very bare minimum of 10 sq ft of space in the run per bird. 15 is far better for many reasons. You also need to have lots of structure for the birds to hide behind and perch on.
You just don't have enough space. During the time in which these chicks are being brooded I would triple or quadruple the size of your run. And if it is as predator-proof as you can make it I would never close the pop door to the coop because that too is undersized for 12 plus birds.

Thank you for your opinion, however off topic it is.

 

[DobieLover]

Thank you for your opinion, however off topic it is.

Yet the title of your post is "I'm here to learn". I'm offering very good advice that will help you and your flock greatly. That's all.

 

[hunnyjoconnor]

Yet the title of your post is "I'm here to learn". I'm offering very good advice that will help you and your flock greatly. That's all.

Yes, but if you had actually read my post, maybe you wouldn't be so judgemental about my coop and offered advice that I was asking about. Just a thought.