Rainey
In the Brooder
- Feb 12, 2015
- 30
- 3
- 31
The first time we got day old chicks we followed the conventional advice, had a heat lamp and very slowly decreased the heat over 6 weeks, fed chick starter, moved them outside after fully feathered at 6 weeks.
Three years later, we're starting a new batch of 8 chicks for egg laying. In the meantime we'd started raising rabbits for meat and had moved them off pellets onto mostly feed we can forage and some whole grains (some sprouted or grown to fodder) We decided to try raising the chicks more naturally. Started with them in a 3'x4' box with wood shavings for bedding. In that box we had a 12"x16" box with a space in the center that would hold a half gallon tin full of very hot water. Lined the box with some fleece scraps, drilled ventilation holes, had an insulated lid. The chicks would go into that box at night, but not during the day. We put in clumps of sod and a branched stick for them to climb and perch on. When the sun wasn't shining into the space where they were, I put a gallon milk jug full of hot water and draped with fleece scraps in the box and sometimes they would circle around that for a brief rest and warm-up before they were back to scratching and climbing.
This week they were 3 weeks old and moved to an outdoor coop with an attached run on one side and a compost pile on the other. I put the warmer box out with them but they didn't use it, even at night. The first 2 nights we went out at dark and moved them into the warm box but last night we didn't. The low was 35 and they were ready to get out onto the ground at first light, no ill effects.
I know that for a few days, chicks need to be kept warm and for somewhat longer to get warmed up occasionally. But it doesn't seem right to always tell beginners that they have to keep them at such high temps and for so long. Or that they have to be fed chick starter. There are other ways to do it--a little more work and more paying attention to the chicks to see what they seem to need.
chicks warming up
the warming box, taken apart to show how it works
Three years later, we're starting a new batch of 8 chicks for egg laying. In the meantime we'd started raising rabbits for meat and had moved them off pellets onto mostly feed we can forage and some whole grains (some sprouted or grown to fodder) We decided to try raising the chicks more naturally. Started with them in a 3'x4' box with wood shavings for bedding. In that box we had a 12"x16" box with a space in the center that would hold a half gallon tin full of very hot water. Lined the box with some fleece scraps, drilled ventilation holes, had an insulated lid. The chicks would go into that box at night, but not during the day. We put in clumps of sod and a branched stick for them to climb and perch on. When the sun wasn't shining into the space where they were, I put a gallon milk jug full of hot water and draped with fleece scraps in the box and sometimes they would circle around that for a brief rest and warm-up before they were back to scratching and climbing.
This week they were 3 weeks old and moved to an outdoor coop with an attached run on one side and a compost pile on the other. I put the warmer box out with them but they didn't use it, even at night. The first 2 nights we went out at dark and moved them into the warm box but last night we didn't. The low was 35 and they were ready to get out onto the ground at first light, no ill effects.
I know that for a few days, chicks need to be kept warm and for somewhat longer to get warmed up occasionally. But it doesn't seem right to always tell beginners that they have to keep them at such high temps and for so long. Or that they have to be fed chick starter. There are other ways to do it--a little more work and more paying attention to the chicks to see what they seem to need.
chicks warming up
the warming box, taken apart to show how it works