Need out of house!

[Bcoz18]

I got 4 new chickens maybe a month ago and got 15 more roughly 2 weeks ago! I have them in my basement and they are starting to smell the whole place!
Here's my question. Can I put thr 4 bigger ones in the garage with a heat lamp. I'm sure it's about 40s in there without heat. Will the heat lamp keep them warm until it gets warmer outside? Anyone have any other ideas to get them out of my basement . I change the litter every other day.. the big ones are now making a mess knocking over water bowels and the food.
Would it be safe to put the ones that are a month out outside in garage with heat lamp?

 

[Huntmaster]

You could move them all to the garage as long as you have warm enough/no drafts area for all to utilize at same time. A heat lamp would work just make sure it is secured very very well as to not cause a fire. Are they all together now? If so, I would make a big enough of a brooder to house all and have a warm end and a much cooler end and let them go where needed.

 

[swamphiker]

Month-old chickens should be fine in a garage with heat as long as you can get a warm spot to maintain ~70ºF and they are protected from drafts. I would try to move them on a day when you are available to check on them fairly frequently; their body language will tell you whether they are too hot/cold. Your older chicks will soon have enough feathering to go outdoors anyway, so you'll want to start weaning them off heat over the next few weeks if weather conditions allow.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This is my 3' x 6' built-in brooder in my coop. I put chicks in it straight from the incubator or the post office whether it is below freezing on in a heat wave. In winter it is wrapped better and I keep one end toasty. Some freezing mornings there may be ice in the far end. As long as they have a spot warm enough in the coldest conditions and a spot cool enough in the hottest conditions they are quite capable of determining where they want to be, even straight out of the incubator.

To me the biggest issue with brooding outside is the temperature swings. I've seen it go from below freezing to over 70 Fahrenheit in not a lot more than overnight. My brooder can handle that since it is big enough that the far side can cool off enough.

I've had 5-1/2 week old chicks go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no supplemental heat. Where I kept them had good ventilation up high but good breeze protection down low. What your outside area looks like has an effect on how well they can handle cold without heat.

I use a heat lamp. As long as it is properly supported I consider it safe. That means do not use that clamp that comes with it, those are not safe. Support it with wire or chain. Do not use string or plastic that can burn or melt. Wire or chain.

One fairly easy way to make a brooder in the garage is to put something on the floor to protect it from staining. Get a large cardboard appliance box (maybe stove, refrigerator, or freezer) to use as a brooder. If you need more room get another appliance box and tape the two together.

As long as you keep one spot warm enough in the coldest conditions and a spot cool enough in the warmest conditions you can brood them outside.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Hi. @Ridgerunner. Welcome from New Orleans, Glad to have another person from Southeast Louisiana with us. Hope you are enjoying the site.