New Chick Mom here

[Firsttimechickmom2]

I live in a tiny house and have a 3’ in diameter galvanized steel container in my tiny space. I have 6 one and a half old chicks It’s been really cool, but the more I read about heating lamps (even though I tied mine as well as the clamp). I just want to be safer. Today I got a brooder plate and it feels weird putting it over the hay that I have down, but I did just read that it’s too low of heat to be hazardous So if I keep the temperature at 70 degrees in the house and they have the heating plate that should be okay? When I first saw a chart regarding age and temperature I was very concerned that it had to be pretty specific but then I did some reading and someone said that they don’t need to be that hot and it’s easier to not keep them so hot when they get ready to go into the coop. I think she said also that as long as they are 70° and a heat plate that should be OK. I can adjust it higher as they get older but also putting it at a slant so it fits everybody better I read. Any input would be welcome






Thank you,
Susan

 

[rosemarythyme]

Assuming you've tested the heat plate to make sure it works okay (warm/hot to the touch, but not so hot that you can't put your hand on it for more than a couple seconds) yes the plate will do just fine to keep them warm. Make sure to adjust it so one side sits higher so the chicks can touch it sitting down and standing up. You may need to scoot them under it a couple of times so they learn that's the warm up spot, and also make sure they get under there at night, assuming you turn all the lights off.

I brood 2-3 day olds outdoors down in mid 40s. Cool ambient temperature isn't an issue at all as long as the chicks have somewhere they can warm up in as needed.

 

[Firsttimechickmom2]

Assuming you've tested the heat plate to make sure it works okay (warm/hot to the touch, but not so hot that you can't put your hand on it for more than a couple seconds) yes the plate will do just fine to keep them warm. Make sure to adjust it so one side sits higher so the chicks can touch it sitting down and standing up. You may need to scoot them under it a couple of times so they learn that's the warm up spot, and also make sure they get under there at night, assuming you turn all the lights off.

I brood 2-3 day olds outdoors down in mid 40s. Cool ambient temperature isn't an issue at all as long as the chicks have somewhere they can warm up in as needed.

Thank you for your reply. I did plug it in and it felt warm not too hot, but I took it out. Then I talked to someone that I know in town and they thought it may be too soon, that they needed to be warmer? The lamp is secure, I’m not worried about it falling, it’s just the conflicting thoughts of lamps vs heating plate and wanting to do the right thing for these sweet chicks

If I may ask you. They are on bedding if Timothy Hay.. Is that right? I’m don’t have the bag..It’s green. They have started picking at the fluffy ends of the hay, is that okay?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you for your reply. I did plug it in and it felt warm not too hot, but I took it out. Then I talked to someone that I know in town and they thought it may be too soon, that they needed to be warmer? The lamp is secure, I’m not worried about it falling, it’s just the conflicting thoughts of lamps vs heating plate and wanting to do the right thing for these sweet chicks

If I may ask you. They are on bedding if Timothy Hay.. Is that right? I’m don’t have the bag..It’s green. They have started picking at the fluffy ends of the hay, is that okay?

No they don't need to be warmer. They need a warm spot to use, and that's all. It's more beneficial to providing them both a warming area and cooler ambient area so they can control the regulating of their body temperatures. The more variance they're given the more hardened they get to outside temperature variances and the sooner they can move out. I have 4-week-olds fully off heat down at mid 40s and if you go by the "charts" they'd claim those same chicks would need 80 to survive, but I've never lost a chick to brooding temperatures.

I've never used hay as bedding so not sure if that's the best choice. Should be ok as long as they aren't eating too much of it. If you haven't already provided grit, I would do so, to help them break down any bedding that they do eat.

 

[Firsttimechickmom2]

No they don't need to be warmer. They need a warm spot to use, and that's all. It's more beneficial to providing them both a warming area and cooler ambient area so they can control the regulating of their body temperatures. The more variance they're given the more hardened they get to outside temperature variances and the sooner they can move out. I have 4-week-olds fully off heat down at mid 40s and if you go by the "charts" they'd claim those same chicks would need 80 to survive, but I've never lost a chick to brooding temperatures.

I've never used hay as bedding so not sure if that's the best choice. Should be ok as long as they aren't eating too much of it. If you haven't already provided grit, I would do so, to help them break down any bedding that they do eat.

Thank you so much!
I appreciate everything you are sharing with me. I will get grit tomorrow.
I got a big bag of Dorris Shavings yesterday, that’s what they sold me, but it was so little that the chicks were pecking at it and it smelled like fuel! I quickly took it out and put the hay back in. What do you use?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you so much!
I appreciate everything you are sharing with me. I will get grit tomorrow.
I got a big bag of Dorris Shavings yesterday, that’s what they sold me, but it was so little that the chicks were pecking at it and it smelled like fuel! I quickly took it out and put the hay back in. What do you use?

My set up is very different than most on here. I brood outdoors directly on the ground, so the chicks have a bit of aspen shavings and then a mix of all sorts of dirt, dried grass, dried leaves, etc.

Brooder is the unit on the ground here. I use a homemade "mama heating pad" for heat:

Close up of chicks on the deep litter. These are maybe 2 weeks old?

 

[Firsttimechickmom2]

Very cool! Thank you for sharing the pictures and great information again!

Do you have to worry about any predators?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Very cool! Thank you for sharing the pictures and great information again!

Do you have to worry about any predators?

We lost one hen to a hawk (so there's netting over everything now). I've seen everything from a weasel to raccoons, bobcats, coyotes, stray dogs, owls, eagles, black bear. So... yup we have a lot of potentials.

You'll notice my run is far from predator proof. But it's also 20' from the living room and I'm retired, hubby works from home, and we have 3 dogs to send out to chase stuff off, so we're almost always around if there's any commotion outside.

 

[Firsttimechickmom2]

I’m sorry for your loss
That’s my biggest fear, but I aim to do what I possibly can. I do plan on putting the coop straight in front of the kitchen window only 20 feet away. I have a security camera with motion sensors. I will have solar lights to make sure the camera sees everything. The ring camera has an alarm. I hope that all works well

The picture is the view from my window. I’ll put the coop and the run in that area between my sitting area and the fence. Once I get the coop is in, I am going to plant some shade trees. One in the galvanized container that they are in to make the tree taller.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I’m sorry for your loss
That’s my biggest fear, but I aim to do what I possibly can. I do plan on putting the coop straight in front of the kitchen window only 20 feet away. I have a security camera with motion sensors. I will have solar lights to make sure the camera sees everything. The ring camera has an alarm. I hope that all works well

I have a Ring cam as well but it's for looking inside the coop (after one too many nights of hubby walking out in the snow to do a headcount in the coop). Never had a need for an extra camera outside since it's faster to just run to a window to see what's going on, and if it's nighttime the birds are locked up in the coop so that should keep them safe from everything except maybe an adult bear or a human.

Part of the reason for my high predator load but low incident rate is because I happen to live on a creek which the local wildlife treat as a highway in the area. So as a general rule most critters are simply passing by.