NY chicken lover!!!!

[Gramma Chick]

Ok guys I'm looking for help with this northern cold weather chicken keeping. I'm not from NY but live here now. I had a hen go broody and has hatched 4 beautiful chicks. My question is how warm should I try to keep my brooder coop for the chicks and their momma? I know a brooder needs to be around 95 or so without a momma to keep them warm.

Are you heatiing your Coops ? That is dangerous !
You have them Outside ? this time of year I usually keep them in my cellar which is 60 ...for the 1st month .Im just a softie .
If you have a mama with them they should be okay ...I would not let it go below 35 .

if you have a dog cage you could put it in there with the rest of them ...which should be warmer than a single coop .
You can move her nest now that she has chicks ..She should settle where ever you put them

 

[myfivegirls]

Ok guys I'm looking for help with this northern cold weather chicken keeping. I'm not from NY but live here now. I had a hen go broody and has hatched 4 beautiful chicks. My question is how warm should I try to keep my brooder coop for the chicks and their momma? I know a brooder needs to be around 95 or so without a momma to keep them warm.

I have 2 broody hens raising chicks outside too & I don't heat their brooder coop. With only 4 chicks, the hen should be sufficient to keep them warm. But, I'm also raising my chicks to be "tough" & hardy! The last few days they were happy to be out & about in 50-60 degrees at less than a week old. When they got chilly, they just went under mamma to warm up.

 

[FishMtFarm]

I agree with myfivegirls. I live in the southern Adirondacks and I have hens raising chicks and I dont have a brooder coop. They are right in with the rooster and other hens and I dont heat it. Babies are fine and it gets way cold here, below zero. When it's really cold, everyone piles and the babies will go in between everyone, including dad. They all get along and the babies are safe and warm.

 

[tao chick]

Rooster58, I agree with others. Don't heat the brooder coop. Trust your broody hen. She won't let them freeze.

@nposluszny I was thinking about Angus the other day. How is he?

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Morning Rooster. With only 4 momma should be able to keep them warm. If it makes you feel at ease keep it at like 75 but make sure momma has a cool area.

 

[rooster58]

Are you heatiing your Coops ? That is dangerous !
You have them Outside ? this time of year I usually keep them in my cellar which is 60 ...for the 1st month .Im just a softie .
If you have a mama with them they should be okay ...I would not let it go below 35 .

if you have a dog cage you could put it in there with the rest of them ...which should be warmer than a single coop .
You can move her nest now that she has chicks ..She should settle where ever you put them

I have 2 broody hens raising chicks outside too & I don't heat their brooder coop. With only 4 chicks, the hen should be sufficient to keep them warm. But, I'm also raising my chicks to be "tough" & hardy! The last few days they were happy to be out & about in 50-60 degrees at less than a week old. When they got chilly, they just went under mamma to warm up.

I agree with myfivegirls. I live in the southern Adirondacks and I have hens raising chicks and I dont have a brooder coop. They are right in with the rooster and other hens and I dont heat it. Babies are fine and it gets way cold here, below zero. When it's really cold, everyone piles and the babies will go in between everyone, including dad. They all get along and the babies are safe and warm.

Rooster58, I agree with others. Don't heat the brooder coop. Trust your broody hen. She won't let them freeze.

@nposluszny I was thinking about Angus the other day. How is he?

Morning Rooster. With only 4 momma should be able to keep them warm. If it makes you feel at ease keep it at like 75 but make sure momma has a cool area.

I knew I could depend on y'all for some good advice. Yeah I'm a softy and I'm heating my brooder coop. I'm actually trying to use one coop as brooder and grow out coop. It's 4x8 uninsulated and big enough where I can feel the difference in the temp from one side where I have heat and the opposite side where I don't. It is 48 in the middle of the coop now and 29 outside. I wasn't planning on having babies this early but I had a hen go broody and decided to let her go with it.
This is the first winter I've had this flock. I bought them at POL Christmas week. They were in a heated coop from hatch is my understanding. No run to go out into. So I didn't think they had a chance to get used to the cold. Next winter they won't be babied as much. I'm gonna give them a chance to get used to the cold then.

 

[tao chick]

I worked on my incubator last night. The set up will incubate 90 eggs depending on size. Extra large eggs sometimes reduce the capacity. I have ordered shipped eggs, and I'm really hoping for a good hatch. I changed my set date to 4/2, but I might still have to wait on some eggs until 4/25. That means that losing my rooster and having spring-like weather has caused my Morehen's Disease to recur and has committed me to spending much more money and time than I expected. It also means I might have chicks to offer at Chickenstock. I'll keep you posted.

Have you looked at the forecast this week? In my area it is supposed to snow tonight, then get to high 50s and rain Tuesday/Wednesday, then back to snow and freezing for the weekend.

 

[tao chick]

The hen in front is Fru. She is an Ameraucana Cream Legbar cross. She lays beautiful blue eggs. I'm hoping to duplicate this cross.

 

[nposluszny]

Rooster58, I agree with others. Don't heat the brooder coop. Trust your broody hen. She won't let them freeze.

@nposluszny I was thinking about Angus the other day. How is he?

Angus is doing super! He works well with the silkie roo that I still have, although his lady friend has apparently switched loyalties. He does a great job and my Mom loves him.

I know I haven't been online much, I got a new job working for the County and they keep me insanely busy - training and overtime has really made sure that I have zero social life, lol. On the other hand, it's allowed me to get them a major upgrade, a plastic Suncast 9'x7' shed (huge compared to their 8'x4' tractor) that we converted into a coop. Boy oh boy, they love all the extra room and it's easier for me to keep clean. I'll try to get a photo of the crew. Angus isn't a pick me up and cuddle me roo like Timmy but he eats from our hands now.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

The hen in front is Fru. She is an Ameraucana Cream Legbar cross. She lays beautiful blue eggs. I'm hoping to duplicate this cross.

Fru is beautiful.

As for weather snow today then back to the spring weather then icky Thursday.