,I cant handle all the mess of raising 15-25 chicks a time so I put mine in a 36 in kiddie pool w/cardboard walls in our unheated garage, then at 3 weeks they're straight out into our 3x6 tractor to learn from the flock! Raised 3 sets of 15 this winter and all did great! No losses to weather or predators or illness! In record breaking snow too! Lol the other day we had our first bad rain/windstorm of the spring during the night and I came out expecting sopping wet chicks cause I hadn't realized there was a storm till next morning. Tarp got blown off and heat bulb exploded but all 15 were just fine and took a tip from the adults, perching in a covered corner a foot off the muddy ground. Here's them today! officially set on the benefits of perching and refusing their heatlamp at only a few weeks oldthe ladies have taught them well! They started freeranging this week too, already proven to be good little hawk evaders!
Note: yes chicks range in age appearance because they're two clutches combined from ~1 wk appart
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What I really want is an independent outdoor brooder that I can build right beside my house complete with roof and protection from any type of weather. A brooder that's made to be outside with roof etc. I think I'm leaning toward making an A frame with insulation and wood... Or I may try the hot water bucket method inside a small coop I have. I also just got the heating pads. My problem I've had in the past with what I've tried is the cold rainy days killing out my chicks in one day when I thought they were well protected. So I'm looking for better methods and for something outside my house as I don't have room right now. I'm enjoying all these ideas
Yes this is a great set up for me also. If only I had the coop to make it
... But it definitely showed me that my idea of an independent outdoor brooder is possible. I'm getting excited to find my solution and get started. Lots of great ideas. And what I'm seeing is that every brooder has heat lamps. So what I'm getting from all these ideas is one common thing that they need a heat source and total weather protection. .
I brood in my coop, (unheated and uninsulated, very well ventilated) from day 1......I use only the mama heat pad for chick warming.....I have had day old chicks out there with the temps well below freezing
Great!!! That's what I'm leaning toward possible. Mine is insulated though. And possibly trying the hot water bucket for heat. I don't have electricity out there but with the weather being warmer I'm thinking of trying that. But i got the heating pads just in case I need them. So I'm also thinking of making an A frame beside my house and putting the heating pads in there.
O yes, thank you. I definitely will provide heat. That would be horrifying to try without heat and lose them all. I was thinking of a woolen hen. I will look this up to see what the article says also. But yes thank you for making sure I'm adding heat.
