Day old chicks are fragile the first couple weeks.
Without a mother hen they need the caretaker to take care and provide the heat.

Here is a thread about a '"wool hen".

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...possibly-no-supplemental-heat-at-all.1126460/

Even there they got electric heat at first.
This is very interesting and very helpful!!! Thank you!!! It should somehow be made current so we can see if people still do them and success rate. Very intriguing!!! Thank you! I would have never found it as I don't know enough about how to find things on this site. Thank you so much!!!
 
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.
What is the hot water bucket method? (Sorry if it has been described and I missed it.)
 
What is the hot water bucket method? (Sorry if it has been described and I missed it.)
No, it wasn't described in this thread although if you look up the link about the wool hen I believe it may be mentioned in their a bit. From what I understand you fill a milk jug or water jug with hot water and wrap it will to hold the heat in. Then you build a sort of cave over it all to help keep the heat in and for your chicks to go into. I have some five gallon buckets so i was thinking of trying them to make a bigger cave so it's large enough for the chicks. I'm still researching it so I'm not real good at telling you exactly how to do it as I've not tried it yet. But it's intriguing and since it's basically pretty warm here I think it should work should i use my small insulated chicken coop and insulate somehow to keep the water hot to keep it warm. It would need to be changed out periodically but I can't say how often as I've not tried it yet. But I'm intrigued. Another thing could be to make a box (with a cutout door) out of insulation with the towel wrapped buckets inside to provide heat also.
 
My thought on the hot water bucket are, it would have to be constantly monitored. What if the buckets cool down too much on an unexpected cold night? I used the MHP method last year for the first time, and loved it. Day old chicks out in the coop in MN in April with lows in the 20’s. They were the healthiest chicks I have ever raised. In my opinion, a consistent heat source (that they can come and go from as they need) is vital for the first few weeks for sure.
 
Thank you for your input!!! I'm still just learning about it and am happy for any advice I can get! Thank you!! I appreciate it!!
'Hot water bucket' and 'wool hen' might work in a pinch,
but I wouldn't count on it for most situations.

My thought on the hot water bucket are, it would have to be constantly monitored. What if the buckets cool down too much on an unexpected cold night? I used the MHP method last year for the first time, and loved it. Day old chicks out in the coop in MN in April with lows in the 20’s. They were the healthiest chicks I have ever raised. In my opinion, a consistent heat source (that they can come and go from as they need) is vital for the first few weeks for sure.
you for
 
My thought on the hot water bucket are, it would have to be constantly monitored. What if the buckets cool down too much on an unexpected cold night? I used the MHP method last year for the first time, and loved it. Day old chicks out in the coop in MN in April with lows in the 20’s. They were the healthiest chicks I have ever raised. In my opinion, a consistent heat source (that they can come and go from as they need) is vital for the first few weeks for sure.

Sorry - what is MHP?
 
Thank you! My chicks have always been under heat lamps- we have 2 and are moving them out to the out door brooder soon. Will I need a MHP along with the heat lamps?
 
Thank you! My chicks have always been under heat lamps- we have 2 and are moving them out to the out door brooder soon. Will I need a MHP along with the heat lamps?
No, the mama heat pad is a standalone heating device just like a heat lamp or brooder plate would be… they are all either or type devices with no need to use more than one
 
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