Planned power outage

[HobbyHouse]

I just got notice that there is a planned outage in my area from 8pm to 6am the next day.
I will have chicks that are about 4 weeks old under a brooder plate.

Suggestions on keeping them comfy for those hours?

 

[NatJ]

I just got notice that there is a planned outage in my area from 8pm to 6am the next day.
I will have chicks that are about 4 weeks old under a brooder plate.

Suggestions on keeping them comfy for those hours?

Depending on the temperature, they may be fine if they just huddle together under the brooder plate. It will not be making heat, but their bodies will be, and in the dark they will hopefully stay there instead of wandering around and getting cold.

How cold do you expect it to be at that time?

 

[HobbyHouse]

Depending on the temperature, they may be fine if they just huddle together under the brooder plate. It will not be making heat, but their bodies will be, and in the dark they will hopefully stay there instead of wandering around and getting cold.

How cold do you expect it to be at that time?

It's supposed to be 15c outside and go down to 3c at night.
They will be in my basement laundry room, which is probably 10c, currently.
I feel like such a twit(can you tell I am not the fire/wood person? Lol) but we do have a woodstove we can light. I'll have to keep the door closed but some heat will make it through...

 

[StinkyAcres]

Can you move them into the room with the wood stove in a temporary enclosure?

 

[NatJ]

It's supposed to be 15c outside and go down to 3c at night.
They will be in my basement laundry room, which is probably 10c, currently.
I feel like such a twit(can you tell I am not the fire/wood person? Lol) but we do have a woodstove we can light. I'll have to keep the door closed but some heat will make it through...

Since they are indoors, they will not have wind or rain making things worse.

I forgot to ask how many. Just two or three will have a harder time staying warm, while more than that will have an easier time.

If the room does not get colder than about 10C, and they can huddle together under the brooder plate, I think they will probably be okay. You might drape a piece of cloth over several sides of the brooder plate, to help keep their body heat in there with them (but do not close it in too much: they still need to breathe as well.)

(I used google to convert 10C to about 50F, because I am more familiar with Fahrenheit than Celsius.)

Can you move them into the room with the wood stove in a temporary enclosure?

Yes, that might also work.

 

[HobbyHouse]

Can you move them into the room with the wood stove in a temporary enclosure?

Yes...? This is what they will be in and there is no way to close the room the fire place is in from the cats. Maybe I'll just have to sleep down there with them! Lol
I could put a blanket around the back of it... should help a bit.

 

[Huntmaster]

You could fill a few bottles with hot water and add to brooder. If your water isn't electric heated, you could change them out once or twice just to be safe.

 

[HobbyHouse]

Since they are indoors, they will not have wind or rain making things worse.

I forgot to ask how many. Just two or three will have a harder time staying warm, while more than that will have an easier time.

If the room does not get colder than about 10C, and they can huddle together under the brooder plate, I think they will probably be okay. You might drape a piece of cloth over several sides of the brooder plate, to help keep their body heat in there with them (but do not close it in too much: they still need to breathe as well.)

(I used google to convert 10C to about 50F, because I am more familiar with Fahrenheit than Celsius.)


Yes, that might also work.

I'll have 14 chicks

 

[NatJ]

Yes...? This is what they will be in and there is no way to close the room the fire place is in from the cats. Maybe I'll just have to sleep down there with them! Lol
I could put a blanket around the back of it... should help a bit.

View attachment 3809135

One thing that can help them stay warmer that night and all other nights: put several layers of something underneath their pen, to insulate them from the cold floor. Cardboard or paper could work for this purpose: just lay it thickly on the floor of the room, then put the pen on top, then add bedding and brooder plate and chicks.

I'll have 14 chicks

That should be enough to keep each other warm by snuggling. I think they will probably be okay under the (non-functioning) brooder plate, in a room at 10C (50F), inside a building, at age 4 weeks.