Please help me with this dilemma ASAP

[tvett62]

Preview
I am in Michigan... if you live in the north you have had this question I am sure...
The daytime highs next week are suppose to be high 50's to low 60's. The night time lows will be high 30's to low 40's. My chicks are coming Tuesday or Weds. These chicks are going to be in a 4x3 wire and wood brooder box in our pole barn that is not heated. I am already worrying, I have 2 heat lamps, 250 watt ready (if needed) and waiting. I have already thought we will cut wood to stand around and cover entire sides of box to hold the heat in, with the heat lamps but do you think it will be warm enough for THEM? The box is 2 ft. tall, there will be 16 or more chicks, coming from Cackle. I can plug in a heater and place it close to the box if needed. No, bringing them inside is most likely not an option unfortunately... So do you think it will work or anything else I can do? The box is 6 foot long but is divided for now and I plan to cover the one end they will not be in for now with a blanket. The temp on the pole barn temp runs about 46 degrees to 54 degrees. Do you think I could wrap the brooder with heavy plastic to keep heat instead of wood or what would you suggest. I can not afford a plate warmer as much as I would like too, just can not afford one and bringing them in really is not an option.. So please help but please be kind.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Get a thermometer, set everything up, turn the lamps on, and monitor the temps for a few days. I'd personally have a backup lamp just in case. Better to be over prepared than under. I'm not sure I'd use an electric heater, but maybe get a heating pad like for seed starting? Chicks could sit on it. Even with one large heat lamp in my 4x6' coop with 11 birds, when temps drop below 20 it is only 10-15 degrees warmer in the coop. The ceiling is insulated and the walls are 1" thick lumber.

 

[NatJ]

I would take out the divider, and put both heat lamps right over the middle. Then put a piece of cardboard around the sides (block drafts, and round the corners to avoid piling.)

The reason for making it bigger: so you can make the middle "too hot" by day, which may be just right at night (and in the daytime, they can move farther away from that heat.)

Check temperature under the lamps first thing in the morning. Also, set it up as soon as possible--if the heat lamps shine on it for a few days before the chicks arrive, then the bedding will be all pre-warmed, so the chicks have warmth below them as well as above.

Put feed/water both close to the light, and farther away, so there's some at several temperature points.

I wouldn't worry much about it being too big. I have had times when I brooded chicks in a space 4 feet by 7 feet, starting from day-old, and they did fine about finding their way back to the light as needed. They mostly stayed close to the light for the first few days, and wandered farther as they got older. (25-50 chicks at a time. They spread out farther and faster in the heat of summer, stayed closer to the light for the winter batch.)

 

[tvett62]

Get a thermometer, set everything up, turn the lamps on, and monitor the temps for a few days. I'd personally have a backup lamp just in case. Better to be over prepared than under. I'm not sure I'd use an electric heater, but maybe get a heating pad like for seed starting? Chicks could sit on it. Even with one large heat lamp in my 4x6' coop with 11 birds, when temps drop below 20 it is only 10-15 degrees warmer in the coop. The ceiling is insulated and the walls are 1" thick lumber.

I did think about setting up the brooder now and running a test on it since our temps are even colder this week
If I can keep temps up this week empty I will feel better next week. Thank you for help. Anyone else have input?

 

[tvett62]

I would take out the divider, and put both heat lamps right over the middle. Then put a piece of cardboard around the sides (block drafts, and round the corners to avoid piling.)

The reason for making it bigger: so you can make the middle "too hot" by day, which may be just right at night (and in the daytime, they can move farther away from that heat.)

Check temperature under the lamps first thing in the morning. Also, set it up as soon as possible--if the heat lamps shine on it for a few days before the chicks arrive, then the bedding will be all pre-warmed, so the chicks have warmth below them as well as above.

Put feed/water both close to the light, and farther away, so there's some at several temperature points.

I wouldn't worry much about it being too big. I have had times when I brooded chicks in a space 4 feet by 7 feet, starting from day-old, and they did fine about finding their way back to the light as needed. They mostly stayed close to the light for the first few days, and wandered farther as they got older. (25-50 chicks at a time. They spread out farther and faster in the heat of summer, stayed closer to the light for the winter batch.)

Thank you for your tips. I had wondered about using the entire box with 2 lamps but wasn't sure. I had planned on setting up and turning on the lamps to heat it early. Thank you....

 

[AgnesGray]

Sounds like good advice to try it out ahead of time. I use a brooder plate from tractor supply out in my coop and raised the latest group out there from the first week. It would go down below 30 in my coop. But as long as they have a warm and draft free place, they will be fine.

These articles helped me a ton:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors.68067/

 

[tvett62]

Sounds like good advice to try it out ahead of time. I use a brooder plate from tractor supply out in my coop and raised the latest group out there from the first week. It would go down below 30 in my coop. But as long as they have a warm and draft free place, they will be fine.

These articles helped me a ton:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors.68067/

Thank you so much for your help I very much appreciate your help

 

[AgnesGray]

Thank you so much for your help I very much appreciate your help

You're very welcome! Let us know how it goes.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I heat just one end. They need to be able to fully escape the heat to avoid overheating just as much as they need heat to stay warm.

Test your set up.

Whatever you do secure that lamp! Then secure it again and add a third chain.

Never ever trust that clamp that comes with them. To many time we read of coop fires caused by fallen heatlamps.

 

[tvett62]

You're very welcome! Let us know how it goes.

I will. I remember now in thinking back about the first time I got chicks I lived in north east Arkansas, it was very cold for March in Arkansas, very cold
. I put those 9 chicks right into my big coop outside. In my non heated not insulated coop with just a heat lamp and lots of shavings in a 4x4 corner. I did put a oil radiator out there on cement blocks a couple nights for warmth and I never thought they would make it at just 3 days but they sure did. They did just fine and they were so hardy. So I am sure these chicks will be fine too. Thank you I will let you know how they do.