power outage?

[Carolyn227]

My lights keep flickering this morning! I am really worried we'll have a power outage. Chickies are about a week old and they're in the brooder in the house with a warming light on them. I keep my house pretty cold because I don't like it warm in here at all. Usually around 65. If the power goes out (and it might because it's really windy) what should I do to protect my chicks? It would probably go out only for a couple hours. Hopefully!

 

[kengland]

Have the same problem as I type. What we have done is placed a hot water bottle in the brooder. They will huddle near it. That should work in the short run. If they outage is longer than a day, I'm not sure what I would do. Rent a generator I suppose.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Put a bottle of hot water in there.
With a broody they only go to her to warm up and then run around in the cool a while.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

wow, we were typing at the same time

heat water on the stove.

no stove? make a campfire and heat water.

Depending on how many chicks, if you just put them in a closed box with air holes and they can keep each other warm.

 

[Carolyn227]

I'd make a camp fire but it's raining and I doubt I could get one started. I'd heat the water on the stove except that I don't want to heat it too early just to have it cool down and I can't heat it after the power goes out (electric stove). My mom offered to let me take them over there (she has a gas stove and heater) but I don't think it's worth the half hour drive each way to do that if power only goes out for an hour or two. Can I put a blanket over the top of the brooder or something? Thankfully the lights have stopped flickering for now... hopefully this is a good sign that we won't lose power?

 

[hitgsd]

You can also heat water on a gas barbeque pit, then fill the jar or hot water bottle. Or use a camp stove.

 

[Carolyn227]

I didn't even think about that! Good idea. We do have a gas grill which hopefully would work to heat some water if necessary.

I have to take my son to a doctor's appointment in an hour or so. I have no idea if the power will go out or not. It's still windy and rainy but I haven't seen any flickering lights in the last 20 minutes or so. Should I preemptively unplug the heat source and do the water bottle thing while I'm gone, or should I not worry about them for the hour or two we'll be away?