Raising baby chicks outside in barn, advice

[redoak]

The end of March we are getting 26 chicks. 8 we are keeping and raising in our guest bedroom with a heat lamp/thermometer/95 F, etc. My wife's father is getting the other 18 and plans on raising them in his old milk house with a 100 watt heat lamp. The milk house is a stone block building, dry but damp and will be about 40 F on average for the end of March. My 1st question is what are their chances of making it with just a heat lamp in 40 F temps? Also should he get a 250 watt bulb instead? We are trying to convince him to just raise them in the house, but baby chickens are "dusty" is the reason we get. He also has experience raising chickens outside, but 200 brooded together with multiple heat lamps. Please let me know what you think, and raising all 26 in our guest bedroom isn't out of the question but he wants his own chicks. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[patandchickens]

I don't know but you could take a look at http://www.plamondon.com/pasture_hover.html and http://www.plamondon.com/brooder.shtml for some ideas that might help.

Good luck,

Pat, going to try the insulated brooder hover later this spring in a building that will be about 40 F at the time

 

[Katy]

As long as they have heat lamps and are not in drafts they should be fine. Mine have been in a brooder cage out in the coop with a heat lamp and they are fine.....temps in the 20's. I'd get him a 250 heat lamp bulb tho.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I would also say use the 250 watt bulb. As long as there are no drafts and the heat in the brooder reaches the 90-95 degrees there is no reason they can't be out in the old milkhouse. Ours were in the feedroom with outside temps around that and did fine.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I don't see anything wrong with it either...but do try to convince him he needs a 250 heatlamp secured to a brooder area and something large made to keep drafts off them and on a good litter like wood shavings or he will close some...they chill very easy...

 

[GwenFarms]

I raise mine in the barn. I set up a large cardboard shield in a large oval to keep out drafts, you don't have to buy one, just make it out of old boxes, then put up two 250 watt heat lamps hanging from the rafters. I adjust the height daily. I have always used corn cob bedding. I put up two waterers and two chick feeders. I didn't lose a single chick like this last year.