starting chicks without electricity?

[MysticScorpio82]

From Gardiner Maine!!

It is recommended for the chicks first week to keep the temp between 90-95, however many people say that if you don't coddle them (temp wise) they actually feather out faster. I think between 80-90 will be good for them. Just watch the chicks...if they are clustered, then they are too chilly and you will need to turn your stove on, if they are spread equally amongst the brooder then they are fine.

Best wishes!!

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
Yes, it was and it is still possible

Broody hen

 

[MaineChick]

Hi neighbor!
We're on 75 acres in Waldo County, but on the grid. We heat with a woodstove, though, and if your place is anything like ours I'd make sure to get the chicks up off the floor. I've got 11 two week olds, and they preferred about 92 the first week, but it got down to just above 80 a couple of times and they were just fine. (They are in an unheated, insulated building with a heat lamp). Body heat helps, with 10 they'll do a good job keeping each other warm. I think the rock idea is good, but rocks get VERY hot in the fire, make sure you wrap it well so no chicks can contact it. Rocks stay warm a long time, but you may still have to be getting up in the middle of the night to change rocks. It got down to 37 here last night! I'm so glad we have electricity. Congrats on making it through the icy winter off grid.
Keep us posted!

 

[Millayhill85]

Thanks for all the replies, everyone!

For those that live in Mane, I live in New Portland, near Sugar Loaf.

I wasn't expecting them until Thursday but I got the call from the farmer's union on my way out of the office yesterday afternoon.

Picked up the 10 babies and got them safely home. We live on a VERY bumpy road and I was afraid they'd get some version of shaken baby syndrome but they seem alright.

The floor by the wood stove was indeed too cold--they were all hunched up--so we moved them to an elevated spot. I've got it all cordoned off with blankets so the warm air won't just go upstairs behind them. The heat activated fan on the stove is blowing warm air straight at them. A towel over most of the top to keep in the heat, and a blanket around the back edge of the box. Also, a gallon jar of hot water in the middle of the box.

I think they're doing alright so far. They did mostly sleep together between the blanket and the hot water jug, but when I checked them at 6 Am, they all got right up and started milling around eating and drinking. It's funny how they're like people in that some of them seem to want to be near the warm thing as much as possible and others are just fine. The golden comets seem to need less heat than the black links...I wonder if they're a day older.

Anyway, thanks for the help (as well as all the future help I'm sure to need). They are very cool. My mastiff thnks so too, so we are working on that.

 

[malijambo]

i am a young farmer who wants to start chicken farming in kenya, i have no electricity, and i want to start with 200 chicks,
kindly advice on the wood stoves like how many do i need?
and spacing of the wood stoves..
kindly advice on how to go about it..
with regads
mike malijambo