we are having 30 degree changes in the temp (45-78 one day and 54 to 81 the next) here and my coop/brooder is outside. I work all day and will not be able to constantly monitor the temp in the brooder. My two choices as I see it are, put a heat lamp at one end of the coop/brooder (6'x4') and trust that it will provide enough heat and as the outside temp rises the chicks will move to an appropriate area and not get to hot or cold. the other is to get a thermostatically controlled plug and plug the heat lamp into it and believe it will maintain the temp +/- 5degrees. What have others done.