Temp question?

[first time farmer]

So my brooder is built and my chicks are ordered for march 15. I have raised chicks before but only 8 now I am getting 25. I built a 4x8x2 foot brooder. I will have 2 heat lamps in it. I know that it should be 90-100 in the brooder for the first week. My problem is that the brooder has always been in my basement but is now in my garage which is insulated but not heated. Should i build a top for the brooder to keep it warmer(i would build it out of plywood) or will two heat lamps be ok.

Here are some pictures of it(sorry the pics are bad i took them with my phone)

 

[MudPie]

A heat lamp should keep it warm enough. Put one in there and test it. Build the lamp so that you can raise and lower it to adjust the temp. As for a top. Unless it is drafty. I would not build one of plywood. Mainly because you then have an issue with lamp height limitations. I would however, build a top of some sort of wire mesh, to keep the birds from hopping out. With the wire, your lamp does not have to be below the wire, it can be raised above it as you begin to lower the temp of the brooder.

 

[first time farmer]

I just tested it with one heat lamp about a foot above the bottom and it got up to 120! So i think i should be fine. I do have a chicken wire top for it but i was worried about it being too cold

 

[bigdawg]

use plywood and cut windows out and cover the holes with hardware cloth. mine is alot like yours except with a top and mine is in a stall with two lamps. you should only need one. that way if to much heat escapes you can cover up some of the hole.

 

[gritsar]

Temps. the first week should be 90-95, not to 100. Don't want fried chicks. Some chicks prefer it even a little cooler.
The best gauge of temperature will be your chicks. Too hot and they will as far away from those heat lamps as they can get. Too cold and they will be huddled under the heat lamp, peeping loudly.

 

[Chipper]

I would go with both heat lamps in case one burns out and you are not around,like at night.With the garage being unheated,if you go with just one and it blows,you will probably lose all of your chicks.Maybe one heat lamp at each end would work??

 

[felidaet]

When you tested it did you test it in the garage or in the basement? Are you sure your thermometer is accurate? I am surprised that you were able to get it up to 120 degrees with one heat lamp in the garage. Last year I had to use two heat lamps (250 watt each) to heat a metal water trough to 90 degrees. I even had part of it covered with plywood. Maybe it was the metal. I am going to build a new brooder from wood this year. Hopefully the wood will hold the temperature better. (And it will be much bigger - 8' x 3' x 2'). I do have an insulated garage and I did not open the main door for about 5 weeks.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I would not cover it. They need ventilation. For that many chicks, I'd use 2 heat lamps. You don't want them piling up under the heat and suffocating each other. 90-95 is a good temp for them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I really think they do better if one part of the brooder is the recommended temperature but the far corner is about 10 degrees cooler. Most really seem to like to get where it is cooler part of the time. Chickens can handle too cool better than too warm. As Gritsar said, they will tell you if they are too hot or too cold.