Thermostat for brooder box??

[Rose66]

I ordered my chicks! I'm so excited! My chicks are scheduled to be here the first week of June. The day time temperature here in Alabama will be around the high 80's and at night it will probably be in the 50-60 degrees. My plan is to use a big watermelon box as a brooder within the regular coop. I'll have a heat lamp hanging in the box. Does anyone make a thermostat that I could plug the lamp into so that the temperature can be adjusted to go on and off at certain temps? I used to have hermit crabs and I used one for crabitat and it worked great. It had a thermometer that you put down near chick level and then you plugged the light into the thermostat and based on what parameters you set, the heat would turn on and off just by the thermostat. Perhaps I could use that same crab thermostat for the chickens???

Then when the chicks get past the stage of need draft protection, I would just cut a door in one side of the box and they could go out into the big coop but still come back to the brooder if they got cold. Does this setup sound okay? At what age to chickens get past the need for draft protection? Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I can't help on the thermostat since I've never done that. Your plan sounds pretty reasonable to me. I also keep my brooder in the coop. I do suggest if your heat lamp comes with a clamp, that you throw that clamp away so you are not tempted to rely on it. Securely chain or wire your lamp so it cannot fall or get knocked off.

You do not need to keep the entire brooder the right temperature. I keep one area in mine in the correct range but let the far corners cool down quite a bit more, usually 20 to 30 degrees cooler. For the first couple of days, the chicks tend to hang out under the heat, but by the third day they are playing all over the brooder, just coming back to the heat to warm up or sleep. This way, they can find their own comfort zone and I think they are healthier from being exposed to different temperatures.

Most chicks fully feather out by 4 to 5 weeks age. After this, especially in your climate, they do not need any supplemental heat or draft protection. I usually take the brooder out of the coop at this age and they sleep in a pile on the floor in a protected corner. I think it is best for them to not be in a draft when they are sleeping, but mine find a good protected area for that.

 

[plucker]

They do make thermostats that can do this job. I found some a Home depot when I was looking for the reverse type (one to kick a fan on when it got too hot) for another project. can't remember what they costs but seems like maybe $20-$30 (but don't hold me to that.)

 

[aprophet]

GQF sells a brooder t-stat I think it is just a wafer check with member pasacool ? they use a retipro? that you just plug your heater/bulb into