When can brooder go outside?

[BriannaR]

Hello all, new to chickens here! I have 8 chicks, almost two weeks old. Mix of Easter and olive egger. Everyone seems to be doing well so far!
My current setup is a ecoglow 1200 heat plate in a 100 gallon stock tank, set up in an unused room in my basement. The room is kept at 70 degrees at all times.
My question is when would be appropriate to move the brooder outside? It’s currently mid 30’s to low 40’s at night, and no higher than 60 during the day. I was planning on putting the brooder in our shed, which is not insulated. I was going to switch to using a heat lamp once they were in the shed ( or use both plate and lamp if that’s appropriate?).
Thank you!!!

 

[3KillerBs]

Day 1 if you're set up correctly.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/run-to-outdoor-brooder-conversion.76634/

I had dual heat on the Easter hatch until the temps got back up to night lows in the 50's instead of threatening late frost.

 

[3KillerBs]

P.S. Read the manual for your plate to see what it's minimum temperature is. The reason I have dual heat in that setup is that plates often don't work well under 50F.

 

[BriannaR]

Day 1 if you're set up correctly.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/run-to-outdoor-brooder-conversion.76634/

I had dual heat on the Easter hatch until the temps got back up to night lows in the 50's instead of threatening late frost.

View attachment 3074502

Thank you!!! The picture definitely Helps as well, wasnt sure how to set things up. My heat plate manual says it doesn’t work below 50 so will definitely add the heat lamp.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you!!! The picture definitely Helps as well, wasnt sure how to set things up. My heat plate manual says it doesn’t work below 50 so will definitely add the heat lamp.

I went dual heat (after getting advice in this thread), because my Big Red Bulb wasn't keeping my setup -- which is designed to keep chicks cool enough in my hot climate -- quite warm enough but plates don't do well in the chill.

So the lamp keeps the area around the plate warm enough for the plate to work.

Then, when it isn't so cold I unplug the lamp.

My problem last spring was keeping my brooder cool enough -- that is, getting it down under 100F on sunny afternoons.