Wool Hen: Or, How to raise chicks with NO HEAT LAMP and possibly no supplemental heat at all.

[WILIFORD]

Maybe this will help some of you. I am building a couple of these soon, and I was trying to think where I could get a wool fabric for a reasonable price, That I wouldn't feel bad about cutting it up. I found our local military surplus store sells used wool army blankets for $13. Hopefully that will help some of you

 

[Sally PB]

@WILIFORD, please let us know how this goes! What a great idea!
@Folly's place, did you ever do this? You mentioned that you wanted to back in 2016. Old thread, I know.

 

[Folly's place]

I wimped out and haven't tried it. Maybe in mid summer?
Right now it's heading to 10F or lower, and it might get above freezing Thursday next week. The wrong time to think about chicks, much less with a wool hen!
We have chicks coming in mid-April, still too chilly to try it here.
Mary

 

[lysmandor]

I'm guessing there's probably a minimum number of chicks for this to be a viable option - I keep a small flock (only 4 hens at the moment) and I would imagine 3-4 chicks wouldn't be able to generate enough heat, even in a pretty small box?

And yes, it feels like -3 right now including windchill, so... mine would definitely need supplemental heat here unless I started in June.

 

[chickendaddybill]

we got our 1st 6 girls in june and we still kept them in the bathtub the 1st couple of weeks then took them outside to the coop for the daytime for a few days then just put them in it and theyre fine. but the bathtub worked great til they figured out they could jump and flap to the top of it hahaha.

 

[WILIFORD]

@WILIFORD, please let us know how this goes! What a great idea!
@Folly's place, did you ever do this? You mentioned that you wanted to back in 2016. Old thread, I know.

I did finally come up with a working wool hen. I started a post recently "

"Any suggestions for my wool hen project"​

My last entry to this post was today, with pictures and a description of how I built it.
I am pleased with it now. They have been in it since 5 days old, with temperatures in the mid 40's at night