is it too cold for my new chicks?

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It's a cold spring!!!!! We still have alot of snow on the ground here in northern WI, and the weather is in the teens and twenties at night and the low thirties during the day. My chicks from MM are coming this monday!, my three brooders are set up down in the barn(4x8 plywood calf pens with chicken wire tops) with 2 red heat lamps in each. I have about 50 degrees in the pen except for directly under the lights, which is 85 degrees. Any idea if this is going to be too cold, or should I put an electric heater in each? Or ANY suggestions. Thank You Craig

-- craig swasnon (craig@rswcorp.com), March 28, 2001

Answers

Hi Craig: We are in NW Minn and are having about the same weather. We are buying ours locally; but will be doing that in the next week or two also. I think the temps you have sound alright; but two things are very important. One is that there be no drafts on the chicks (is the plywood solid? If there is anywhere cold drafts can blow on them- including blowing under the panels - you need to plug any holes. Depending on where they are you can use straw, staple cardboard over cracks, etc. The second thing is - will all the chicks have room to get under the lights without overcrowding and piling into piles (they will suffocate each other if it is real crowded). Unless you are getting quite a large number, it sounds like you have a good setup. You should have the lights on several hours before you put the chicks out there - even if in the meantime, they stay in their shipping boxes inside your house. But they generate a lot of body heat and as long as there are not drafts, should do great. And its gonna warm up soon - really it is (it has to!!!) Dennis and Cynthia

-- Cynthia Speer (farmsteader@gvtel.com), March 28, 2001.

Each brooder set up is different. You may have to add more lamps per pen or more wattage per bulb. Covering some of the wire top with boards, more than likely in the evenings. You will really just have to watch the chicks, they should be spread out fairly evenly in the pen, piled together and you will have to warm it up. Spring will come soon and so will their feathers, they grow like weeds. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 28, 2001.

We try to keep ours at 90-95 the first week and then lower the temp (raise the lamps) by about 5 degrees each week. It has been a terrible spring for starting birds. We are running 4 heat lamps and a heater just to keep our room warm enough. Hurry spring!

-- Trisha-MN (tank@linkup.net), March 28, 2001.

I raised chicks over the Christmas holidays. I thought it was too cold so I kept them in a dog crate in the kitchen for 3 weeks, with a brooder lite. I finally had to move them outside on Dec 26 because I was leaving town for 3 weeks. Right after I left the temp dipped down into the mid-20's. I was frantic- I know they can withstand freezing temps at 7 days old, but I thought the sudden contrast in temp might be too much for them. My sister made sure there was plenty of hay in the pen and the chicks did fine. Thrived, in fact. So, the cold should not be a problem, but, as stated above, make sure there are no drafts, keep them dry, and make sure they don't pile up under the lights. And, make sure they can get out from under the lights if it gets too hot.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), March 28, 2001.

Craig, Visit this site..This is the way Grand parents, Mom And Dad and yours truly, have used this "Hover" in the "Brooder House" for three generations. Will keep 250 peeps warm. Never lose any to cold or chill. The secret is top insulation and freedom of movement. However one must use a draft guard. I usally start off with a cardboard ring 10 feet in diameter. Good luck

http://www.plamondon.com/brooder.htm

And Vicki; I hear State of Texas has bill in the house to outlaw all backyard chicken and/or poultry producers.

-- JR (jr3star@earthlink.net), March 28, 2001.



JR, hadn't heard about that one, but then I am up to my eyeballs in H&M and BSE questions :) I will find out though, perhaps its phrazed more like the milk regs, wanting government control of the product, like the slaughter end or something. I do know that there will be a crack down on the animal by products from these plants, fish and feather meal. Anybody see the bill please forward it to me. Thanks, Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 28, 2001.

The chicks will crowd under the light if they are too cold, so use that as your guide... Perhaps if you could use bales of straw around the outside of the pen that would help contain the heat... Don't want to go too low with the lights though!

And... Vicki - Sorry... I'll behave!!!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 29, 2001.


85 degrees is probably not warm enough.It might get warmer when you put the chicks in, but you need to have it 95 degrees under the lights.There's always some chicks that get colder then the others who'll need that 95 degrees.Put some boards on top and leave some spaces on top for ventilation.Make sure that some of the cage has tempertures that are 75 degrees so the chicks that are to warm from the light can move to a spot that is comfortable for them.

-- Steve (a12goat@cs.com), March 30, 2001.

Craig, The temperature is too low for baby chicks, do you have a better place to put them for awhile? 50 degrees is too low and guessing, it sounds like you have drafts in your calf pens. I do not know how many chicks you are getting but they need to be in a draft free area and the temp close to 95 to 100 degrees under the heat lamps and a little less away from the lamps. You will lose the chicks if you don't find away to increase the temperature. Good luck. Oh an electric heater is not a good idea with chicks, try more heat lamps and pluggingall the drafts first.

-- Karen (kansasgoats@iwon.com), March 30, 2001.

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