MOVE to the barn. Advice Please.

[Manda at old mill]

I currently have a mixture of baby ducklings and chicks who are now 3 weeks old. Chicks are more feathered than the ducks. I live in Oley, PA (between reading and Philadelphia areas). They are currently housed in my guest house bathroom. Heatlamp was removed one week ago in exchange for a brooder for safety due to flying crazy babies. The house temp was started at 75 and has been lowered gradually to 68. The house is like 500 square feet so with the heatlamp and/or brooder the bathroom actually is much warmer. I sweat in there. There are 16 chicks and 14 ducks. Breeds for chicks are : jersey giants, brahmas, americanas, prairie blue bell eggers and sapphire gems. The ducks I believe (it was a mixed batch) are pekins, rouens, black runners, chocolate runners and fawn/white indian runners. Obviously id like to move these babies to the barn due to space and cleanliness issues.
My thought is to move them to a horse stall that is not in use which has rubber floor mats, a window closed with storm window, wood doors to the outside and shavings in it (the main chicken coop is also and oversized stall) without the use of a heat lamp. This stall was used for my last batch to allow for slow integration but the chicks were probably more like 5 weeks and it was june. I was going to put the existing brooder, along with the heated perch( as the adults don't currently need it) and a heated cat bed (a flat plastic heating portion that the sheepskin can be removed) in the stall. I was not going to let them outside but keep them in the barn for the next five weeks or so (they are too small for the adults or the bald eagles in my neighborhood and its too cold outside). Do you think this would be sufficient for them to move to and not get too cold given the size of the batch (30) and the 3 heating devices? I would be keeping the barn closed up with the exception of the one upper dutch door I leave open for air flow for both the adults and other animals which would be close to the adults than the babies. There are not a lot of large bodies in the barn to heat it up but this stall is on the south facing/opening side of the barn.

Thoughts, opinions and advice are needed. Thank you and my apologies for the long post.

 

[cavemanrich]

I think that if you do have the Heat Lamp there, the little ones will go there for a warm up as needed. It is warming up weather-wise each day. I think that your chicks may be feathered out at 6 weeks. I don't know about ducks, since I never had any. Place your heat-source in the stall and see how comfortable it feels. Then place the cuties, and see how they act...
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and

 

[Manda at old mill]

thank you! yeah im a little torn since the heat lamp will not ever be used in this barn. it is old and hayloft is upstairs. so I guess I was concerned if the brooder, heated perch and heated bed for them to sit on would be enough. I guess I could try it on a chillier day to get an idea of what problems there may be in the evening. Or I could just let them have the whole guest house. Keeps any in laws and parents from moving in and may also result in the hubby moving out

 

[cavemanrich]

Keeps any in laws and parents from moving in and may also result in the hubby moving out

and you think that would be a BAD THING???

 

[cavemanrich]

Have you read/heard of an item called a Mama Heating Pad. I can search out articles about it. It is made from a Heating pad, and into a cave like contraption. Since you have many littles. you might need a larger heating blanket, like for a Twin bed size. I know you have fire safety concerns in your barn. I think a People sleeping blanket should be on the SAFE category.

 

[Manda at old mill]

Have you read/heard of an item called a Mama Heating Pad. I can search out articles about it. It is made from a Heating pad, and into a cave like contraption. Since you have many littles. you might need a larger heating blanket, like for a Twin bed size. I know you have fire safety concerns in your barn. I think a People sleeping blanket should be on the SAFE category.

oohh this just brought another idea to my head. when I adopted the new barn kitten, they brought me two igloos since I had an existing older cat whom I've since had to put to sleep (I know it was coming so I brought the new one in first to quickly learn the ropes) I could put the heating bed (the flat plastic one in the igloo to create a larger brooder/warming area as well.
I have not heard of the mama heating pad but what I have is the k & h outdoor heated cat bed.

It's made of rugged ABS plastic is met rated and Recommended for indoor and outdoor use. it is 12 or 13 x 18 or 19 so that was what I was going to add into the igloo along with the heated perch in the stall and the brooder style heater with the overhead heat.​

 

[Manda at old mill]

and you think that would be a BAD THING???

one would think but being a very independent person and a divorce lawyer meh...

 

[Mrs. K]

Really, I would not worry too much about the heat. I would worry more about them not getting fresh air and sunshine. By three weeks, they are pretty tough, and as long as they can get out of the wind, and are dry, they should be warm unless you are having day time temperatures below 30 degrees.

If your chicks start peeping madly, a high pitched continuous peep, not just the general constant peeping, that is a sign that they are too cold. Chicks do not have to be kept at a constant warm temperature, but rather do better with a cool place and a warm place.

Mrs K

 

[chickens really]

I'd also set it up and put them out there for a day to see how they do? You won't know till you try..

 

[mandelyn]

I've been moving my babies out at 2-3 weeks old all winter. Granted it's a small 10x13 shed that's insulated, so the heat lamps warm the whole room. I was moving them out to the barn at 5-6 weeks, with a bulb into a stall. At 8 weeks their warm bulbs were replaced with LED. For bulb safety I don't use anything higher than the 125w and I secure it twice instead of just one spot. I tape the cord to the hanger and I also ziptie the hanger onto a hook.

They've been champs over this winter, hardier than I gave them credit for so long as they have a spot to warm up. After 2 weeks old they start making their own body heat, then they just need to grow the feathers to hold it in.