Outside with heat lamp at 50 degrees?

[Amyh]

I have several three day old chicks that are outside on my porch in a dog crate with a heat lamp. The porch has a roof and I've put a blanket over the dog crate to create some more warmth. On a 70 degree night, they are fine, but tonight and the next few nights are supposed to go down to 50 degrees.

I am so annoyed. I REALLY don't want them in the house, it's way too dirty and my husband will not allow it.

There are two other options that I don't really care for. One is putting them in the shed. However, this shed is where I keep my BOSS and something has been eating it, so I know there is at the very least a mouse in there, and I hate to risk the chicks getting killed by a predator. The last option is putting them in the big coop where I can run a wire without any problems, but I know my roo will be crowing all darn night long with a heat lamp in there. But at least the coop is predator proof...

What do yall think?

 

[Anianna]

Properly adjusting that lamp in a dog crate to get the temp right for the chicks would be really difficult. I would recommend against the shed if you know there is a critter that could hurt the chicks accessing it. If you must leave them outside, the coop is probably your best bet and everybody will just have to put up with the roo. Do you use a red bulb? A red bulb bothers the animals less and makes for a calmer environment that may not bother the roo as much.

Could you set the dog crate into a bath tub or put them in a tub lined with paper towels changed regularly? You can bleach the tub once they go out. Or you could use a cheapo plastic storage bin from Walmart (the big no-name ones go for around $4) and bring that inside. Chicks are very susceptible to cold, especially ones that are less than a week old.

 

[RaZ]

Garage maybe? That's where my chicks and ducklings are. Both brooders have a red heat lamp and the temperature is 60 degrees. Outside air temp is 46 degrees right now.

I've had them in the garage for 5 days now and they all are fine. I check them several times a day and let them out if it's not too windy or rainy or cold.

 

[Celtic Chick]

Three days old? How dirty do you think they are going to make it in a couple of days?
I agree with anianna. Get a plastic storage bin & put it in your bathtub for a few days until the weather gets better.

 

[Blesser]

Please do not put them anywhere that will pose a threat to the chicks. I would advise you to keep them in the house, perhaps in the bathroom inside a storage container lined with paper towels and a towel to keep them warm and of course a heat lamp.

 

[Judy]

People have raised chicks in barns, sheds, whatever, from day one, for generations. It is not necessary for them to be in the house. I will not brood in the house. That's what heat lamps are for; a 250W heat lamp is really too hot for most in-home setups, more heat than they need.

It would be a good idea to put a thermometer in your brooder (if you don't have one) and check a couple of times during the night, at least the first night. They still need warmth and freedom from drafts and protection from predators, all that -- but it does not have to be in your house.

 

[macadam8157]

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This has nothing to do with your post or this thread for that matter, I just had to tell you that the bunny picture is AWESOME!

 

[debid]

My chicks are on a covered patio outside. I'm not using a dog crate but I am using a wooden box with a wire lid. It's been as chilly as upper 40s and we've had severe storms where the wind has blown hard enough to break off limbs. I put up a couple of boards to deflect sideways rain for them and put blocks on the lid to keep it from blowing off... but they stayed outside and seemed perfectly happy (I can see them through the window). They have 24" of draft protection from their box and a 100W infrared heat lamp at 16" height for days that are going to be below 62F. Nobody is cold and they can and do wander into the unheated portion of the brooder to play and then back to the light as needed. I'm not heating the whole box, only the area under the light.

50 is not all that cold. If they act cold, lower the lamp or increase wattage. But really, as long as they have the heat lamp and adequate draft protection, there is no need to bring them in.

 

[Amyh]

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Thank you for the actual answer to my question.

 

[Anianna]

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Sure, back before we bred the broodiness out of chickens or using mostly enclosed brooders that kept the heat in for artificial chick raising. She said she's using a dog crate which isn't likely to keep the heat in well if the ambient temperature drops as low as she is indicating. Sure you don't put yours in the house, but you likely have something to brood yours in that is better than a dog crate. Moving them into the house is a temporary solution to an inadequate brooder situation.

Maybe they'll be just fine out there, but the one thing we know and have known for all of those generations is that chicks are susceptible to cold and that's what broody mommas and warm brooders are for. I hope whatever situation is worked out takes that into consideration.