Raising baby chicks NOW in a cold climate. Need ideas

I've been raising chickens for 30 years.
Never thought I'd see the day when I would hatch out chicks in November in our cold, northern climate...but when I got the chance to get some Marans hatching eggs from Bev Davis I couldn't refuse.
So now the reality of raising baby chicks during the dead of winter has got me wondering...what was I thinking?!?

They're already making the laundryroom pretty stinky and will soon outgrow their Rubbermaid tub brooder and need to be moved outside.
I have a small garden potting shed that I can move them to which I plan to insulate with styrofoam sheets but
will heat lamps provide enough heat when it gets below zero or will I need to use some kind of outdoors space heater?
On sunny days I plan to let them out when they are bigger but what kind of winter temps can they tolerate?

Does anybody know how much heat they will need after they feather out?
Will the lack of sunshine adversely effect their developement?
Any tips or advise appreciated.

Hi Cottage Rose,

Well, I'm no expert, but here's what I'm doing.

1. I have a Brinsea "Cozy-Chick" brooder lamp. I use that for weeks 1-3.

2. I have a rabbit hutch/cage that is about 4 feet long and 2 feet wide. I use that for weeks 3-6 or 7, depending on bantam/standard size. The rabbit hutch is in the basement. I change out the shavings every week. I wrapped polar fleece around it to keep them from tossing too much shavings mess onto the carpet, and it also keeps it warm. I have a brooder lamp hanging above it by about 6-8 inches.

3. I move them at 6 to 7 weeks to a larger plywood brooder box in the Wick building which is unheated. It has a 75 watt bulb all the time. It is fine for winter and they are comfortable.

4. At about 10 to 12 weeks, they go outside into the main coop, which has a 250 watt red lamp all night, and a heated water pan all day. It is a large "dog bowl" type of waterer - silver color - plugs in to an outlet. Just keeps it from freezing. They spent a day or 2 in the coop getting adjusted and then venture outside on their own with the adult hens. I ensure they are pretty well feathered before transfer to the main coop. They're on their own after that, and so far, so good!

One point - the nankins and the other smaller bantams that I am raising right now may be held back in the larger plywood brooder for a bit. I am worried about their cold sensitivity. We are in the midst of putting up a new shed for bantams with straw bale insulation. When it is complete, I will determine if they can go in there.

Claire

I have 14 chicks that are about 10 weeks old. I have them in an enclosed area in the barn with a 75 watt bulb for heat(had a 250 but my electric bill about choked me this past month!) I've started opening the door so they can go out if they wish and are getting sunlight. This is my first time raising chicks this time of year but so far so good.

I am new, and don't have to deal with harsh winters... but I did get a dimmer switch (plug in type) for my heat lamp. That way I can reduce the temp as they get older.. OR when they are too warm and not using it... and not have a fit when the electric bill comes. :)

My mom has a warming mat she got at a pet store for an older cat to sleep on. It doesn't get hot, just eliminates cold from underneath...which I believe is where the biggest danger is --freezing their little chicken butts...at least until they are fully fledged. It was about 12" X 18"

Okay this is what i do. I keep them in the brooder in the house for weeks 1 - 3. then move them to the outdoor coop and have a 100 watt heat lamp on one end of the pen. I keep deep litter in there so they can nestle down in it at night. i then reduce the heat each week until it is the sameas outdoor highs (40 - 50 here). I then put them in a box with the heat being the same as outdoor highs and put a small opening in the box that they can get out of. once i see them venturing out of the box for most of the day, and them being fully feathered, i take away the box and they get along great. I also keep a heat lamp on in the coop but it is just what i keep out there for the hens.

hope that helps.

Sheila

grownuts, that is a good idea. Is it like a people heating pad? I have a heat pad with adhesive that goes on the bottom of my frog tank to create warmth and humidity. I will look for this other kind.
I did not realize that the 250 watt floods used that much electricity! I have 2 going 24/7. Should I have my DH sit before opening the electric bill? I'm scared now. :O

Careful Sheila I got a good talking too when i said i used a 100 watt bulb with my chicks.

Yes, but much weaker. It more removes cold rather than generates heat, if that makes sense...

It does (make sense) thank you! ;)

Cottage Rose: Congratulations on your chicks. The Marans I have do well with the cold weather. CMoxon uses a procedure much like my own and I think she gave excellent advice when sharing her process. Haystack.

Thank you all for your advise!

Claire...
How cold does it get by you?
I'm surprised a 75 watt bulb provides enough heat in the winter.

This message was edited Nov 25, 2008 6:19 PM

Cottage Rose - the 75 watt bulb is inside a wooden brooder box inside our unheated Wick building. It's not in the main coop. The brooder box is about 4 feet square and about 2 feet tall. They do fine in there. No wind - just the cold temp in the barn and the 75 watt bulb is enough for inside the box. It has ventilation vents on the top but they don't let in that much cold air that it becomes a problem.

The 250 watt bulb is in the main coop, and for this year I ordered a flat panel heater from "shopthecoop.com" and am waiting for it to arrive in December (they were backordered). I'm getting that in part because I have some Thai rescue birds from a cockfighting bust that are more susceptible to cold. (they were never fought, they are young ones that were fostered by Chicken Run Rescue in Minneapolis).

I am a zone 5a. Probably pretty similar temps to you.

cmdxon, thoes young rescue birds,will cause you trouble. as i was growing up my dad did the same thing, we had a big farm he thought he would have no trouble, when they got about a year old he had to get rid of them there was trouble every where

Claire - how big is your main coop? We are looking at that flat panel heater as well, trying to see what size we need.

Thanks,
T

Our main coop is 10 by 10 with one wall half nest boxes and on top of those we put straw bales because some of the girls like to roost on the straw bales instead of the proper branch roosts that we have. It does close completely at night and when there is no wind it is not too bad in there, but I just got one panel heater for it and I hope that will be enough.

Howard - I hope it turns out differently for us. So far they are really sweet and they have integrated fine with the other birds. They are about 5 months old now. The roosters have had no fights with our other roosters either. They were rescued as little peeps and in foster homes with lots of people contact so they are really well adjusted to people and they all come running after me when I am out there. They really like digging potatoes with me.

Claire thanks for the additional info. :)

Gamebirds are genetically programed to be aggressive even if not encouraged to be that way.
Chances are when old enough you will have your hands full.