Brooding in an old barn

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Mon May 09, 2016 12:02 pm

I have my second coop almost finished, this will be my cockerel/rooster coop later but for now I'm going to use it to house the chicks. It's in an old barn that is quite cool right now it's keeping at around 10oC. I have heat lamps, but I wondered if putting the chicks out there with just heat lamps in the coop (around 15 x 8') was asking for trouble. I was going to put a round guard up from hardware cloth to keep them in a smaller area, with solid walls to keep out the draft, but do I need to enclose the top? I've seen other brooders, the chicks seem to be enclosed in a large box of some kind. I'm thinking that when the chicks are 2 weeks old they should be ready for the barn. There are around 90 chicks. Any thoughts? Will the heat lamps be enough? The coop is as predator proof as I can make it.

Epona · Post by **Epona** » Mon May 09, 2016 12:45 pm

We finds drafts and damp take us down. We brood in a large barn. We pre warm the stall a day before to get damp out. Stall also has plastic on wire stall front. Keep the chicks in a smaller space with no roof. We have always believed that you need the air flow above to keep the chicks healthy. For the small enclosure we have used kid's wading pools and have graduated to using sheets of lattice wrapped with plastic (laid on their sides), joined with zip ties. Chicks are let out into the full stall area by 3 weeks.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Mon May 09, 2016 12:53 pm

Thanks Epona. I like the wading pool idea, I have heard of that one before- I did try to find one but all I could find was the kind with the inflatable top ring.
And I think I have some of those lattice sheets- good idea too! I think i will put a tarp down as well to keep the damp from rising from the floor.

ross · Post by **ross** » Mon May 09, 2016 12:57 pm

Couple a heat lamps adjusted for height as birds tell you .I used to use cardboard roll of chick guard for any draft prevention as day olds & if bunched up lower lamps , if spread out u can lift abit . It's all bout watching your birds reaction . If room you can have one lamp up higher than other & let chicks choose . Make sure feeders & waterers never empty they both help chicks adjust body heat . Luck

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Mon May 09, 2016 1:01 pm

My "cold weather" brooder is under steps, and a window in the hayloft, so cold air just drops down.
Fo that reason it has a top with a round hole in it to accommodate the heat lamp. The sides keep draft out, but the Front has wire only, on a super cold nights I put pice of cardboard on the wire, but not fitted very tightly.
They go there at 1 week to 10 days and I haven't seen any signs of discomfort.
The heat lamp I use has High/Low switch so as they get older the heat lamp can be adjusted to ambient temperature.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Mon May 09, 2016 5:26 pm

Thanks Epona, Ross and OC. Sounds like with the proper prep work two week old chicks should be able to tough it out in the barn. I will put three heat lamps up, that works out to 30 chicks per lamp. One bulb is 250 watts, the other 2 are 175.
OC so the hole doesn't create a chimney effect and make a wicked draft? Drafts and damp are my biggest concern in that barn.

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Mon May 09, 2016 5:35 pm

The bell shaped shade of the lamp sits on top of the "Roof" (sheet metal insert) ) with only the bulb & cage protruding below.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Mon May 09, 2016 5:42 pm

Thanks OC that makes sense.