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marlingardener

Power outage and chicks

marlingardener
16 years ago

We just experienced a four hour power outage. We don't have our chicks yet(they arrive in ten days)but I am a worrywort and hoped someone could help me prepare for the possibility we will have another lengthy power outage while our chicks are under light to keep them warm. Other than putting them inside my jacket, what could I do to maintain a comfortable heat for chicks in a brooder if we don't have electricity? I'll do what it takes, I just don't know what it takes!

Comments (8)

  • runningtrails
    16 years ago

    Well, this may be a bit extreme, but if losing power in the winter is a common problem, prehaps you could install a wood stove?

    We love our's! I'm even considering installing another one in the shop/barn for winter heat.

  • marlingardener
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    We have a woodstove in the living room, but we also have a cat! Perhaps one of those small, self-contained wood stoves would be an option for the barn where the coop is. Thanks for the idea, we'll look into it.

  • velvet_sparrow
    16 years ago

    I think it was Sheila that managed quite well during a power outage using two empty gallon milk jugs. She washed them out and filled them with hot water, wrapping a thin towel around the base of each to prevent burns and help retain the heat. She also draped a towel over the jugs like a tent, placing a jug at each end, to further hold in heat. She said it worked great and held heat enough over night to do quite well. I haven't used her technique myself but hopefully she'll pop in. :)

    Failing that, a couple of hot water bottles filled up and wrapped in a towel, placed so the chicks could lay on them would probably work, just check the bottles and make sure they stay hot, and don't scald the chicks, their skin is very thin and delicate. :)

    Velvet ~:>

  • posy_pet
    16 years ago

    We were amazed at how much heat candles put out last spring in our Missouri ice storm.Could you put a candle in something so the chicks wouldn't get burned and so it wouldn't start a fire?Maybe a large cylinder of hardware cloth with a lid?We kept our pump house from freezing with a couple of large candles.It is big-maybe 6 by 6 feet.Hope you don't lose power.Posy_Pet

  • marlingardener
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thank you, Velvet and Posey Pet. If, God forbid, we have an outage and it is chilly, I'll try the hot water jugs and/or hot water bottles, well swathed. Good idea!

  • mersiepoo
    16 years ago

    Heh, that happened to me 2 years ago. I had some guinea eggs in a still air incubator (about 30 eggs). Of COURSE the power had to go out, lucky I was home when it happened. I uh...put the eggs in my clothing and tried to keep them as warm as possible. I had about 8 in my bra and others in my underwear!

    And a lot of them did survive, but I did lose about 5 eggs.

  • marlingardener
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Gee, Mersiepoo, I think I'll stick with the hot water bottles . . . . However, if you have photos of your "incubating" we would love to have them posted!

  • kristenmarie
    16 years ago

    A wood stove and if you have cats you can always cover the top with some kind of mesh- an old screen, a piece of chicken wire you cut to size.