Do I need a brooder?

[Kelly Walentiny]

Hi,

This may have been talked about someplace else on the forum, but I have not found it yet.  My question is this-

I am hatching chicks as we speak in our incubator.  This is not new.  We have hatched dozens of chicken, turkey and duck eggs over the years.  But it always seems to be in the spring, or cooler weather.  This is the first time (I just noticed) that we have ever hatched in the dead of summer.  It was at least 107 today, if not hotter out where we are in Surprise.  I have 38 eggs in the bator and 2 have hatched and the chicks are still in there.    I have a brooder avalable, but it is outside.  And it is 107 outside.  My little ol' heat lamp is not going be any hotter than our Az heat.  My question is- What do you do with day old chicks in AZ when it is 107.  Like I said, I have 35 eggs in the bator and would rather NOT keep them inside when they hatch.  We have a garage and two out buildings (sheds) all have VERY poor air circulation and it is hotter in all of them than outside.  I have two month old chicks outside right now, separate from the older girls.  But they are pretty feathered out.  Do I really need a brooder and a heat source for these new chicks?  What to do???? Thanks for your thoughts.........  Any ideas you have would be great :-)

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[Suze Scott]

You need to keep them where it is not 107 or 110 or anything much different than 95. I really think you need to keep them inside for a week or two. I just moved some in that ahe range to the back porch, where we have fans and misters. But a brand new baby? only if hatched under a mama hen.

[Debbie Fishell]

I agree with putting them outside, as long as you have a shady area for them. Personally, I don't use heat at night when it's this hot, but I do have a coop that I put them in at night so they are out of the elements. When they are that small, I put them in a small plastic bin with straw in the bottom and set them in the coop at night. They will huddle together and be plenty warm. I'd be more concerned about the heat during the day. If they start getting too hot,bring them back in.
Just keep an eye on them, like Bethany said.
They look cute in your pictures! :)

[Rachel]

95 is the temp they should be at, not just a minimum temperature. I would be extremely hesitant to put them outside in this weather. Brood them inside for the first couple of weeks at least. Not what you wanted to hear, I know. This is the exact reason I don't hatch birds from June-August.

[Bethany Lobocki]

You will still need to provide a heat source at night, since it gets below 95...but only for the first few weeks.

If it were me, I would try keeping them outside in a totally shaded location and just watch them carefully. If you can't keep a close eye on them, then you may have to keep them inside with a brooder light.