Staying Warm

Backyard Poultry

Cold Nights

Alas, however, the light itself was not enough to keep the little chicks warm. As I should have predicted, nighttime temperatures plummeted to unseasonably cold readings immediately after the chicks arrived in their new house. But I had a few other tricks up my sleeve. First, I used cardboard to section off the house, creating a smaller area for the chicks to huddle in. These pieces, by the way, came from the old cardboard boxes where the chicks lived on the porch (check it out here). Then, I covered the top of the box opening with insulation and screen. The insulation obviously held in the heat and kept the cold out. The screen also served a purpose, keeping the chicks from flying out and getting stranded from food, water, and warmth on the other side of the cardboard. All in all, it created a cozy little living space.