Well, 18 baby chicks (Rhode Island Reds) arrived two days ago. 18 pullets, 1 cockeral & cute as can be. Their brooder is a large box, heated with a lamp ... until the power went out. The temperature dropped, they started huddling & I started worrying about keeping them warm. Bringing them in the house wouldn't help as the house uses electric heat too. I tried a chemical hand warmer, but it was too small to really help (one chick liked it). I finally figured out to boil water on the gas stove & put the hot water in bottles in the brooder. The radiant water heat kept the brooder around 75 degrees, with several chicks snuggling against the bottles. The chicks didn't like the dark, but they were warm. Power returned hours later and all are well. I'm curious as to other heating methods used in emergencies? Any of tips for new chicks?
I raise 60 meat chicks every year, with a brooder lamp. I had a chick get out somehow and wander too far away from the heat. I thought for sure it was a goner as it was stiff and motionless but still alive. Tucked it right under the lamp and an hour later it was right as rain.
Your hot water bottle idea is a good one, I'd have just cranked up the generator.
As far as tips, I use an electrolyte in their water until they're feathered up, other than that just feed 'em, water 'em and keep 'em warm.
I had about thirty once, the power went out and then they got rained on (blowing sideways rain). Cold and wet, very bad, I brought them all in the house, put them in the warmest room and dried, warmed them briskly with a towel. All but one survived. Glad I didn't chalk them off as I first thought of doing.
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Their brooder is a large box, heated with a lamp ... until the power went out. The temperature dropped, they started huddling & I started worrying about keeping them warm. 
Bringing them in the house wouldn't help as the house uses electric heat too. I tried a chemical hand warmer, but it was too small to really help (one chick liked it). I finally figured out to boil water on the gas stove & put the hot water in bottles in the brooder. The radiant water heat kept the brooder around 75 degrees, with several chicks snuggling against the bottles. The chicks didn't like the dark, but they were warm. Power returned hours later and all are well. 
I'm curious as to other heating methods used in emergencies? Any of tips for new chicks?
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That's thinking on the fly.