I have a Happy Hen brand brooder which is about 3 1/2 feet in diameter. A 250 watt red bulb is located in it, set at the lowest height setting . There are eight chicks in it that I obtained on Friday of this week. As such, they are about six or seven days old. When I received them they were very active
and still are since Friday. They roam all over the brooder, neither staying under the heat nor away from it. They occasionally will be found sleeping in various locations of the brooder, sometimes one or two together, sometimes separate, and other times no real pattern to their sleep or everyday activity. They aggressively eat and drink, are not sluggish, and do get frightened if you initially approach them, but soon calm down.
The brooder is in a small room, set aside out of traffic, but I cannot get it above 80 degrees. I change the water, if the chicks step into it or soil it. Just this morning, I placed a 3 inch base under the chick waterer to keep them out of the water. The waterer is now at shoulder height.
I guess what I am concerned about, is the temperature. They seem to me to be very active, yet I wonder if this is acceptable as this is my first experience with raising chicks. I am hesitant about putting an electric heater in the room to raise the room's temperature. Any and all ideas will be most appreciative. Thanks for your help.
and still are since Friday. They roam all over the brooder, neither staying under the heat nor away from it. They occasionally will be found sleeping in various locations of the brooder, sometimes one or two together, sometimes separate, and other times no real pattern to their sleep or everyday activity. They aggressively eat and drink, are not sluggish, and do get frightened if you initially approach them, but soon calm down.
The brooder is in a small room, set aside out of traffic, but I cannot get it above 80 degrees. I change the water, if the chicks step into it or soil it. Just this morning, I placed a 3 inch base under the chick waterer to keep them out of the water. The waterer is now at shoulder height.
I guess what I am concerned about, is the temperature. They seem to me to be very active, yet I wonder if this is acceptable as this is my first experience with raising chicks. I am hesitant about putting an electric heater in the room to raise the room's temperature. Any and all ideas will be most appreciative. Thanks for your help.