Heating for chicks

[Meech]

thanks in advance for any tips and help! 1st timer here and I think I’m overthinking things but want to be sure.

I am using a heating plate but was concerned it wasn’t enough so the first night I put them inside with the heater set to 70 but it was too hot for us to sleep. I then moved them to the garage and put a red light lamp on but I feel like they didn’t sleep at night or just went to bed super late as last I checked they were up still around 11. So now I have a ceramic heat lamp with the heat plate in there and they seem to be wanting to just sleep outside of the heating plate 1 will go under it but that’s about it. The temp in the brooder is 85

should I be concerned? Go back to the red light? I also don’t want to move things around much more as I feel like I am stressing them out. They are chirping loud or anything but when I move things around I feel like it does.

Age: 4 days old
Received: 2 days ago (shipped/hatchery)
Location: office/converted garage - doesn’t get that much colder than inside but a little

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

They need to have a cool area and a warm area.

I personally use heating plates mine have always done good under them. And they dont stay under it all day.


Do you have a picture of your brooder set up?

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Sounds good to me! I would get a normal heat bulb, because certain colors of light can have a negative impact on sleep, but you sound like you have everything handled.

 

[Silkiebegins]

For my chicks I just used one heating lamp and they all came out strong and healthy.

 

[Evadig]

I used a reptile heat lamp this time and it's worked wonderfully. It doesn't get half as hot as a regular heat lamp. But I only have four chicks so it might not work for everyone. I have had birds that really want the red light and will cry if they don't get it - my first set of chicks was like that.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you're going to use a heat plate, ambient temperature only needs to be high enough for the plate to operate according to instructions.

If you're going to use any sort of heat bulb, remove the plate. If you use any bulb that emits light they do not really sleep at night and will remain active, so food and water need to be available (otherwise they only need it during daylight hours).

Chicks need warm and cool zones. Mine are outside right now at around 50F with a heating pad as their heat source, so the difference between the zones can be quite noticeable, and they'll adjust to it. Overall they don't need the 2nd source of heat that you've been adding.

 

[Meech]

If you're going to use a heat plate, ambient temperature only needs to be high enough for the plate to operate according to instructions.

If you're going to use any sort of heat bulb, remove the plate. If you use any bulb that emits light they do not really sleep at night and will remain active, so food and water need to be available (otherwise they only need it during daylight hours).

Chicks need warm and cool zones. Mine are outside right now at around 50F with a heating pad as their heat source, so the difference between the zones can be quite noticeable, and they'll adjust to it. Overall they don't need the 2nd source of heat that you've been adding.

If you're going to use a heat plate, ambient temperature only needs to be high enough for the plate to operate according to instructions.

If you're going to use any sort of heat bulb, remove the plate. If you use any bulb that emits light they do not really sleep at night and will remain active, so food and water need to be available (otherwise they only need it during daylight hours).

Chicks need warm and cool zones. Mine are outside right now at around 50F with a heating pad as their heat source, so the difference between the zones can be quite noticeable, and they'll adjust to it. Overall they don't need the 2nd source of heat that you've been adding.

If you're going to use a heat plate, ambient temperature only needs to be high enough for the plate to operate according to instructions.

If you're going to use any sort of heat bulb, remove the plate. If you use any bulb that emits light they do not really sleep at night and will remain active, so food and water need to be available (otherwise they only need it during daylight hours).

Chicks need warm and cool zones. Mine are outside right now at around 50F with a heating pad as their heat source, so the difference between the zones can be quite noticeable, and they'll adjust to it. Overall they don't need the 2nd source of heat that you've been adding.

If you're going to use a heat plate, ambient temperature only needs to be high enough for the plate to operate according to instructions.

If you're going to use any sort of heat bulb, remove the plate. If you use any bulb that emits light they do not really sleep at night and will remain active, so food and water need to be available (otherwise they only need it during daylight hours).

Chicks need warm and cool zones. Mine are outside right now at around 50F with a heating pad as their heat source, so the difference between the zones can be quite noticeable, and they'll adjust to it. Overall they don't need the 2nd source of heat that you've been adding.

Awesome thanks! That makes me feel better. It’s probably low 60 or high 50 inside the house during the nights lately.

Yes I left water and food out when I tested the red light out. But would rather not use that.

 

[Meech]

I used a reptile heat lamp this time and it's worked wonderfully. It doesn't get half as hot as a regular heat lamp. But I only have four chicks so it might not work for everyone. I have had birds that really want the red light and will cry if they don't get it - my first set of chicks was like that.

That’s what I have on right now as well. Thanks for the response!

 

[Meech]

Right under the heat lamp it's about 80 F, and so the ambient temperature is around 70 F. I know it can't be less because the house thermostat is set to 70, and it can't be more otherwise the chicks wouldn't want to sleep under the heat lamp. When they were your chicks' age I kept the room temperature at 80 and moved it down over two weeks to where they are now.

That’s helpful. Thanks

 

[Meech]

They need to have a cool area and a warm area.

I personally use heating plates mine have always done good under them. And they dont stay under it all day.


Do you have a picture of your brooder set up?

Thanks for the quick response. Here is a photo although they are active now. But they were sleeping right under the lamp where I marked the two spots in purple. Some will duck and run through the heating plate but that’s it. I have it at a slight angle as well. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Would you recommend a cool area temp? I have a thermometer in there and it is reading 85/86F under the lamp then 80 where the food is. Assuming the temp will drop tonight as well. I’m in southern ca but have a storm coming through so the temps outside are like low 50s