If chicks seem happy, does it matter if the temp isn't "what it's supposed to be"?

[lothalvalleyfarm]

My brooders are in my tack room, which is sitting at an ambient temperature of 74F this morning, it was 88F when I went to bed. I've got 2 heat lamps helping keep the room warmer and I have them lifted high because it was so hot last night/yesterday. I know chicks are supposed to start out with 100 degrees Fahrenheit for their brooders in at least a portion of it and I've been using a laser thermometer to check the temps at their ground level periodically and adjusting lamps higher or lower accordingly.

Currently most of the brooders are in the 80s.... but the chicks seem really happy. They were spread out all over sleeping when I came in, they're chatting happily and running around doing chick stuff. Should I base the temps on their behavior rather than convention, or should I lower the lamps and crank the temps? I know they can get pasty butt if too cold.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

As long as they're acting happy and not panting or clustered and crying, they're good. Some individuals are just more sensitive to temperature, like people.

 

[Red Mangrove]

I raised my first 20 chicks in an unheated Walmart bin in my living room

They're tougher than people give them credit for. Mine did great and now they've tripled their population free-ranging outside

 

[rosemarythyme]

I know chicks are supposed to start out with 100 degrees Fahrenheit for their brooders in at least a portion of it

I know they can get pasty butt if too cold.

Best to go by chick behavior rather than a number on a thermometer.

That said, pasty butt is more likely if they get too warm. 100F is about 10 degrees hotter at the start than what I'd recommend, but it sounds like the chicks are doing great as is, so no reason to make any adjustments at this time.

 

[lothalvalleyfarm]

Best to go by chick behavior rather than a number on a thermometer.

That said, pasty butt is more likely if they get too warm. 100F is about 10 degrees hotter at the start than what I'd recommend, but it sounds like the chicks are doing great as is, so no reason to make any adjustments at this time.

Thank you!

 

[MROO]

...
Currently most of the brooders are in the 80s.... but the chicks seem really happy. They were spread out all over sleeping when I came in, they're chatting happily and running around doing chick stuff.

I know this is an older post and these babies are likely all outside, all grown up, but ...
I came across this post rather randomly and it made me smile. The image created by the little blurb above made my stress level (very high at that moment) just dropped so quickly I could actually feel the peace settling in. Thank you!

 

[lothalvalleyfarm]

I know this is an older post and these babies are likely all outside, all grown up, but ...
I came across this post rather randomly and it made me smile. The image created by the little blurb above made my stress level (very high at that moment) just dropped so quickly I could actually feel the peace settling in. Thank you!

They're about 6 weeks old now. Off the heat lamp but still inside. Nightime temps here are in the high 40s to mid 50s. They're a busy bunch of chaos goblins romping around their grow out pen, knocking over their water daily.

My 2 RIR cockerels I ordered are obviously that, compared to the pullets. Biiig red combs and they're larger in size too. They love sitting on the logs I have in their pens. And the feathered booties on my dominant coppers are so absurd, I love it!

Hopefully we get at least 1 coop and run done in the next 2 or so weeks so they can move out of my tack room! We just wrapped one yesterday in tyvek and roof underlayment after putting up the sheathing. Next is siding cutting, painting, hanging, adding roof and windows and doors. The second coop the frame is cut and waiting to be assembled on the floor base.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Good for you!! Chick behavior is precisely why I don't even consider raising them in temp's greater than 85. That *100 recommendation is quite excessive. I have never seen a chick act cold in my brooder temps where even at 1 day the ambient is around *70, MHP *85. Then it's consistently turned down from there. I've never had pasty butt because I don't do excessive heat and they're not stressed.

 

[MIchickenlady]

Good for you!! Chick behavior is precisely why I don't even consider raising them in temp's greater than 85. That *100 recommendation is quite excessive. I have never seen a chick act cold in my brooder temps where even at 1 day the ambient is around *70, MHP *85. Then it's consistently turned down from there. I've never had pasty butt because I don't do excessive heat and they're not stressed.

I just got my chick order yesterday-its 95 & humid here today outside. Brooder is in the house with a Mama heating pad cave set at 100 because the hatchery I got them from said 100 was the temp to start them at...but previous experience is they come and go from the heat and I lower it 1-2 settings within a cpuple days. I agree 100 seems high, but then hens are little furnaces

 

[MROO]

They're about 6 weeks old now. Off the heat lamp but still inside. Nightime temps here are in the high 40s to mid 50s. They're a busy bunch of chaos goblins romping around their grow out pen, knocking over their water daily.

My 2 RIR cockerels I ordered are obviously that, compared to the pullets. Biiig red combs and they're larger in size too. They love sitting on the logs I have in their pens. And the feathered booties on my dominant coppers are so absurd, I love it!

Hopefully we get at least 1 coop and run done in the next 2 or so weeks so they can move out of my tack room! We just wrapped one yesterday in tyvek and roof underlayment after putting up the sheathing. Next is siding cutting, painting, hanging, adding roof and windows and doors. The second coop the frame is cut and waiting to be assembled on the floor base.

You're gonna be one BIZZY chicken-tender, THAT's for sure! I have seven expected and hoped-for babies and nine... NINE .. surprise muttlets. And I just discovered my BJG and two of her smaller cronies sharing a secret nest of I-don't-know-HOW-many-eggs in a hidden corner of the coop and run set-up. There's not enough room in that little corner for 15 pounds of chicken and a shared nest ... but somehow they've managed it. I really should toss the eggs, but they've been on them long enough to have obvious life inside and I just can't do it. Is there anyone near Maryland who needs chickens? I'm gonna need a bigger coop!