New to chickens.....

[ag12161988]

This is our first group. We have 6 babies on a 30 gallon type tub. I have been doing a lot of reeding. I live in California in the high desert where the average temp is about a hundred during the day. When I got my chicks I was listening to what the feed store said and they said that I needed a 250 watt heat lamp for them. They are being kept in the garage. I just feel like this is going to be wayyy to hot. I don't want to wake up to baked chickies. Can anyone give any advice....

 

[Texas4T]

HI! And welcome to BYC!

I live in North Texas, where my thermometer is reading 100 when there is no cloud cover. My garage, where I keep my brooders, runs about 90 and HUMID from the chick water. I don't use heat lamps when it gets that hot. I found a great thermometer that records temps over 12 hours (high/low) and has readout of current temp (digital/WalMart). I use those red "party" light bulbs that are just regular colored light bulbs to keep the temps from fluctuating at night (red because it keeps the chicks from picking each other). I keep the light low at one end of the brooder and have a cooler area for the chicks to get to so they don't over-heat (which kills). I keep the warm area at first around 90, then later lower as they mature. There's a chart I'm sure on when to lower heat at what ages. Keep an eye on their behavior. If they are laying around panting, it is TOO HOT! If they are huddling together in a corner, too cold. If they are happily sleeping, pecking food, and wandering around, then perfect. Be sure to listen to persistent peeping...that is often the first sign of something wrong! Now, if your area gets very cold at night, you may need to use more heat and turn it on and off as needed, so watch your temperature (and listen for peeping!).

I hope this helps you out! And again, WELCOME.

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

Day old peeps should be kept at 95, subtracting five degrees for every week of age. 100 is five degrees too much even for just hatched chicks, so I'd say DO NOT USE A HEAT LAMP! It is about 90 here and I don't have a lamp on my two week olds. I've always heard, and found it to be true, chicks are better off slightly chilly than toasted.
But what I really do is watch the chicks. If they're huddling, by all means, turn on their lamp. If they're scattered, leave it off. You'll learn their preference quick enough. With really young ones in the heat, I usually turn it off during the day but leave it on at night...so long as they have room to move away from it.
Good luck with your peeps and

!

 

[Sutremaine]

Consider an electric hen. They don't get fire-hazard hot and they don't waste energy by heating the air and the floor.

You can use a premade unit, or make your own by using a heating mat and something to hold it over the chicks.