Newbie

[EileenC]

Hi I'm Eileen. I'm currently raising two chicks in a rabbit cage in the basement with a heat lamp, pine shavings, waterer and feeder. Should I have something else for them to stay warm? One is 18 days old and the other is 10 days. I tried to post a picture but didn't work.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, Eileen, and

! Great to have you here! Are your birds inside? Not sure of temps where you are but if its cold at night they should probably be inside (basement, garage) and your chicks will be fine with just the heat lamp. Spend some time reading articles pertaining to chick raising in the Learning Center here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center
You will learn about the proper application of heat for your chicks. Best wishes and thanks for joining BYC!!

 

[drumstick diva]

where will you put them when they outgrow the rabbit cage?

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Heat lamps are not the safest of heat sources (and they are expensive to run) as they can pose a fire risk. There are alternatives that are safe and cheaper to run. These include Mamma Heating Pad (just type that in the search box) and brooder plates (such as those made by companies including Brinsea). Not sure on the dimensions of your rabbit hutch, but a heat lamp may be throwing out too much heat to the whole hutch. The idea is to have one part of the brooder warm, and the rest unheated so chicks can run to the heat source and warm up, and then run around, doing what chicks do. The two options that I mention do not heat anywhere but the area directly underneath them and achieve this more effectively.

Best wishes
CT

 

[BlueBaby]

Hello, and welcome to BYC!

 

[Erzsebeth]

If you have a red heating lamp about 18 inches above to keep them warm they will be ok. If they don't have a mom you use your finger to make eating movements in their food dish and call them to it.
Dip their face in it to show them it's there same with watering dish. Chick feeders and watering dishes are best as they keep the growing chicks from "scratching/digging their food out of the dish.

 

[Erzsebeth]

Hi I'm Eileen. I'm currently raising two chicks in a rabbit cage in the basement with a heat lamp, pine shavings, waterer and feeder. Should I have something else for them to stay warm? One is 18 days old and the other is 10 days. I tried to post a picture but didn't work.

 

[Blueeheeler]

Hello and welcome I just started with my chicken s in April of this year. I have 6 and they started laying eggs about 5 weeks ago. Good luck with your pullets and start thinking about making them a coop and a run outside, they will need to go out side in about 4-5 weeks if you can keep them in longer depending on winter where you are.

 

[N F C]

Hi Eileen, it's nice to have you here! Good luck with your little chicks and get that run & coop ready soon...they grow faster than you can imagine!

 

[EileenC]

They are in the basement right now but my husband wants to move them upstairs because it's cold downstairs. Right now we have a heat lamp for them but I did put a cover over their cage last night because it was pretty cold down there. Once they out grow the rabbit cage, my husband is going to build a bigger cage for them. Since they are not very old, they still have time grow out of this one.