I have 10 baby fluffy butts coming in the mail soon, and I want to make sure that everything is ready for them! We have a 32 gallon rubber maid tote and I'm wondering what type of light I should use? I've read about many different ones including a red brooder lamp, but what wattage do I need? 250 watts seems like so much for such a small area. We were planning on using just a plain old 75 watt incandescent bulb, but I don't want to blind them! Our set up will be in the garage. What should we do??
Please help! :)
- Thread starter Sumerr
- Start date
The main problem folks run into with the plastic totes is that they can overheat very quickly. As you have already surmised, a 250W bulb may be too much for that style of brooder. What will be the average ambient temps in that garage location? I wouldn't worry about "blinding" them, but you don't want to cook them. That can lead to a host of problems (dehydration, stress, pasty butt, etc.) No matter what you intend to do, make sure there is an opportunity for the chicks to move out and away from the heat if they need to. Then, I would watch them and they will let you know what they want (constant loud peeping/crowding under lamp = cold; panting/pressed up as far away from lamp as can get = hot).
Personally, ever since I switched to the panels (i.e. EcoGlow), I have never looked back, but I understand if you don't want to invest in that just yet.
Here are some tips. You're better off measuring the space in a brooder by width and length rather that in cubic measurements since it's floor space that is most crucial. The larger space the better, especially for ten chicks.
Since the chicks haven't arrived yet, you have time to consider alternatives to the old fashioned, fraught with problems from over heating to fire, brooder and heat lamp system. Check out the "Mama-heating pad for the brooder" thread on this forum. I think you'll quickly see the benefits of this system over the brooder/heat lamp setup.
I have two-week old chicks who have been in a grow-out pen in my run with the heating pad system from day one in temperatures down in the 30s and they're thriving on all the space, being able to have natural day/night light/dark sleep patterns, and never any worry on my part with overheating or fire from heat lamp accidents.
If you already have a coop and no adult chickens to have to deal with, you can set up the heating pad system in the coop, install the chicks as soon as you get them, and never have to mess with brooding chicks in your home, with all the attending dust, noise, and fuss, not to mention worry and loss of sleep.
Since the chicks haven't arrived yet, you have time to consider alternatives to the old fashioned, fraught with problems from over heating to fire, brooder and heat lamp system. Check out the "Mama-heating pad for the brooder" thread on this forum. I think you'll quickly see the benefits of this system over the brooder/heat lamp setup.
I have two-week old chicks who have been in a grow-out pen in my run with the heating pad system from day one in temperatures down in the 30s and they're thriving on all the space, being able to have natural day/night light/dark sleep patterns, and never any worry on my part with overheating or fire from heat lamp accidents.
If you already have a coop and no adult chickens to have to deal with, you can set up the heating pad system in the coop, install the chicks as soon as you get them, and never have to mess with brooding chicks in your home, with all the attending dust, noise, and fuss, not to mention worry and loss of sleep.
- Thread starter
- #5
So my babies arrived safely! The room they are in has an ambient temp of about 85 degrees, so I've found it pretty easy to keep it nice and warm for them! I've also set up a larger "play" area (in the same room) out of a 6 panel connecting baby gate I had. This way I can sit in there with them and it's awesome. 
Looks great. I wouldn't suggest keeping the newspaper in there, though. For chicks newly hatched through a week or so old, the slippery surface can cause leg issues while those little bones are still soft. Consider a different type of bedding with more traction and cushion.
Cardboard probably wouldn't be much better than newspaper. They need a non-skid, non-slippery surface that they won't slide on. As you watch baby chicks that are just learning to walk, they seem to lack strength in keeping their legs from spreading off to the sides, and this sometimes leads to spraddle-leg, a condition that can lead to lameness. You avoid that by giving them a surface like soft paper towels, rubber matting or puppy pads that their toe nails can grab onto. Some people go right to wood shavings as soon as they see the chicks are identifying their food and eating it properly.
Another problem people with chicks seem to have is with the heat guidelines. The misconception is that the entire environment needs to be a uniform temperature. The fact is that the surrounding environment can be any temperature, even, as was the case of my two week old chicks when I first got them, in the 30s. Chicks only need a heat source of the temperature range suitable for their age. That means that my chicks had a heating pad cave that was around 82 degrees inside while the rest of the environment they were in was from 30 degrees at night to 50 degrees during the day time. They actually spent more time running around outside in 50 degrees than they spent in their 82 degree cave. The heat guidelines specify 95 -100 degrees during the first week, and mine did excellently at 82.
Now that they're two weeks old, my chicks spend most of their time running around and very little time inside their cave during the day warming up. If you have a heat lamp, you want it no hotter directly beneath the lamp than 90 degrees. Any hotter, your chicks will be cooking.
If you keep the room where you have their brooder at 85 degrees, they could probably even get along without a heat lamp at all.
However, raising chicks in such a "hot house" environment may not be doing them any favors. It may make it harder to wean them off the heat to the natural temperature of their coop, and their feather development may be retarded as well. It's best to err in favor of it being on the cool side than keeping your chicks too hot.
Another problem people with chicks seem to have is with the heat guidelines. The misconception is that the entire environment needs to be a uniform temperature. The fact is that the surrounding environment can be any temperature, even, as was the case of my two week old chicks when I first got them, in the 30s. Chicks only need a heat source of the temperature range suitable for their age. That means that my chicks had a heating pad cave that was around 82 degrees inside while the rest of the environment they were in was from 30 degrees at night to 50 degrees during the day time. They actually spent more time running around outside in 50 degrees than they spent in their 82 degree cave. The heat guidelines specify 95 -100 degrees during the first week, and mine did excellently at 82.
Now that they're two weeks old, my chicks spend most of their time running around and very little time inside their cave during the day warming up. If you have a heat lamp, you want it no hotter directly beneath the lamp than 90 degrees. Any hotter, your chicks will be cooking.
If you keep the room where you have their brooder at 85 degrees, they could probably even get along without a heat lamp at all.
However, raising chicks in such a "hot house" environment may not be doing them any favors. It may make it harder to wean them off the heat to the natural temperature of their coop, and their feather development may be retarded as well. It's best to err in favor of it being on the cool side than keeping your chicks too hot.
junebuggena
Crowing
If they get too hot, they will be all spread out apart from each other, they will hold their wings out away from their bodies, and sometimes they will start panting. You know they are at the right temp for them if they are happily moving around, not all huddled up with each other (too cold), or all spread out around the edges and trying to avoid each other (too hot). Also, check their vents daily for pasty butt. Enjoy the little fluff balls, they grow fast.
They're around two weeks old now? Heat is not going to be a crucial issue during the day from here on since it's summer, and most days are warm enough, little or no heat is necessary except as it cools off toward the end of the day and at night.
Your playpen setup is brilliant! I'm sure the chicks are grateful for all that space in which to romp! Do you have a coop and run almost ready for them? It would be great if you could introduce them to the outdoor, and they would handle temps as low as 75 with no cool breezes, with no problem.
When I used to take my chicks for "field trips" outdoors, I'd pack them in a cat carrier and place it inside the run, open the door of the crate and let them come out when they were ready. Then if they cooled down enough to start getting uncomfortable, they would let me know by crawling back into their crate and huddling together. Nothing could be simpler!
There's no such thing as getting them outdoors too soon. Chicks that aren't coddled feather out quicker and better and make the transition from brooder to coop much more easily and quickly.
Your playpen setup is brilliant! I'm sure the chicks are grateful for all that space in which to romp! Do you have a coop and run almost ready for them? It would be great if you could introduce them to the outdoor, and they would handle temps as low as 75 with no cool breezes, with no problem.
When I used to take my chicks for "field trips" outdoors, I'd pack them in a cat carrier and place it inside the run, open the door of the crate and let them come out when they were ready. Then if they cooled down enough to start getting uncomfortable, they would let me know by crawling back into their crate and huddling together. Nothing could be simpler!
There's no such thing as getting them outdoors too soon. Chicks that aren't coddled feather out quicker and better and make the transition from brooder to coop much more easily and quickly.
TRMFAM
Chirping
Another flooring option is to purchase shelf liner...the grippy one that looks kind of like a waffle. You can lay it right over the newspaper and it is a rubber type substance and you can just take it out and wash it off when you are cleaning and changing out the newspaper underneath. We purchased ours from Lowe's and it was inexpensive...enough for 40 sq ft for $15.
junebuggena
Crowing
If it's really that warm where you live, you could just move them outside to their coop and provide a heat source for cool nights.Thank you! I've actually stopped using the tote about 3 days ago, it just seemed too small for them. I love the playpen! I can sit in there with them and it's great! My little Dominique (Willow) seems to be the sweetest, she always comes up to greet me and loves to sleep in my hands.
We're working hard to get the coop and run all set up! I'd say in the next week or two hopefully! I do want to start taking them on outdoor field trips! I'll just have to find the right way to do it and keep them safe.
Thanks for the shelf liner tip! The paper towels are getting pretty expensive, since the chickys are inside I want to make sure I keep it as clean as I can!
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