thermometer

[ChickenLuv726]

I need some help on thermometers.


Me and my sister are wondering what thermometer is better in a brooder. A digital or a mercury. we also need to know soon because are eggs are incubating right know!!yyyyyaaaaaaaayyyyy!!!!!!


Thank you for your help.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Most people brood without worrying about the precise temp. The chicks will show you. Reading their body language is actually much more accurate than any thermometer which can only read a specific spot, at a specific height.

If the brooder is large enough, which is needs to be, the chicks will move under the lamp if they are cool. If they are COLD they will peep loudly. If they are warm, they'll move away from lamp. If they are hot, which is very dangerous, they'll hold their little wings out and pant.


Watch the chicks. Their behavior is far superior to a thermometer. Any thermometer will give you a reading that is close enough, during setup. You need around 90F. They'll be just fine.

Watch the chicks. They tell you precisely what they need.

 

[mortie]

This is my first time brooding. I started out with a thermometer but it was very quickly abandoned. I could tell my chicks were comfortable and that was that. I raised the lamp after a week and I could tell they noticed, but they weren't uncomfortably cold or anything. It's pretty easy to tell when they're unhappy with their temp.