1 week old chicks, lowered temp? there cold

[GhostRider65]

Well my babies are a week old today so I rolled the sweeter heater up 1 round and the nail holder, my temp came down after a few hours to 89/90, but now they seem cold they are clustering together more in the corner where the light is. Is this normal while they acclimate themselves to the lower temp or should I turn the heat back up to 95 ? any suggestions. Kim

 

[spotstealer]

I pretty much kept mine in the same place in the brooder (mine are in the house). I just made sure there was plenty of room that they could move away from the heat if they wanted to. By the end of next week, They won't need heat anymore because they will be between 4-5 weeks old. I only have six, and their brooder is 3X4 ft of floor space.

 

[Elite Silkies]

You could try lowering it to 92 or 93 rather than decreasing 5 degrees at time. I always decrease mine slowly. You could do like spotstealer and give them a large enough brooder that they can get away from the heat. But, I wouldn't leave it at 89/90 if they are cold, it can cause pasty butt.

 

[allpeepedout]

I observed the same and did not lower the temperature as recommended. Their mother would not be lowering her body temp by 5 degrees a week! It's early spring, the weather is colder than normal here, and they are in an unheated room. Now, having enjoyed one cozy warm heated area in the brooder throughout babyhood, at 5 weeks, they are largely feathered out and can go happily without the lamp all the day. I still turn it on at night so they can be totally comfy. Yes, they are spoiled pets. But they do seem to love heat. Hope to move them out soon.

 

[FMAFarms]

Not sure what you mean by raising the Sweeter Heater up one round. We have Sweeter Heaters and their S-hooks had to simply be connected to something to raise and lower them. We used hydroponic grow-light cables: click the button to adjust how much higher or lower we want the heater to be, even a centimeter if we want. We started out using link chains, but an entire link would raise or lower the temperature too much. If you're using chain and you've noticed a change in how your chicks are reacting to the heat, then put it right back where you had it. The chicks will let you know when it's the wrong temp for them, better than any thermometer or any book about chicks. And if you have a hydroponics store near you, and you're serious enough about brooding chicks that you got a Sweeter Heater, consider getting the grow-light cables. They're much, much better for minute adjustments of the heater than chain is.

 

[GhostRider65]

Thank you much for the info, FMA Farms
I ain't gonna raise 40 batches of chicks, but I really liked the sweeter heater, I will raise 2 batches this year and maybe next until I have my flock sorted out as to what chickens I like best, then it will be used for a broody house in the coop, I can divide it in half and have 2 momma's hatch and brood my new chicks. I know the heater was quit expensive, but in the long run It will be worth it, on just the savings on my electric bill, running a 250 watt infrared electric bulb 24/7/ for 3 months will add up to the price of 130.00 I paid for the heate with shippingr. Heck my stock tank heater cost me about 30 extra a month during the winter then more if they have to be in and the heated buckets run too. That was my reasoning on buying such an expensive item for chicks. I have my heater on cord like lawn mower pull cable? so I can move it a bit or alot, but I set it up over 2 nails so it could never fall, so I just wound it up some to get my heat to come down they seemed fine with it last night, so I left it at 90. I think they may have gotten a draft I fed the water hose out the window to fill my stock tank and it was breezy here yesterday, I think that is what caused them to huddle in the corner by the light. Heres a pic. so you can see what I mean. TY again Kim

 

[BellevueOmlet]

I let them tell me where to keep it. If they are grouped up trying to get warm, they need more heat. Is there a way you can make the increment smaller so they are more warm? if not, I would set it back to the setting you had previously.