2 day old chick won't move and stands still in 1 spot breathing hard.

[frostic]

@Wyorp Rock where can i get that momma pad thing and a cave that you mentioned?
I'd love to get one. I have extra money to blow on them so would love to trick out their brooder with some fancy living for them.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Wow, y'all calm your roosters for a min.

So I found a temp they like. hot side is 92 degrees
and cold side under the lamp is 85 and they sit in the center of the brooder, they seem really happy now and not fighting but they seem to like the center best.
the temp is about 88 where they sit and chirp and clean each other.

I think each batch of chicks like different temps. so I been adjusting it to see where they like it the most and found it to be about 88-90 is where my chicks sit.

They seem to be doing very well and starting to chase each other playing. its so cute. lol

@Wyorp Rock where can i get that momma pad thing and a cave that you mentioned?
I'd love to get one. I have extra money to blow on them so would love to trick out their brooder with some fancy living for them.

Glad you found the right temp! Good job on observing their behavior, sounds like you have this

Well. The "Mama Heating Pad" was an idea one of our members made into a thread here on BYC. It sort of just took off LOL
I made my own, just like LOTS of people do. You need a heating pad that does not have an auto shut-off and preferably has 3 settings (low, med, high) then it's just up to you to get creative and make your "cave", plate, etc., how you like. Check out the thread, I linked it below. It's a long thread, but if you just scroll through and look at photos, you'll get the idea.
Some people do buy something like a Brinsea Brooder Plate, but to me, those are pricey

I used a heating pad, stiff hardware cloth (covered the edges of the wire with gorilla tape so no sharp edges). Found some tiny bungie cords at Dollar General for $1 and use those to attach the pad on the underside of the wire frame. I also cover the top with an old towel to help keep heat in. The fleece, well it's leftovers from my material stash, just something comfy for the chicks to settle on. I do put a thermometer under there, it can get quite warm, so you do have to adjust the temps too. Anyway, the chicks can press their backs against the heating pad to get warm. They learn it's lights out at dark and sleep through the night.
I do move the cave with them outside and it works just fine for me. I've had chicks outside when nighttime temps were in the high 20s. They were well protected from wind/drafts and I did add a couple another THICK towel on top and let it hang over the back to help with heat - they were nice and toasty.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

Sort of hard to see...I do have an xl pad since I bend the frame up as they grow. They are right out of the incubator and found heat LOL I use cardboard boxes taped together if I have them inside, line the brooder with puppy pads - easy clean up and when they go out, I can just toss the boxes.

 

[JDChickChat]

This is exactly my point. You got lucky.
Try brooding hundreds or thousands of chicks at a hundred degrees and see what happens.

If you're referring to brooding hundreds or thousands of chickens, then yes, some will die. That is almost certainly guaranteed. However, every single reference I've read and been told has advised that the brooder temp needs to be 95 degrees in their first week or they will die as a result of being too cold because they do not have the means to regulate their body temperature.

Just because I only brooded 8 doesnt mean I havent spoken to many, many people who raised hundreds of birds respectively and ALL told me the same thing- make sure under the light in your brooder temperature is 95 degrees.

The breeder said the same thing.

So I'll go with what dozens of people and many dozens of resources have advised.