2-day old chicks huddling but not under brooder plate

[fargo234]

Hello. Picked up a bunch of chicks from the post office today. Totally healthy and active. I built a brooder box for outdoors. Put a brooder plate in there. Temps get in the low 90's during the day. Mid 60's at night. Heat index hit 102°F today! Some of the chicks hid under the plate during the day. But now that it's night, they have all decided to huddle up in the corner rather than under the brooder. The low tonight is 65°. They are only two days old. Are they going to be ok?

 

[Ella_r_ab]

Hello. Picked up a bunch of chicks from the post office today. Totally healthy and active. I built a brooder box for outdoors. Put a brooder plate in there. Temps get in the low 90's during the day. Mid 60's at night. Heat index hit 102°F today! Some of the chicks hid under the plate during the day. But now that it's night, they have all decided to huddle up in the corner rather than under the brooder. The low tonight is 65°. They are only two days old. Are they going to be ok?

have you tried putting them under it? this happened to us too, and they figured it out pretty quickly

 

[MadamContrary]

Yeah, you need to teach them to go there at night. Chicks seem to panic a bit when it gets dark and just huddle wherever. How many do you have?

 

[khpadventures]

Hello. Picked up a bunch of chicks from the post office today. Totally healthy and active. I built a brooder box for outdoors. Put a brooder plate in there. Temps get in the low 90's during the day. Mid 60's at night. Heat index hit 102°F today! Some of the chicks hid under the plate during the day. But now that it's night, they have all decided to huddle up in the corner rather than under the brooder. The low tonight is 65°. They are only two days old. Are they going to be ok?

You might want to toy with the height of the plate. If its too low and they are too hot, they won't stay under it. Too high, they also won't stay under it. I set mine at an angle to try to help give them some choice of what feels best.

 

[khpadventures]

Also, move it all the way into a corner. They like to huddle in corners

 

[fargo234]

have you tried putting them under it? this happened to us too, and they figured it out pretty quickly

I did. They just kind run around like... Chickens... And go right back to the corner.

 

[MTR]

You might want to toy with the height of the plate. If its too low and they are too hot, they won't stay under it. Too high, they also won't stay under it. I set mine at an angle to try to help give them some choice of what feels best.

I like the angle option too. This last time I had a chick that lived the heat so much it had a bald spot from always being under the low side.

 

[khpadventures]

I did. They just kind run around like... Chickens... And go right back to the corner.

Maybe move the plate on top of where they want to be?

 

[fargo234]

Yeah, you need to teach them to go there at night. Chicks seem to panic a bit when it gets dark and just huddle wherever. How many do you have?

16. How do I teach them? I've tried coaxing them but no go.

 

[fargo234]

Also, move it all the way into a corner. They like to huddle in corners

Gonna give that a try