2+ week heat options

[kylie]

Hi everyone,

I've read multiple places that after 2 weeks constant light stresses chicks. I have 5, 2 1/2 week old chicks and I don't know what heat sources can be provided in place of heat lamp. My chicks all seem happy and they have plenty of space to get away from their heat lamp. Do I need to find an alternative solution? They are indoors right now. Also, an unrelated question, two of my chicks have a small piece of droppings stuck to their bum under their vent. I discovered it today. I assume that it's from when their first week when a couple had pasting. I cleaned it off so their vent was clear, but it seems that some was covered their fluffy down (they were such squemers I could hardly hold on to them at all). I tried to get after it but it seems that it is stuck to the skin or the pinfeathers right above the skin. I left it alone because I don't want to tear their skin. Their vents aren't blocked at all by this but I still want to get it off. Any suggestions? Their feathers are just coming in so will it come off by itself? I'm not sure how well a wet towel will work scince the droppings are so hard and dry.

 

[phalenbeck]

1. Soak the butts in warm water, while it is warm, heat lamp on. -2. At 2.5 weeks, certainly 3 the light can be off on warm days. I turn mine out earlier than most folks at 3-4 weeks. -3. I have 15 2-3 weekers that spent most of today without there heat lamp

 

[schnebbles]

I just watched a video on pasty butt - the woman had a large cotton ball she had with warm water and kept gently wiping til it came off.

 

[kylie]

thanks i'll definatly try the cotton ball and warm water sokeing. as for the lights, do you keep it on at night and off in the day or off 24/7?

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I have the heat lamp on 24/7, but I have the room light on during the day and off at night, so they have some change in lighting. I don't know if that helps or not, but I never knew about the stressing them out thing either.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Unless they are very young and the weather is at or below freezing I use only the 120w white brooder bulbs. Depending on the weather they are on 24/7. Never had a problem with chicks because of the always-on light. Usually when there is a problem it's because they are overcrowded or there is something wrong with the feed.

This time of year here in Florida if they are more than a week old I turn the lights off during the day. It's plenty warm enough unless we have a weather system slowly blowing through as we do right not that's keeping it cool and wet. Usually by mid-afternoon the heat lamps would make it too hot since the air temperature would in the mid-eighties or higher.

 

[kylie]

Thanks for all the help. I'm going to leave my light on