Adjusting brooder heat - seeking advice

[Quailerino]

Hi Quailerinos,
I'm supposed to reduce the heat in my brooder box by 5 degrees Fahrenheit every few days once my chicks are 2 weeks old. Any recommendations on how to do that properly? I've just got this no-light heat emitter bulb, and sure, I could just move it farther away from the brooder box...it just seems like such an imprecise way of reducing heat. Am I overthinking this or is there a better way?

 

[FloorCandy]

Most people just move the bulb further away, I had a heat plate, so I raised it as they got taller. It’s a pretty imprecise thing, they should have a warm side and cool side and they can go further or closer to the heat on their own.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Am I overthinking this or is there a better way?

Hi there, hope you're enjoying BYC!

Yep, there's no precision.. and the chicks don't care.. There are zones of warmth.. go according to how your chicks look.. if they are piled and huddled as close as possible then they're too cold. If they're sprawled out and holding their wing out or panting they are too warm.

At two weeks old.. most my chicks are making daytime outings with a huddle box inside a wire pen and NO supplemental heat once the sun comes out.. and I'm a little farther north of ya.

As the first poster mentioned.. that's only supposed to be the temp where they go to warm up and it should be standard air temp where they go feed and play.. giving them zones and they adjust their own comfort level.

 

[Quailerino]

Thanks! Sounds like I'd been overthinking it. I'll keep it simple instead.