All about raising chicks and chickens! Also ask questions!

[sassysarah]

Thx Sarah
U are my BFF in byc

Aww thanks!

 

[sassysarah]

Thanks Everyone for your help I have a heat lamp set up and everyone seams happy. How long should I keep the heat lamp on?

No problem! Me and chickening101 started this thread to answer questions and help out! So feel free to ask more questions if needed! Chickening101 came up with the wonderful idea to start this thread!

 

[sassysarah]

You should keep it on probably most of the day and night, until the weather starts to warms up.

 

[sassysarah]

Umm... I can't find the thread you started chickening101.

 

[Chickening101]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-raise-chicks.1174353/#post-18484287

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Ok, thank you, Blooie.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Instead of the small dog house, would a 41"L x 23"D x 28"H Dog House fit 6-8 hens?

 

[sassysarah]

No that would be small Maybe you could build them a chicken coop?

 

[sassysarah]

Here is a video Of simple chicken coops!

 

[Blooie]

We are just starting spring here so some warm days some cold days. This week we are getting around 17-20 degrees during the day and tHen down to 8 or 9 at night. So not real warm yet and yes they are staying with their Mom.

When helping people with chicken questions, first you sometimes need to ask some questions of the poster for the most complete information, in order to give the most complete answer. The natural question to ask first in this case would have been "Is that Fahrenheit or Celcius?" If it was Celsius, that would tell you that the equivalent temperatures would have been in the 60s (F) during the day and the 40s (F) at night, more than adequate for a broody to raise her chicks without supplemental heat. If those temperatures are indeed Fahrenheit, then perhaps your response was correct. It also makes a difference if their coop or setup is out of the wind, a fully closed in structure, a windbreak, a barn...all of those things can impact an answer, as can learning the general location of the poster.

Too much heat can set a broody hen off her chicks as she tries to get cooler. Chicks can also die from overheating, as can a fully feathered mom, not to mention the unnecessary risk of a coop fire. If supplemental heat isn't needed, then why take the chance?

I understand what you are trying to do with this thread. But I have to tell you that based on the answers I've seen so far, while your hearts are in the right place your experience level isn't quite there yet. May I gently suggest that before you set out to answer questions for new chicken owners, you make sure that the advice you are offering doesn't have the potential to cause more problems for them? If you don't know the answer, you can refer them to threads and forums that can help. I usually try (not always successfully, I freely admit) to make clear that something is, "What I do....or What works for my flock". Somewhere in the answers I try to point out that I am not expecting them to do what I do, simply because I know my ways are not the only ways to do things. I think it's important that I mention that they need to do what will work and what's best for them. I learned that way, and still learn every day, from far better chicken keepers than I am.

I'm sorry, but for the sake of people who might come here and take everything that's said thinking it's based on years of experience or knowledge, it was simply time to speak up before any real harm was done.