Another temperature question

[below_gravity]

Hello,

I see there have been many posts on this lately but none quite addressed my problem.

I have been trying to keep the brooder about ~90 degrees. I got home yesterday and it was close to 110!!!! YIKES. I moved the lamps around so I could turn 1 off, and did. This brought it down to around 85-90 which seems like a nice temp. Overnight I was concerned that it would be too cold and we turned on the two lamps and came back to check in and hour. 120!!! YIKES. My bf and I got in a big argument because I said there is NO reason for them to be exposed to temps like that. He said, well they have access to 90 degrees dont they. I turned off 1 of the lamps and 1 stayed on over night. When i checked on the chicks this AM they were all under then one lamp (were close together, but not packed together and didn't look cold) and the thermometer closest to them red ~75. Im sure it was at least~80-85 under the lamp. It might have been down to 80 at 3am or so. Is this ok? As long as the chicks look and act ok, its ok right? I personally would rather have them a little on the cool side because, well, 100+ seems ridiculous!!

 

[GAchick]

How big is your brooder? Do they have room to move out from under the lights? It sounds like one light is enough for them. Sometimes mine group up together, but aren't really piled on top of one another. My 3 week olds went outside last weekend, with one light. A couple of nights this week it got down to the upper 50's. Only one morning were they piled on top of one another, and I just draped a blanket over the top of the dog crate to hold more of the heat. I've got some happy healthy chickies... Personally, I would say 85 is better than 120!

 

[kingmt]

If they are to cold then they will be chirping like crazy. The temp can be a little high under the lamp as long as it is in a corner away from the food & water. They will go under to get warm & then move out. lay your hand under it & if this would fell good to you if you was cold then it should work. Don't put the lamp close enough that they can get against it & keep a cool place they can get away from the heat.

 

[below_gravity]

The brooder is about 4 feet by 5 feet and the light is off to one corner. we even put a paver (large flat brick) under the light because it will retain the heat and the chicks can get a inch or so closer to the light if they are chilly.

Brooder looks like:

except we have turned the lights to they run up and down the right side of the brooder instead of across it.

They wern't chirping or piled on top of one another. Although they are in the garage and i know every time I open the garage door it startles them a bit--even though i let them know im comming by talking before I open it. The door is old and loud

 

[Rolsjo]

Our chicks are in the kitchen right now, so it's been a little easier to keep the temp steady, but I've still seen it spike over 100 in the afternoon. I've just learned to keep a close eye on the temp sensor and the chicks to see how they act. Its supposed to be 90 today so we'll see how hot it gets in the brooder. I have become a temperature fanatic!

On a side note, the one sound that gets them all up and running at our place is the coffee grinder. I just apologize and explain that I'd be no use to them without my coffee so it's happy sound!

 

[below_gravity]

Quote:
HAHAHA!

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I guess that is my problem, and why I worry so much is that I am away for most of the day. I check on the little guys at 5:45am and then head to work and I dont get back until about 5pm. So, they are all on their own for about 12 hours. My bf does check on them before he goes to work at about 8:30 (and I have him take off some of the overnight "insulation" on the top of the coop) but thats it for watching them during the day

 

[SimplyForties]

What's the temp under the light when you only have one light on? What is the wattage of the bulb? It doesn't look like you have too many chicks in there. Nice brooder, by the way! Plenty of room for them to get under one light if they get too cold and plenty of room to get out from under the light if they get too warm. It sounds like the two light situation is making it too hot in there and giving them no place to escape that heat. I'd use one light (perhaps increasing the wattage of that bulb if you think it's not hot enough) and let it go.

Good luck with your babies!

 

[pkeeler]

What wattage are you using in the lamps? I wouldn't worry too much about the actual temp. and just watch the chicks. If they are all together under the lamp tightly, then move the lamp down. If they are all in a ring out from under the lamp, move it up. If they are dispersed generally under the lamp then it is just right.

I think you are having trouble getting temp. readings because your light lacks a reflector. This is making the whole setup take hours to reach max. temperature. So, you are reading one thing, and it is still warming up. Temps over 100 don't do the chicks much good. You can get a "clamp light" or "brooder light" or "shop light" at Home Depot (just have to figure out what they call it, usually in with the shop lights).

 

[below_gravity]

Its a 250watt heat lamp/flood. We dont have a reflector because DBF picked them up when i insisted that we were not going to use regular flood lights (they are just sooo darn bright!) and decided that we didn't need it. The thermometer in the back is about 8-10 inches away from being directly under the light. Maybe it was dumb on my part but I placed the thermometers about were the chicks tend to hang out (i fact two were sleeping with it this am).

Thanks for your replies.