Baby chicks in the summer heat

[azygous]

Can anyone tell me if I'll need my heat lamp at all during the day? Is there a guideline for outside temps and heat lamps? It's roughly 80 to 90 outside during the day 70s at night. These will be new chicks. Only 2 in my coop covered in mesh so the big chickens leave them be

Here's your guide: Given that a baby chick has a body temp on either side of 100F, if the ambient temp is close to that, meaning from 90F to 100F (first week), the chick will lose no body heat, therefore no additional heat is required. (Heat needs decrease as chicks grow in feathers until they need little or no additional heat by age four weeks, regardless.)

I've found that chicks are actually comfortable down to 80F during the first week without additional heat. And they will even find 70F not a problem for extended periods if they can warm up occasionally.

So, the farther away from the natural body temp of a chick the surrounding temperature is, the more likely the chick will need a heat source to warm themselves. The closer the surrounding temp is, the less likely the chick will need a heat source other than the natural environment. Note of caution: beware of wind chill and avoid cool drafts which can suck heat from a chick's body regardless of temp.

 

[Mrs. K]

Behavior of the chicks is your guideline. Always set up your brooder with a warm spot, and a cooler spot. If you have all of the chicks huddled tightly together under the heat and peeping loudly, then you need a warmer spot. If no one is in the warm spot, but rather as far away as possible and panting, then they need to be cooler.

Mrs K

 

[centrarchid]

I am raising some baby chicks now and the weather is 100+ degrees without a heat lamp. Even without a lamp a few still pant. I'm not sure if anyone else has had a problem with young chicks (under a month) being overheated. But I thought I would share my ideas on how to keep them cool. If you have any other ideas please let me know. Here are some ways to keep them cool without getting them wet or blowing air directly on them.
Ice water
Electrolytes (follow package directions)
Overhead fan if available
frozen water bottles to lay on
Shallow pan with frozen water and bricks (As the water melts it will be absorbed through the bricks and keep the chicks cool without getting them wet.)
Cold bricks or tiles to lay on
Frozen or chilled scrambled eggs
Lots of shade and ventilation

I am dealing with this as well. With hen reared they have access to shade, airflow, and cool ground. When it real hot the chicks will go under hen but not contact her as she then provides primarily shade. Brooder reared chicks are tougher. Make so they can get well away from heat lamp. During day I simply turn it off using a different light source from farther away to enable vision. Ample water and gentle airflow also applied but keep chicks themselves dry. Wet feet is OK but keep bedding dry to control disease issues. In your location low humidity will enhance benefits of evaporative cooling.


Additionally when it comes to shade, I suggest you make so brooder itself is not relied upon to block sunlight. Rather use building wall for that and make so you have lots of ventilation, not just air flow, to carry heat outer wall collects.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have two broody hens, and their eggs did not hatch, but I was able to get some 2 day old chicks. I have done this in the past, but this morning when it was hot, tried to give those hens chicks. What a wreck. it was just way too hot for those chicks to be under the hen and the hens were crabby. I boxed them up and brought them up to the house.

Went back tonight when it is much cooler, slid those chicks under hens, and under those hens they stayed. Hoping by morning they have it figured out.

Mrs K

 

[bobbi-j]

I have two broody hens, and their eggs did not hatch, but I was able to get some 2 day old chicks. I have done this in the past, but this morning when it was hot, tried to give those hens chicks. What a wreck. it was just way too hot for those chicks to be under the hen and the hens were crabby. I boxed them up and brought them up to the house. 

Went back tonight when it is much cooler, slid those chicks under hens, and under those hens they stayed. Hoping by morning they have it figured out.

Mrs K

Oh no! None of your Buckeyes hatched?

 

[Mrs. K]

No, that was the first time I ordered eggs, and I waited to get them until I had a broody, so maybe too hot in transit. All the eggs I checked had started, some actually had a small body, but none were anywhere close to the development that they should have been.

 

[Mrs. K]

Success! Two broody hens co-parenting!

 

[centrarchid]

Congratulations, you just got yourself a car with two steering wheels and the drivers will not agree on best routes to take. Passengers will not benefit.

 

[bobbi-j]

Success! Two broody hens co-parenting!

Looking forward to hearing how it goes for you.

 

[Mrs. K]

At Centrachid - I have had co parenting broody hens before with success.