Bielefelder thread!!!!

[Awaytome]

Do you have a thermometer inside of it to let you know what the actual temperature in there is?

I see that you've had duck's too. I was just in checking on thing's in my brooder. Gave fresh wet feed, and put a small dog food bowl filled with water and sitting in a pie plate in there. Of course the duckling's had to hop right in it, don't you know. It looked like a bowl of duckling soup.

I have one somewhere. Looking for it now.

There is no keeping a duck out of water!

 

[BlueBaby]

@Sally PB I have some pure Biel's in my incubator now.

 

[Janie44]

Hi everyone! I'm hoping you can help me confirm the breed and sex of the lighter colored bird in the photos. It's supposed to be a Bielefelder pullet. They are 11 weeks old. I bought them from a local farm thinking they hatched them, but found out later that they got them from Hoover's. We got 6 others, that are darker like the one on the right. They all looked the same as chicks, although the lighter one didn't have the eye liner markings.

 

[BlueBaby]

Hi everyone! I'm hoping you can help me confirm the breed and sex of the lighter colored bird in the photos. It's supposed to be a Bielefelder pullet. They are 11 weeks old. I bought them from a local farm thinking they hatched them, but found out later that they got them from Hoover's. We got 6 others, that are darker like the one on the right. They all looked the same as chicks, although the lighter one didn't have the eye liner markings.

No, that is not a Bielefelder at all.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Yes. Please look at these pics and give me some advice. I tried the egg yolk with no interest. I'll try scrambled eggs today. Another chick died last night! They are in a 50 gal poly tank. There is a heating plate on one end and a heat lamp pointing at angle to prevent a concentration of heat at the other end because they are in the unheated garage. I put a towel over one end of the tank with the plate at night, and the rest is open. There are warm spots and cooler spots around the tank.View attachment 3515955Yesterday I added the wood shavings and a new feeder, which they haven't taken to, so I also put food into a little bowl and they dig right in. They get Purina Start and Grow crumbles (unmedicated, because they were vaxed). They had water with Quik Chik and sugar from the nipple. Today I changed to plain water. Should I continue adding Quik Chik? View attachment 3515956The surviving chicks are running and jumping, scratching, eating and drinking and just looking very lively. The chick that died last night seemed fairly active previously, too, but was smaller than the others and I noticed it was not as lively or interested in food yesterday. I've raised many ducklings and never had so much trouble as with these chicks. Do you have any suggestions? I apologize for the poor quality of the pics.

It's charming how they come out when they hear my voice and are comfortable with me reaching in, even jumping into my hand, a major difference from the panic of ducklings!
View attachment 3515954

They are cooking. You say it's an unheated garage? What's the ambient temp outside? You don't need both the plate and the heat lamp. They don't need to be kept super warm, THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO SELF REGULATE. More chicks die from being too hot than too cold. Once more for the people in the back.

I would have that heat lamp pointed downwards so there is an obvious warm spot, and an obvious cool side. I would put two bitty thermometers in there, one under the light where its hottest, one on the opposite where it's coolest. And have a third for the ambient temp in the garage / basement whatever. The hot side needs to be warm enough based on the week they are, but the cool side can be much, much cooler. They can always pile up if they need more heat, but IF THERE IS NOWHERE TO ESCAPE THE HEAT, THEY WILL DIE.

Alternatively you can try the brooder plate only, but then you need to remember to raise the height up each week as they get taller, so they still fit under. I've never used one.

Maybe try tweaking a few things, see what your thermometers are saying, and post updated pics. I think a lot of people can learn from this right now.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Hi everyone! I'm hoping you can help me confirm the breed and sex of the lighter colored bird in the photos. It's supposed to be a Bielefelder pullet. They are 11 weeks old. I bought them from a local farm thinking they hatched them, but found out later that they got them from Hoover's. We got 6 others, that are darker like the one on the right. They all looked the same as chicks, although the lighter one didn't have the eye liner markings.

Newp. Looks like maybe a blue red laced Wyandotte and an EE.

 

[Janie44]

Newp. Looks like maybe a blue red laced Wyandotte and an EE.

Thanks for your input! I'm stumped. Here they are as chicks.

 

[Awaytome]

They are cooking. You say it's an unheated garage? What's the ambient temp outside? You don't need both the plate and the heat lamp. They don't need to be kept super warm, THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO SELF REGULATE. More chicks die from being too hot than too cold. Once more for the people in the back.

I would have that heat lamp pointed downwards so there is an obvious warm spot, and an obvious cool side. I would put two bitty thermometers in there, one under the light where its hottest, one on the opposite where it's coolest. And have a third for the ambient temp in the garage / basement whatever. The hot side needs to be warm enough based on the week they are, but the cool side can be much, much cooler. They can always pile up if they need more heat, but IF THERE IS NOWHERE TO ESCAPE THE HEAT, THEY WILL DIE.

Alternatively you can try the brooder plate only, but then you need to remember to raise the height up each week as they get taller, so they still fit under. I've never used one.

Maybe try tweaking a few things, see what your thermometers are saying, and post updated pics. I think a lot of people can learn from this right now.

Thank you for the advice. I assure you they haven't been cooked, although I understand how it appears that the heat sources are excessive. It is really quite cold in my garage.

Took some readings.
Air temperature under the brooder is 87-88.
Temp under the heat lamp a few inches above the floor of the trough is 75.
Ambient (outdoor) temp (high) is the mid 50's, night time lows in the mid to high 40's. The ambient garage right now is 68 but only because the kiln has been running today in the shop next to the garage. Usually it's in the 50's year round.

The first night the only heat source was the brooder; two chicks died. I added the heat lamp after that. This is my first time using the brooder plate. The chicks have to duck to get under it but are able to stand without the plate touching their backs. Is it too high? Too low? Are any of the temperatures problematic?

 

[BlueBaby]

Thank you for the advice. I assure you they haven't been cooked, although I understand how it appears that the heat sources are excessive. It is really quite cold in my garage.

Took some readings.
Air temperature under the brooder is 87-88.
Temp under the heat lamp a few inches above the floor of the trough is 75.
Ambient (outdoor) temp (high) is the mid 50's, night time lows in the mid to high 40's. The ambient garage right now is 68 but only because the kiln has been running today in the shop next to the garage. Usually it's in the 50's year round.

The first night the only heat source was the brooder; two chicks died. I added the heat lamp after that. This is my first time using the brooder plate. The chicks have to duck to get under it but are able to stand without the plate touching their backs. Is it too high? Too low? Are any of the temperatures problematic?

What about the bulb in your heat lamp? It's not one of those that's Teflon coated is it?

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Thank you for the advice. I assure you they haven't been cooked, although I understand how it appears that the heat sources are excessive. It is really quite cold in my garage.

Took some readings.
Air temperature under the brooder is 87-88.
Temp under the heat lamp a few inches above the floor of the trough is 75.
Ambient (outdoor) temp (high) is the mid 50's, night time lows in the mid to high 40's. The ambient garage right now is 68 but only because the kiln has been running today in the shop next to the garage. Usually it's in the 50's year round.

The first night the only heat source was the brooder; two chicks died. I added the heat lamp after that. This is my first time using the brooder plate. The chicks have to duck to get under it but are able to stand without the plate touching their backs. Is it too high? Too low? Are any of the temperatures problematic?

Again, I'm really sorry about the losses. It sucks and it sucks not knowing what could be the cause. Personally, for the brooder plate, I can't offer any advice because I've never used one.

What I did last year under the heat lamp was I had a tiny little digital thermometer that stayed in the brooder. A couple of them actually. So the one was getting the surface temp directly under the heat lamp (to make sure it wasn't creeping too high) and then on the cool side to make sure that was at least as low as low 70s / normal room temp. The first week that surface temp was 90-95, but more than 98 in the hot spot and I would have to adjust. Week two, 85-90 etc. Have you used that tub successfully for brooding chicks before?

I agree with you that by observing their behavior you should be able to tell if they are happy with the temps, and most of them have been, which is obviously a good thing.