Brand new chicks

[MariaE]

Hi everyone,
I just got 5 baby chicks, 4 days old.So far so good.They are indoors in my bathtub with a red light 150 watts, chick starter feed, a shallow water dish with pebbles in it, newspaper lining the tub and a small amount of straw at one end to play in. My question is today is day 2, I put the red light on them today and they are sleeping alot. Yesterday with the white light the were more active but cheeped all night. Am I doing everything correctly??

 

[chickens really]

Hi everyone,
I just got 5 baby chicks, 4 days old.So far so good.They are indoors in my bathtub with a red light 150 watts, chick starter feed, a shallow water dish with pebbles in it, newspaper lining the tub and a small amount of straw at one end to play in. My question is today is day 2, I put the red light on them today and they are sleeping alot. Yesterday with the white light the were more active but cheeped all night. Am I doing everything correctly??

If the red heat lamp is hotter then raise it higher..

 

[Melky]

Yes sounds fine! Keep up the good work. When they cheep loudly they are hungry or cold. Need food/water and warmth. Also clean dry bedding. Let sleeping chicks lie same as dog. Happy and Growing! They will go back and forth active eating/ drinking then sleeping.

 

[Melky]

What breeds?

 

[N F C]

I can't put my fingers on a source, but it seems I've read that white light keeps chicks active and the red light lets them rest. Hopefully, someone will come along and either tell me I'm nuts or that I'm right I would switch to just using the red.

Do you have a thermometer in your tub? It can be handy for monitoring temps but if you don't have one, pay attention to the chicks. If they're cold, they'll huddle under the light. If they're too warm, they'll get as far from it as they are able. You really want them moving around between warmer areas and cooler areas.

Also, I'd use something other than newspaper for them to brood on. That stuff is kind of slippery and can cause problems.

Best of luck, hope you're enjoying them!

 

[Melky]

I would use pine mulch from TSC that would be better bedding for footing and easy to clean.

 

[chickens really]

I can't put my fingers on a source, but it seems I've read that white light keeps chicks active and the red light lets them rest. Hopefully, someone will come along and either tell me I'm nuts or that I'm right I would switch to just using the red.

Do you have a thermometer in your tub? It can be handy for monitoring temps but if you don't have one, pay attention to the chicks. If they're cold, they'll huddle under the light. If they're too warm, they'll get as far from it as they are able. You really want them moving around between warmer areas and cooler areas.

Also, I'd use something other than newspaper for them to brood on. That stuff is kind of slippery and can cause problems.

Best of luck, hope you're enjoying them!

Your correct about the lights...

 

[MariaE]

Yes sounds fine! Keep up the good work. When they cheep loudly they are hungry or cold. Need food/water and warmth. Also clean dry bedding. Let sleeping chicks lie same as dog. Happy and Growing! They will go back and forth active eating/ drinking then sleeping.

 

[MariaE]

Thanks! I realized maybe they weren't warm enough last night and that's why they were so noisy.Much happier today with a warmer red light and they can move away from it when they want to.

 

[MariaE]

I would use pine mulch from TSC that would be better bedding for footing and easy to clean.