Brooder/heat lamp issues

[UrbanHenKW123]

I would try a heat plate rather than a heat lamp. I used one with mine and I had no issues with managing heat. You can adjust its height while they grow. It’s a bit more natural for them since it’s a bit more like a momma bird. They can also go out and explore and go back under when they’re cold. We were using an old rabbit cage for a brooder. It may be a bit more expensive. But check your local buy and sell pages. You might find one second hand.

https://www.brinsea.com/c-36-chick-brooders.aspx

 

[Chickassan]

This, and the light dosent stress them.
When they get a little older and dont need heat 24/7 you can turn it off at night so they'll be expecting darkness outside and it won't be freaky.

I use just a regular 60 watt bulb and they are a lot happier with that than the brooder lights

 

[slordaz]

This, and the light dosent stress them.
When they get a little older and dont need heat 24/7 you can turn it off at night so they'll be expecting darkness outside and it won't be freaky.

as I don't brood a lot at once it helps usually a dosen or 2, they are in the house for about a week, but are already making trips outside away from the light at day 2 and mostly use it at night until their feathers start coming in good around days 5-7

 

[ValerieJ]

Dang it, where do you live? It has been way too hot here!I have the front doors open to my coop because it gets so hot and I am waiting for it to cool down before I close the front doors, usually 9:30 pm. The front opening has hardware cloth over it, so the predators can’t get in.

In CA, considering you have hardware cloth on the opening and it's predator safe, I would not close the door at all in September. The night can stay pretty warm there.

 

[ValerieJ]

I wish it wouldn't rain here so that I wouldn't have to spray anti-fungal stuff on every plant I've got. (The poor, poor tomatoes...) If you send me yours, I'll send you mine.

I feel your pain!

 

[jvls1942]

Hi, my name is Jim,
I have been doing chickens for over 50 years.
I have read some of these posts. Don't agree with some of them.
More chicks are killed from over heating than cold.
a heat lamp in a tote is risky.
the chicks don't have to lie right directly under the bulb to be warm.
If they are cold they will cheep constantly.
If they are walking around and eating and drinking normally, they are just fine.
Don't play games with the light. once it is adjusted, leave it on . 24/7.
the poop on the chicks butt is probably just dried poop from the feed. wash it off gently and it probably won't come back..
If it does come back, wash it off again.
the only thing that can go wrong is if the poop hardens and blocks the pooper hole.
Don't be in such a hurry to medicate.
Your diagnosis, and other peoples', might be wrong.
brace yourself, not all chicks will live .
.....jiminwisc......

 

[cmom]

There are a lot of people who will give a lot of advice. I too started raising chickens around 50 years ago. People are different and have many different ways to brood. From my experience chicks can handle a more cool than too hot. If you are using a heat lamp take the heat lamp out and put a lower wattage incandescent bulb in the lamp. This is a styrofoam cooler with a 15 watt incandescent bulb that I put the chicks in while they are drying.

This is my actual brooder.

I have used melon boxes.

 

[jvls1942]

it is true, many different advices will be offered
just to set the record straight, I was set up for hatching up to 1500 chicks at a time.
I never lost any due to cold or heat or lack of either.
I am dead set against those large high wattage heat lamps, red or otherwise.
I have seen more than one explode with a shower of sparks that would rival a 4th of July fireworks display..
we have used glass fish tanks for drying the chicks off. Bed liners fit nicely in them if folded. makes daily cleaning easier.
I have two brooders in each of my main coops. I can handle 300 to 500 chicks in them.
I did custom hatching for clients. One man would bring me 700 eggs at a time a couple of times in the summer. Another one brought me 72 turkey eggs.
I have nothing to lose, so you can take any advice you wish.
.....jiminwisc.......

 

[SurferchickinSB]

In CA, considering you have hardware cloth on the opening and it's predator safe, I would not close the door at all in September. The night can stay pretty warm there.

I guess I am just paranoid, so I close the doors because I don’t want the raccoons, skunks and possums that go by to know they are there.

 

[ValerieJ]

I guess I am just paranoid, so I close the doors because I don’t want the raccoons, skunks and possums that go by to know they are there.

I'm with you there. If it's not secure enough, then by all means close the door. I assumed the hardware cloth was secured in a way a raccoon couldn't get in.