Brooder/heat lamp issues

[SurferchickinSB]

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.

I’m sure it is strong enough because I screwed that hardware cloth onto a frame, but a big strong raccoon can just chew through the plywood I would think if it was really obsessed with getting into the coop.

 

[Shezadandy]

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.

Depending what the size of your door is--- what we did is buy a security screen door like this- good ventilation, reasonably predator proof. The predators probably know the chickens by smell.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Unique-...C-_-NavPLPHorizontal1_rr-_-NA-_-202098336-_-N

 

[Ebony Rose]

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

I use a 60 watt 'party' red bulb (not teflon coated), and they love it.

Red bulbs can get extremely hot and are not the best heatsource unless you 'really' need to warm an area - even then, lower wattage is usually suitable.

I use this with my quail chicks who really do need the heat, even here in the tropics. I use the red bulb because it provides enough light for me to see them, for them to see the food and water (available around the clock), and the red tint seems to distract them from the art of pecking each other's eyes. Yeah, that's a real thing with quail.

It's important to note that light bulbs may be coated with teflon, and they don't even need to be tinted to have a teflon coating. Teflon coating reduces the heat output and reportedly makes the bulb less prone to breakage. The gas emitted by warm teflon is also highly toxic to birds. Keep this in mind if you cook with teflon and your birds are anywhere near the kitchen. If the packaging indicates that it's break resistant or causes less heat, etc., put it back on the shelf and keep searching.

 

[KLO]

You could have it in a significantly warmer area than I have mine in; your chicks could just naturally be hardier, or you might have a brooder that reflects the warmth back into the middle of the brooder. There are a lot of factors.


Hmmm. That's ringing alarm bells in my head. Some hatcheries will include a "Free" straight-run bird. Got any pictures? If she's a he, best to know now, rather than later.


My first suspicion would still be coccidiosis. The amount of amprollium in most medicated feed is enough to keep a low level low, but if the count raises for any reason, medicated feed often won't get it back down. Do you have pictures of this poop? Does she act cold? Are her wings weirdly held out?

She is acting normal for the most part. It's just the diarrhea. I do believe you are right and ill need to treat the flock. Does this mean I need to stop the medicated starter and put them on something else as I'll also be putting medication in their water? I don't want to over medicate them...
I do worry that our freebie is a male. I do not have pictures but am curious to know if there is a way to tell on a barred rock through auto sexing?
I think my brooder is the issue. I have a larger set up I'll be doing here in a day or two and I hope that helps solve the problem with the heat lamp.

 

[KLO]

Summer? September?

Okay, I'm moving south.

Yes, I live in the southern part of Illinois on the border of Kentucky. It was 96 today.
Personally I hate it but we aren't ready to move to cooler climates yet so we are stuck here until we can relocate. Lol

 

[KLO]

It’s summer and if you are using a 250 W bulb with a Rubbermaid tote, it is probably way too hot!Do you have a thermometer in there? 90 to 95° is good for the first week. I just think those 250 W bulbs in a very small space are way too hot.

I think you are right. I'm going to change up things tomorrow.

 

[KLO]

Maybe we can all move in with them

Haha, well between the dog, cat, 7 chicks, two toddlers and all the craziness, I don't think you'd enjoy yourself much.

 

[Shezadandy]

She is acting normal for the most part. It's just the diarrhea. I do believe you are right and ill need to treat the flock. Does this mean I need to stop the medicated starter and put them on something else as I'll also be putting medication in their water? I don't want to over medicate them...
I do worry that our freebie is a male. I do not have pictures but am curious to know if there is a way to tell on a barred rock through auto sexing?
I think my brooder is the issue. I have a larger set up I'll be doing here in a day or two and I hope that helps solve the problem with the heat lamp.

From what I found on tractor supply's website, the feed has AMP 0.0125% which is amprolium (the ingredient in corid). The dosage for the powder and liquid can be found here:

https://the-chicken-chick.com/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken/

Personally I wouldn't worry too much about the medicated feed. If you want, you could get a little bag of flock raiser or non-medicated start and grow, but if all you're feeding is 7 chicks- a 5lb bag of something else is going to linger for quite some time! If you have (or buy at the feed store) a small syringe (3cc), you can draw up very accurate doses for your water in a quart quantity (or 12cc syringe for a gallon dose). The liquid is 9.5cc/gallon or 2.375cc/quart if you'd rather have a smaller batch. The mix needs to be disposed of every 24 hrs, so small batches when you're treating littles is usually better.

 

[jvls1942]

Really ?? You are going to medicate for an illness that you are not even sure of ?

 

[Ebony Rose]

Really ?? You are going to medicate for an illness that you are not even sure of ?

When it comes to medicating for coccidiosis, You betcha sweet bippy, yeah. Coccidia is a one-celled parasite that is present everywhere. It's in the soil and it's all around the world. Young animals of a wide variety of farm animals that are exposed to the soil and haven't built up an immunity to it are highly susceptible to being infested with it. I buy the medication and start treatment the very first day that my chicks 'boots-hit-the-ground', as my soil apparently has a very high load of this organism. Before I understood coccidia, I lost a lot of birds (about half) to this horrible disease that is able to kill chicks in a matter of days. Once you notice chicks are sick, they're VERY sick. This organism attaches itself to the gut lining, and if not treated promptly, has a very high morbidity rate. The medication to treat it, works by imitating a certain B-Vitamin, which is why when you treat for coccidiosis you withhold vitamin supplements for your flock. Without this B-Vitamin present in your livestock, the coccidia starve to death and your livestock is 'cured' until their immune system is compromised with stressors such as another illness or disease, allowing the coccidia to gain a foothold. Given as, and for the duration prescribed the medication will not harm you, your flock, nor the environment. The ONLY thing it hurts is the parasite...
Given that the medication functions by blocking the B-Vitamin, it's highly recommended to add a vitamin and mineral supplement to their water, specifically B-Vitamin for at least a week to waylay deficiency issues in your livestock, AFTER their entire treatment for coccidiosis is complete.