Brooder heat

[Chickenleg123]

hey guys. My chicks hatched a week ago and they are growing well (except for one with a hock injury). I was wondering how long do they need the heat lamp for. I feel like they are mature enough but I’m still unsure. They’ve had heat since they hatched up until now (a week later). Advice on how long I should keep the lamp on for please. Also how can I tell the gender of a one week old chick.

 

[featheredplanets]

You can start to tell their gender once they get to six weeks, but some may take a few weeks after that to be accurately sexed, you can't sex a one week old unless it's autosexing, sex linked, vent sexed or one of the breeds where wing sexing works.

One week old chicks still need heat. Once they stop using it, you can take it away, that'll be around the four/five week mark, given it being winter. The heat should be decreasing by 5F a week, for the first week it should be 95F, the next 90F, after that 85F, you get the idea...

 

[Pork Pie]

I prefer to gradually reduce heat after one week, and observe chick behaviour, rather than focus on temperatures. If chicks huddle under the heat source, they are too cool, if they avoid the heat source, they are too warm.

If you are brooding chicks indoors (in a heated room) then your chicks should be pretty much fine without heat source at one week old.