Brooder questions!

[glewis121]

So my first chick just came out of her egg an hour ago and is still in the bator.

I have a cardboard box set up with a heat lamp and was wondering what temperature the brooder should be kept at?

Also, any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Daisygirl]

For a brooder, I used a cardboard box as well. Put pine shavings on the bottom, but cover with paper towels for the first few days so the chicks won't eat them. A fifty watt lighbulb should be enough, and I never knew what temp my brooder was at - - I just adjusted it according to where the chicks were - if they were huddled together under it, I'd move it closer, and if they were in the far corners, I'd move it further away. Round the corners with pieces of paper, so one chick cant get smothered under a pile. For the water, put marbles in a dish so the chicks won't drown in it. For the feeder, put medicated crumbles on a dish - - wash regularly. Be aware that this is as minimalistic as you can get, as most folks say you need a temperature gauge.
Daisy

 

[firedove]

Conventionally a brooder should be at 95 degrees under the light for the first week and then reduced by 5 degrees every week. That said, mine that I hatched this past week are perfectly happy with the brooder at 85 degrees from day 2 through now. It's like Daisygirl said, watch how your chicks are reacting, if they are huddled up under the lamp they are too cold, if they are as far from the lamp as they can get they are probably too hot. You want to see them comfortably moving about in the brooder and making quiet happy noises. If they are peeping loudly they are unhappy.

Also, is this one chick just the first to hatch, or the only one to hatch? If it's an only chick it's going to be very unhappy. At the very least you can help it by putting a plush toy in the brooder with it. It will snuggle with it. At best you can try to find someone local to you who has similar aged chicks that you can get your little one a buddy from. Also, if it ends up being an only chick or you only have 2 or 3 they will probably like the brooder on the higher end of acceptable range for temp since they won't be able to group up for heat as much.

If you can get away with a cooler temp your chicks will feather out quicker which is a bonus in the winter.

If you have more eggs still in the bator, good luck with the rest of your hatch!

 

[glewis121]

thanks firedove!

I have 5 more eggs in the bator along with the one who is already out!

3 more have pips and 2 nothing so far!

Bator is up and running is is at 98 degrees!

Thanks for the advice!

 

[firedove]

Quote:
What a cutie! Good luck to your little pipped chicks for an easy zip! I'll keep my fingers crossed for the other two eggs too! What kind of chicks are they?

 

[glewis121]

the father is an aracana.

there aer 6 eggs in the bator, 1 is definitely my female aracana's. the other 5 could be from any of the other 5 chickens (2 RIR, 1 Black star, 1 BR, and 1 other chicken im not sure about)

Well see what they all look like!

 

[firedove]

Quote:
So one araucana and 5 Easter Eggers. EEs are cool since they have so much color variety. I just hatched out 10 EEs myself. What color is your roo?

 

[glewis121]

he has a bunch of colors! Greens and reds mostly

 

[firedove]

Cool. Sounds like you could get some really cool colors for your chicks!

ETA: how's the hatch going?

 

[glewis121]

So 4 are out and in the brooder!

1 more piped and had her egg crushed when one of the one who had hateched and was drying stepped on it! and that chick died shortly after due probably to all of the blood!

the final egg piped and died... i opened it up and the chick was fully formed