Brooder Temp for 11 day old chicks

[CamarilloChica]

Need help - my first time with chicks..please help! My chicks are 11 days old and seem to like it much cooler than what I'm reading. The thermometer is reading 77 in there and all the chicks are happy (not huddling). Shouldn't it be closer to 80? Or should I just trust the chicks to let me know when it is too cold?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Short answer - Trust your chicks.

Longer answer – That 90 to 95 with a 5 degree drop a week is a general guideline that will keep most people out of trouble even if they have a lousy brooder. It is extremely conservative and extremely safe. In a reasonably decent brooder they don’t need it that warm.

A simple way out of that dilemma is to have a decently large brooder and only heat one area. Let the rest cool off quite a bit. That way the chicks can find their own comfort zone. In reality you will see chicks all over that brooder, spending a lot of time in the cooler areas and going back to the heat when they need to warm up.