My brooder temperature is not stable throughout the day. House style, pets and space force me to use an insulated shed to put the brooder in. There is no alternative. Trouble is, during the hot day the temperature under the red heat lamp soars to 105F. Late at night, it is down to 90F. Ive tried a smaller brooder space (2ft x 3ft) and the temperature fluctuations are worse. With a larger area (4 x 5) it seems more stable. Under the lamp varies from low to high 90s but the periphery is much cooler around 75-80F. Can a brooder be too big? Ive been told that chicks can pile up in the cooler areas and die. What amount of temperature fluctuation can you have through the day without making the chicks ill? I have to sort this out in three days when 16 Buff Orpingtons arrive as day old chicks.
with the times of day you check on them you can always move the lamp away or closer to them and ya, a brooder can be too big
I'd worry more about it getting too hot. Be sure the chicks have a way to move to cooler spots. Temperature does not need to be constant. Chicks being raised by a hen are out running around in the outside temps (even quite cold temps) and when they need warmth they run over to the hen, she plops down, and they snuggle under her. A 4 by 5 foot area doesn't seem so large to me that the chicks would get lost in it and not be able to find their way back to the warmth, especially if you can set it up so that the heat source is somewhat in the middle of that area.
