Brooder Thermometer

[ridgefire]

Have a question about using a thermometer in the brooder. I have a cheapy bulb style one at home, you know the glass tube with the red liquid.

Should I be worried about the chicks picking at the tube?
Can they pick hard enough to break the glass?

I thought about taking some left over hardware cloth and building a wire wall around it so they cant get to it.

 

[Texas Fluffy Feet]

You know that thought didn't even occur to me. I have one like that in my brooder too along with a digital one. I just got my chicks yesterday and IMO they are too tiny right now to break it. They haven't really shown to much interest in it yet anyway, although one used it as a roost for awhile. I doubt this was intentional, she just happened to be on it when she fell asleep. They are so funny, it's almost like they have narcolypsy or something. They just fall asleep at random and a few seconds later pop back up and run around again. I could see where a little bigger chick could cause that concern though and covering it may not be a bad idea.

I am beginning to have the same opinion as some of the more experienced people on the board however, the chicks will tell you if they are to hot or cold and I will more than likely remove at least the regular thermometer in another day or two from my brooder if not both of them. I can have the therm's side by side in there and they will vary in their readings by at least 3 degrees. that drove me nuts when I was trying to get it ready before the chicks came. Now, I think the chicks themselves are the most dependable thermometer to go by!

Good luck and enjoy your chickies!

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I would just remove the thermometer. Go by the chicks. If they are hudling under the light all the time they are cold and you should lower it a bit. If they are away from the light all the time they are hot raise it a bit. You want them roaming the whole broader. If you feel better with the thermometer just put it in for a couple minutes once or twice a day to check it.

 

[Break an Egg]

I bought a little one from walmart just for the brooder. I thought about them messing with it, but they haven't noticed it yet. Then again, I'm used to baby-proofing my home because of my 21 month old. Perhaps you can attach it somehow to an upper corner or somewhere they won't see it.