chicks are cold at night

[PurpleChicken]

Jsto wrote:
I wouldn't say so. My heat lamp has always had to be pretty high up because the particular brooder I was using retained heat really well. your brooder is open on the sides rather than solid like hers. The height of the heat lamps vary depending on where the chicks are kept. My chickys would have fried had I kept my lamp as low as yours, yet yours probably would have froze if you kept it as high as mine.

No disagreement here. I thought a few times about putting walls on my brooder but it was located in my kitchen so I wasn't too worried. In addition, I had a very good digital thermometer which I verified accuracy daily with my infrared gun. I was surprised at how dramatically the temp would change with only slight changes in ambient temp, lamp height, and chick volume. When my chicks huddled together the temp 1 inch above the floor would increase by as much as 10 degrees. I'd check the temp on the chicks' backs to make sure they were ok. None of them are Cornish X's. We're not planning on cooking them.

 

[Jsto]

Quote:
Yeah, the temperature flucs can be crazy. I was also just looking at my original post which made no sense. Obviously her lights can be lowered if the temperature isn't hight enough

I need to pay attention to what I'm writing, lol!

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

I agree, covering the box will make a huge difference. I brooded my group from 1wk out in our unheated garage. They were in a box about the same size as yours, with the light about 12 inches above (hanging in the brooder). I confess that I didn't even use a heat bulb, just a plain jane 75watt, but there is a solid lid on the thing, and tons of airholes in it. I had no prob keeping the temp where I wanted it, and after a week, they didn't even really sleep under it anymore.

Good luck with your babies! They are so cute in your pictures! Hard to believe they grow SO fast!

-Meghan

 

[verthandi]

I cover half of the top of my brooder with an old window screen and a blanket, and have the heat source on one end of the brooder. Also soda bottle filled with fairly hot water from the tap, and then covered with tightly woven fabric will produce heat for most of the evening. Or large rice socks heated in the microwave.

 

[GoodEgg]

Everyone has more experience than me and great responses, so I don't know that mine is needed. But you asked about heating pads, and I didn't see it addressed, so I just wanted to say that I used them with my ducklings, my chicks, and my "hospital cage" for chicks.

This is my first batch of each, and the chicks are only a week here, so I shouldn't say much from the point of the chicks, but it did work great for the ducklings. I had to put it UNDER the box they were in, and line the box well with plastic (later used a plastic box) to protect the pad from water. Also I am always careful to place the pad under only part of the box, so they can "escape" the heat if it's too warm (except the hospital cage, which seems to be better with the pad under the whole thing, it just has a desk lamp over one end).

(I checked with my hand, and it produces a gentle warmth in the floor, and the babies seem to love it.)

I've used everything from lowest to 2nd highest setting, depending on the thickness of the litter, the brooder material, and the age of the ducklings. I don't have any thermometer, but I watch the babies to see how they react to judge the temp and I think that has been a pretty good method with the ducklings.

Just thought I'd mention it, in case anyone else was looking for that info. Sounds like you have what you need.

Good luck!

trish