Chicks for the first Time

[dennymeyrand]

It's 4'x8'x16" tall. I partitioned it so they are in a 4x4 section. I have two lamps (250 watt bulbs) on about 100 chicks. The sides and bottom are 1/2" plywood and the top is 1/2" hardware cloth. I covered part of the top of their current area this morning with a piece of plywood to see if that helps.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

It's 4'x8'x16" tall. I partitioned it so they are in a 4x4 section. I have two lamps (250 watt bulbs) on about 100 chicks. The sides and bottom are 1/2" plywood and the top is 1/2" hardware cloth. I covered part of the top of their current area this morning with a piece of plywood to see if that helps.

Your lamps should be heating the brooder. What are you using to measure temp. Do your chicks act cold ( huddled together under the light)?

 

[dennymeyrand]

Your lamps should be heating the brooder. What are you using to measure temp. Do your chicks act cold ( huddled together under the light)?

I have a thermometer on the floor of the brooder under the light. And yes, they were huddling this morning.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

I have a thermometer on the floor of the brooder under the light. And yes, they were huddling this morning.

You may need to pull them out and put them into something smaller until they get a few weeks old and can tolerate the lower temps. I really can't think of another solution if your lamps arent producing enough heat.

 

[kynewbchickie]

I have a thermometer on the floor of the brooder under the light. And yes, they were huddling this morning.

I used a candy thermometer and followed the recommended height for the heat lamp the first two weeks - week 1 was 95-98 degrees with a lamp height of 17", week 2 was 90-93 degrees with a lamp height of 15.5". It seemed that raising my lamp by 1.5" every week put the temp to where it needed to be. Now, they get the lamp at night when the temp in the basement drops.

Your brooder should be holding heat unless it's exposed to quite a bit of draft - all 30 of mine are in a 4'x4' brooder that they have quickly outgrown.

 

[kynewbchickie]

I should add that my heat lamp was suspended by a chain from one of the floor beam joists to be over one side of the brooder, so they had free choice of the cooler, or warmer, area of the brooder. Suspending it by a chain, hung from a good-sized heavy-duty nail, allows me to change the height of the lamp pretty easily.

 

[BillM2]

Is the brooder covered or open? Covering it might help but far enough away from the heat lamp!

 

[eggocentric]

HELP. New egg here. This is my first batch of eggs to raise. I have a total of 10 eggs under my bantam hen. They are hatching now. When will they start to eat. I have chick scratch for them. I've put the feeders down within reach. My hens normally free range during the day and get locked in the coop at night. How old should the babies be before I allow them free range. I know the hen will guide them but I don't know how restricted they should be.


Also - Do I need to provide heat for the coop to help keep the babies warm or can the mother manage. Our nights are in the 30s and 40s, our days are in the 60s.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread



https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-threadquote name="eggocentric" url="/t/759990/chicks-for-the-first-time/60#post_10917246"]HELP.  New egg here.  This is my first batch of eggs to raise.  I have a total of 10 eggs under my bantam hen.  They are hatching now.  When will they start to eat.  I have chick scratch for them.  I've put the feeders down within reach. My hens normally free range during the day and get locked in the coop at night.  How old should the babies be before I allow them free range.  I know the hen will guide them but I don't know how restricted they should be.


Also - Do I need to provide heat for the coop to help keep the babies warm or can the mother manage.  Our nights are in the 30s and 40s, our days are in the 60s. 
[/quote]

 

[Jeanna Marie]

Sorry about the above post. Since I am raising my chicks in a brooder I cannot answer your questions but the thread I linked above has tons of useful information.

We would love to see pics of your babies once they are all hatched.
Most folks recommendseperating the broody and chicks from the rest of the flock. The chicks will learn to eat from themother. Make sure there is chick starter available. They might require additional heat as well.