Chicks going away from the heat source. Why?

[NatJ]

Even

Thank you. I'll send a picture of my setup. They usually sleep next to the water in the right corner.

It is good for chicks to spend time in cool places and warm places, and go back and forth when they want to.

I would move the heat lamp as far to one end as possible. That will help the other end be cooler.

You may even be able to move the lamp so part of the light shines outside the pen, so not as much heat goes in.

 

[Harun]

Are you sure that all the chicks are 4 days old? Some of those chicks look like they're 2-3 weeks old.

Only the black ones are 3-4 days old. The brown ones and yellow chicks are a few weeks.

 

[Harun]

moving it all the way to one side will help. But like whats been said, in a tank it will be warmer. Do you have any thing else you can put them in? they are going to grow out of that, anyways.

The only other enclosure my family has is a bunny cage. I had them init before but my dad didn't like the design. My dad's afraod they'll stick their head through and get stuck, and he's also afraid of the plastic floor and lower-frame melting.

 

[21hens-incharge]

The only other enclosure my family has is a bunny cage. I had them init before but my dad didn't like the design. My dad's afraod they'll stick their head through and get stuck, and he's also afraid of the plastic floor and lower-frame melting.

If it's hot enough to melt the floor it will also destroy the plastic coating on the wire and cook the chicks.

I wonder what wattage the bulb you have now is and if you can switch to a lower wattage.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

The only other enclosure my family has is a bunny cage. I had them init before but my dad didn't like the design. My dad's afraod they'll stick their head through and get stuck, and he's also afraid of the plastic floor and lower-frame melting.

Yeah, I wouldn't use that. What I would use with that is take the top off and place the top outside on some grass on a warm sunny day and put the chicks in for a short time. They'd love it!

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I wonder what wattage the bulb you have now is and if you can switch to a lower wattage.

I was thinking of suggesting this too.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The way they are spread out they don't look bad but you may have disturbed them while taking the photo. If they are cold they tend to crowd around the heat source. If they are too hot they crowd the far walls, getting as far from the heat as possible. Their body language is a better guide to how they feel about heat or cold than any thermometer. Too much heat can kill as fast or faster than too little.

Aquariums are often used as brooders but they are typically pretty small and subject to overheating. What you want in a brooder is an area warm enough in the warmest conditions and cool enough in the warmest conditions. That looks like it is in your house so your room temperature is pretty constant. I brood outside and something like that would not work, too much temperature variation outside.

That looks like a wire mesh (screen) top so you have good ventilation. Hot air rises so it can cool off if you can reduce the heat going in. A solid top would not be great, would trap the heat.

I'd also suggest moving the lamp to one corner to try to let the far end cool off. NatJ's idea of letting part of the light shine outside of the aquarium to reduce heat input also has merit. Raising it can help regulate temperature. I switch out different wattage bulbs brooding outside to match temperatures so that can help but good luck finding different wattage bulbs anywhere local. I have to go online to get anything other than a 250 watt. In your house like that a 75 watt would probably be enough.

However you use that heat lamp make sure it is secure so it can't fall, I use wire, some people use chain, and support it from above. Securing it so it can't fall really helps reduce fire risk.

I only see four chicks. From a space requirement to give then room that's probably big enough but something bigger may make it easier to give them a warm spot and a cool spot.

Good luck!

 

[Harun]

If it's hot enough to melt the floor it will also destroy the plastic coating on the wire and cook the chicks.

I wonder what wattage the bulb you have now is and if you can switch to a lower wattage.

The nearby stores don't sell lower wattages than 125. I hadto improvise and was wondering if this is better. Don't ask how I hung the light above.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I in the past have kept chicks in cardboard boxes. Now I use a large plastic tub In the bathtub.

 

[Harun]

The way they are spread out they don't look bad but you may have disturbed them while taking the photo. If they are cold they tend to crowd around the heat source. If they are too hot they crowd the far walls, getting as far from the heat as possible. Their body language is a better guide to how they feel about heat or cold than any thermometer. Too much heat can kill as fast or faster than too little.

Aquariums are often used as brooders but they are typically pretty small and subject to overheating. What you want in a brooder is an area warm enough in the warmest conditions and cool enough in the warmest conditions. That looks like it is in your house so your room temperature is pretty constant. I brood outside and something like that would not work, too much temperature variation outside.

That looks like a wire mesh (screen) top so you have good ventilation. Hot air rises so it can cool off if you can reduce the heat going in. A solid top would not be great, would trap the heat.

I'd also suggest moving the lamp to one corner to try to let the far end cool off. NatJ's idea of letting part of the light shine outside of the aquarium to reduce heat input also has merit. Raising it can help regulate temperature. I switch out different wattage bulbs brooding outside to match temperatures so that can help but good luck finding different wattage bulbs anywhere local. I have to go online to get anything other than a 250 watt. In your house like that a 75 watt would probably be enough.

However you use that heat lamp make sure it is secure so it can't fall, I use wire, some people use chain, and support it from above. Securing it so it can't fall really helps reduce fire risk.

I only see four chicks. From a space requirement to give then room that's probably big enough but something bigger may make it easier to give them a warm spot and a cool spot.

Good luck!

Thank you for your detailed advice. Unfortunately the frame for the aquarium is plastic so the bulb will melt right through it, otherwise I'd happily have it the way NatJ advised. I've hung it slightly above the aquarium now to reduce the heat but was wondering if it's too high or too low. Thanks again for your advice!