Chicks huddled into corner

[Frank12385]

Hello Everyone, happy new year! My ducklings have been huddled into a corner like this for the last few days, does anyone know why this is? Are they too cold?

Thank you for your help!

 

[jay873]

Have they been moving at all and isn't that a heat lamp

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Too much heat for size of box. Raise the lamp or change to a smaller bulb. It's helpful to put the heat source on one end of box not the middle. That way the birds self regulate the temp they want to be in. If they spend all their time on cold end of brooder then you raise the lamp, lower wattage, or if older may be time to wean from added heat. At two to three weeks of age I start turning off the for few hours each day and lengthening the time it's off until no heat in brooder then they go outside to coop.

 

[Frank12385]

Yep it’s a red heat lamp... they love once in awhile but mostly stay like that.

 

[Blooie]

The area under the heat lamp is probably too hot and too bright, so they are staying away from it. With that many in a brooder that size, there really isn't anyplace else to go or anything else to do but just park it in a cooler corner and stay there. Ducklings heat requirements are different than chicks - they don't need as much heat. If it was me, I think I'd reconfigure the brooder to have the light at one side and up higher - or better yet provide them with a bigger brooder where they can get away from the heat.

 

[Frank12385]

Thank you for your help! I expanded the brooder a bit and they seem to be running around and enjoying it a lot!