Chicks not using heater

[alessadry]

So I moved my 2 week and a half old chicks in our sunny room and we are enjoying lower temperatures this week (we're in Arizona). They had lots of fun today running around, digging, eating and exploring. They have been a bit scared at times by new noises and have decided to make a corner their "safety spot." Problem is, this corner is opposite to the where their ceramic reptile heater is and I am afraid that once it gets dark, they won't move to the heater if it gets cold (should go down to 50's tonight outside, but in the sunny room, hopefully should not get lower than 70)

I tried feeding them under the heater so they could detect the heat, but they seemed to care less. They keep on going to the opposite corner to sleep. They are not piling up, actually some are sleeping a bit apart, but I worry in the middle of the night if they get too cold when temperatures drop.

If it gets too cold, will they think about seeking the heat, or since it's dark they will just bunch up together in the corner? How can I let them know where the heat is, other than feeding them under it? thanks in advance!

 

[eggbert420]

Put a light by it.

 

[Pork Pie]

With those night time indoor temperatures, I would not worry too much. We have similar night time temps where i live and my chicks are perfectly fine without heat after 10 days.

 

[alessadry]

So around midnight chicks started peeping, guess they were starting to get chilly as they were all bundled together and room temperature away from heater was 77. So removed reptile heater and put back red lamp heater in hopes that the familiar red light wold attract them. They initially all went there except one chick, the most skittish one. Not sure what this skittish chick is telling others, but it looks like she has the power to tell the other chicks to stay away from the heat lamp and move towards her. Every time the rest of the chicks go away from her and towards the heat lamp, she starts making these chirps of getting cold and they all rush towards her and start bundling up. I am getting ready for a night of no sleep, and no idea how to solve this. So frustrating!

 

[Pork Pie]

Not sure how you do things, but I begin increasing the height of the heat source every day, after the first 5 days. This weans them off the heat gradually. If you have not done this, then maybe its just a bit of a shock to their system.

The most important thing however, is that you are monitoring your chicks and acting accordingly. As for the nutcase chick - sorry, I can't help there

 

[alessadry]

I haven't really been raising it every day, but followed McMurray hatchery's guideline to lowering it 5 degrees each week, so in the brooder they were used to 85-87 now that they were 2 weeks. Now that they are in m sunny room with lots of space to enjoy, they don't want to use the heat lamp at all, even though last night the lowest was 73. They bunched together and chirped a bit and then all fell asleep in the opposite corner of the heat lamp. I woke up at 3AM and they were still still there. My husband checked them at 6 AM and there were like 6 under the heat lamp but the rest were still in the corner.

My skittish chick seems to be the one teaching them to gather in that opposite corner any time she gets scared of a noise and they all follow. We'll see what they do tonight when we are expecting colder temperatures. It would be a no-brainer to move the heat lamp to the corner they like so much, but I have no plug on that side and no where to hang it to. They better learn to use the heat lamp when it's cold at night because next week they'll be going in the coop which is even bigger space.

 

[Pork Pie]

Im sure they will be fine

 

[eggbert420]

Im sure they will be fine

X2.

 

[lazy gardener]

I haven't really been raising it every day, but followed McMurray hatchery's guideline to lowering it 5 degrees each week, so in the brooder they were used to 85-87 now that they were 2 weeks. Now that they are in m sunny room with lots of space to enjoy, they don't want to use the heat lamp at all, even though last night the lowest was 73. They bunched together and chirped a bit and then all fell asleep in the opposite corner of the heat lamp. I woke up at 3AM and they were still still there. My husband checked them at 6 AM and there were like 6 under the heat lamp but the rest were still in the corner.



My skittish chick seems to be the one teaching them to gather in that opposite corner any time she gets scared of a noise and they all follow. We'll see what they do tonight when we are expecting colder temperatures. It would be a no-brainer to move the heat lamp to the corner they like so much, but I have no plug on that side and no where to hang it to. They better learn to use the heat lamp when it's cold at night because next week they'll be going in the coop which is even bigger space.

IMO, they are telling you they do not need heat.