Cold Brooding?

[silkwormlady]

New to this thread but like the idea of using an insulating fiber/barrier in set-up for chicks. I have 9 chicks, 3 weeks old in a 3x3x3 box. In the house. Had the heat lamp on continuously until 2 weeks old. They started acting over heated. Switched to a 100 watt bulb. They kept flying at it and breaking the filament so I switched to a 60 watt. They are happy campers now. Been too cold a wind big time blowing (zone 5 WV) to move them to the coop but that will likely happen this week, box and all with the heat lamp so they can decide what temp works for them .. This is my first time with chicks, so I figure their first few days/nights in the coop will be anxious ones for me!

 

[aart]

I don't think heat is the problem, it's the light 24/7...especially white light but even red light

That said they don't need as much heat as is usually recommended......
.....the whole 95F then minus 5F a week thing

 

[silkwormlady]

Agreed. I'm thinking that the move to the coop will be good that way, too. Dark around them and a choice as to where to be in relation to the heat/light source I think is going to be good for them. But I'll miss hearing all their little vocalizations, which they're having quietly with one another right now. Bedtime stories, no doubt.

 

[aart]

I switched to a Pseudo Brooder Plate made with a heating pad to get rid of the light issues.
At 3 weeks I removed it from the brooder, but they are in a 65 degree room inside.

 

[WindyHillFarm]

I built a "brooder box" with clear plastic storage bins (lots of 1/2 inch holes drilled in the sides for ventilation). Put it outside in the sun with a little shade during the day (it's still cold in WV here most days, not over 60) as these crazy Asian chicks like to fly up toward the light when it's on. Made a cuddler with a couple of packs of hot hands, so they can sleep on it if they want to, and I just change those out a couple of times per day when I clean the box. Also, have been using a hot water bottle at night and when we're not home. I've seen too many pictures of heat lamp fires to be willing to leave the light on 24/7...glad to hear about others having good results with this! About to move the chicks to a larger area. They are really playful and need some room to run.

 

[Muzungu Josh]

I'm rearing broilers here in Eastern Uganda. The temp never drops below 60 F at night. I brood 20 at a time. I use the box they came in turned upside down with the sides cut out as a cold brooder and a solar LED lamp for light. This is my second time cold brooding and first time during the slightly chillier rainy season, but things seem to be going well. I get1kg birds at 3 weeks and 2-2.5 kg birds at six weeks.

Two questions.

Can someone site a hard number on what the lower temp limit is?

I get my chicks "day old," but they're covered in baby fuzz feathers as shown in the pic. Are they really just a day old?

 

[junebuggena]

Chicks hatch covered in down. Most hatcheries sort and ship chicks within a few hours of hatch. So yes they are usually one day old.