Couple chicks are very lethargic...EDIT: 4 died...

[Happy Chooks]

I agree, it sounds like they are too hot. If you are using a 250 watt bulb, try lowering it to a 100 watt incandescent bulb.

 

[Jeffross1968]

The temp at the hottest point is 88 degrees, but they have TONS of room to move away from that spot. Shouldn't that be alright?

 

[ChickenPrnces]

What's the temp at the other end? If the bulb is too hot then the heat will spread and make the whole thing that hot!

 

[Jeffross1968]

What's the temp at the other end? If the bulb is too hot then the heat will spread and make the whole thing that hot!

At the coolest point it's 71 degrees. The brooder is set up so that only half of the walls going up each side are solid, the rest is plastic poultry fencing. I took the picture below just now so you can see what I'm talking about. The bottom is actually one of those cheap book cases from walmart I found at the recycling center. I removed the shelves, and one side wall. I screwed a 2x4 into each corner, replaced the missing side with some clear plexiglass for viewing, and then wrapped the poultry fencing around the the rest of the 2x4 so that it's well ventilated, but they can't get out. There is a top that I've made also out of chicken wire and pieces of the shelving I removed, but I can't use it until the light is raised high enough to allow it to slide underneath. You can see it leaning up behind the brooder.

As you can see, the heat really only effects the hot spot, and then loses intensity quickly as you move from the hot spot because of the walls not being completely solid all the way up. Works really well to give them the room they need to regulate themselves...

 

[Jeffross1968]

I also wanted to say that Ideal took care of us. They offered to send us replacements, with of course, a bunch of packing peanuts, or refund the money for not only the 4 that died, but also the cross beak and there is one with an eye problem. They called, replying to my weekend emails, an hour after they opened this morning. Considering the stresses of shipping chickens, the fact that a cross beak is likely not visible the day they packed it, and the eye thing...who knows...could have happened via pecking during shipment, or even after we got them...they did good by us. I'll order from them again.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I also wanted to say that Ideal took care of us. They offered to send us replacements, with of course, a bunch of packing peanuts, or refund the money for not only the 4 that died, but also the cross beak and there is one with an eye problem. They called, replying to my weekend emails, an hour after they opened this morning. Considering the stresses of shipping chickens, the fact that a cross beak is likely not visible the day they packed it, and the eye thing...who knows...could have happened via pecking during shipment, or even after we got them...they did good by us. I'll order from them again.

I'm glad they took good care of you guys. I'm sorry about your chicks.