Day Old Chick Temp Question

[Jdratlif]

I just received 20 red ranger baby chicks via the mail. This is my first go at raising chicks. I will be starting an on going thread for these chicks in the next day or so. I have a question though.
Will
I built a nice brooder for the chicks with a standard light socket for the heat source. I have a 60 watt bulb in there right now because I could not find a 100 watt bulb. There is a dimmer but I have the light turned all the way up. When I put my chicks in the brooder they all congregated on the bulb side, but will wander away from that side to eat and drink. I put the thermometer next to the chick mass to get a reading of the brooder temp by the chicks. The temp by the chicks is 85 degrees. My question is, is it crucial to get the brooder temp exactly at 90-95 degrees? I ask this, because right now the temp is 5 degrees lower than where I want it and when the house thermostat goes into leave mode the brooder will drop to 80 degrees. Will these lower temps hurt the chicks? I know the the red rangers run hot and don't need as high a temp. Also, I have the feeling that chickens are a little heartier than we give them credit for.

Let me know. Thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You're so right that chicks aren't that fragile.

What I've found that is crucial is to provide a warm spot near 100 and lots of cool space. That replicates how a hen raises chicks.
You may need a 75 watt for a few days.

Additionally, I may add that after the first few days, they should have a dark period. I use ceramic heat emitters and then give a hemeral day length with fluorescent or LED to save energy.

 

[Jdratlif]

Thanks for the helpful reply. I looked for 75 watt red bulbs but could not find any. I am finding that high wattage bulbs are harder to find since these newer energy saver bulbs are being supplied.

What type of ceramic heat emitters are you talking about? Like a heat rock for a lizard? I like your idea of separating heat and light sources.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've had better luck finding bulbs at hardware stores than at the big box stores. My local Ace Hardware has several options for red heat bulbs.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thanks for the helpful reply. I looked for 75 watt red bulbs but could not find any. I am finding that high wattage bulbs are harder to find since these newer energy saver bulbs are being supplied.

What type of ceramic heat emitters are you talking about? Like a heat rock for a lizard? I like your idea of separating heat and light sources.

These.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/ceramic heat emitter

Red still produces light. It does limit picking because it hides blood. Blue is calming for chickens. Another option temporarily is to wrap a white light in aluminum foil limiting light but still transferring heat.

As RR said, finding stores with older stock is a good option.

 

[Jdratlif]

Thanks for the help. I ended up getting a red heat lamp bulb from TSC. It is getting the brooder pretty toasty. Been spending all night trying to dial that bad boy in.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

In a smallish Rubbermaid type container, a heat lamp is way overkill.
I left town with a sitter and 2 baby chicks with a heat lamp. They fried.
The brooder would have to be quite large to need an infrared lamp.
If you think you need one, raise it quite high over the container.
I put one of those lamps in a brooder once and luckily I put a thermometer in it before chicks. The thermometer blew up.

 

[roosterlover897]

you MUST get a heat lamp they will die unless at 95 degrees. each week you lower the temp of the light by 5 degrees, next week will be 90, next 85 ,next 80, next 75, and i think once you get to 70 you don't need the lamp. we lost many chicks to not having a heat lamp, please do so and get one

 

[roosterlover897]

95 degrees is for their first week of life so the second would be 90

just to clarify

 

[Jdratlif]

Update. I put the red heat lamp bulb in the day I started the thread and it easily got the box up to 95+ degrees. I let it stay at 95 for the first day or so and then dropped it down to 90. When my furnace goes into the cooler modes the brooder drops down to almost 85. The temps are from the middle of the box. The chicks are doing well in this 85-90 degree window in their first week. They are using all of the box and are not having to congregate for warmth. Their wings are over 50% feathered already and they are 5 days old. This is sweet.