Day old chicks... what temp?

TheBajan

Songster
Mar 18, 2018
332
1,060
216
Davisburg, Michigan
We picked up 6 Lavender Orpington chicks this afternoon that hatched this morning. I'm trying to make sure I have the right temp for them. They stay huddled under the heat lamp without energy and just want to sleep. If I wake them they run around a bit and even eat and drink but then cuddle up again and sleep. If I remove the heat lamp, they wake up, eat, drink, and act like normal chicks pecking and chirping. Once I replace the lamp, they head over to the pile and go back to sleep. I have the temp at 95. Is this normal one day old behavior? We have 21 chicks we picked up at 5 days old who have not behaved this way and are now 13 days old. They are in a separate brooder. Thanks. I'm afraid of them getting too cold but also of them being too hot.
 
They just hatched so their tendency is sleep a lot under the mother hens warmth 90-95* in a day or 2 they will be doing more exploration and eating and pooping and stretching and sleep. Make sure it’s 95* on their floor level.
I use the indoor outdoor thermometer with metal prove laying on the brooder floor below the heat source to be sure of the temps at their level. Drop the temps 5* less every week till it hits 70-75 by 6-8 wks they don’t need the heat source.
 

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