So I thought this would be less nerve racking with my second group of chicks. Boy was I wrong.
Tonight's the first night that my ten 4wk old chicks are spending the night out. They've been spending all day out, and I finally decided that they're just too big to return to their brooder.
The day time temp was 75ish, and the night time temp is predicted to be 51-54. Instead of a heat lamp (which just makes me too nervous) I used the same heat pad setup I used with my last batch.
I just went out to check on them. It's 55 out, and 58-59 in the shavings. Right next to the heat pad it's 76 (their brooder was staying around 67-70). But of course they are sleeping on the opposite side of the coop. Silly chicks. So I added two 2L bottles of hot water to the side of the coop they're sleeping on. Everyone felt warm, and a few minutes after I closed the coop they all settled right back down.
And now I can't sleep. Haha! I know they're going to be fine. It's just those darn what-ifs. 'What if they're too lazy to get closer to the heat' is the big one right now. I've seen them play over there, so they know it's warmer. And they felt, sounded and looked fine a few minutes ago.
*Sigh* The life of a chick mommy!
Thanks for understanding everyone
Tonight's the first night that my ten 4wk old chicks are spending the night out. They've been spending all day out, and I finally decided that they're just too big to return to their brooder.
The day time temp was 75ish, and the night time temp is predicted to be 51-54. Instead of a heat lamp (which just makes me too nervous) I used the same heat pad setup I used with my last batch.
I just went out to check on them. It's 55 out, and 58-59 in the shavings. Right next to the heat pad it's 76 (their brooder was staying around 67-70). But of course they are sleeping on the opposite side of the coop. Silly chicks. So I added two 2L bottles of hot water to the side of the coop they're sleeping on. Everyone felt warm, and a few minutes after I closed the coop they all settled right back down.
And now I can't sleep. Haha! I know they're going to be fine. It's just those darn what-ifs. 'What if they're too lazy to get closer to the heat' is the big one right now. I've seen them play over there, so they know it's warmer. And they felt, sounded and looked fine a few minutes ago.
*Sigh* The life of a chick mommy!
Thanks for understanding everyone