Getting Temp up for chicks help!?

[tb90435]

My eggs started hatching yesterday. We had a power outage today and had to move incubator to another location and back. The oldest hatched chick is 18 hours old now. I need to get them to water but the box wont heat up. The box is in the semi heated part of the garage (about the same temp as basement). I'm guessing the coldest this room gets is about 55. I hooked up the 125 watt heat lamp 18 inches above the bedding in a 24" x 24" box. This is what I have always done in the past but that was in like march or april. The thermometer has said 80 for an hour now. The lights been on for 2 hours. Why wont it heat up!? Is 125 watts not enough? I need to get these chicks to the water. Any help?

 

[peterlund]

Move the light closer. I would rely on the birds actions more than the temp reading... I put a 150 watt and a 65 watt close to each other on day 1 and the chicks congregated around the larger bulb for the first week... when I noticed them going towards the smaller bulb a week later I raise the 150 watt up 4 inches
or so... They kind of let you know if they are cold... Or hot... Or in duress.... Good luck. I am fairly new to chickens, but I didn't want your request to go unanswered. Others will chime in soon.

 

[Armageddon]

Lower the lamp to 12 inches and see if it helps