First off, I have 15 hatchery Barred Rocks. They are now, 3 weeks and 3 days old.The first week, they in NO WAY could tolerate the 95 degree temps, that is recommended!!! I moved the light up, and up again, still no go, the chicks were still hot. I changed out to a 40 watt regular light bulb and after watching them, they were running around, eating drinking, pooping and sleeping scattered around their brooder box. I checked the ambient temp, then in the brooder and it was the same, so I discontinued ALL light, just a few days shy of 2 weeks old.
They were fine with that too. Just doing normal chick stuff, not panting and staying wayyy away from the light like they were when I tried the heat lamp on them. They started sleeping all night at 2 weeks old and seemed to have less behavior problems!!
One day shy of 3 weeks, I moved them out to their coop. I opened the windows during the day and closed them at night! I still close the windows, but just before dark, when their coop has cooled down quite a bit! I have been changing their water every two hours with cold water and they will try to huddle under the cold water container. Also they are digging up the shavings to lay on the cooler floor, so today, I put a fan in their coop window. Stayed with them for a bit, to check their behavior, and they seemed to like the air, which was a bit cooler, blowing in over their heads...they are now 3 weeks and 3 days and they have a fan!!!
I will go back out and check them in a bit, as I need to change out their water again...the fan is on the outside of the hardware cloth, so they can't get at it! Both windows, for a cross breeze, are open fully also! I will continue to change out their water for cold water every two hours, or more, if they need it!
It's summer, so the rules of heat are different than in the spring when they need that 250 watt heat lamp. It's a lot more tricky to get the right temps for them! It's about watching your chicks and seeing how they are acting. That is, IMHO, THE best way to get the heat right for them in the summer months, especially with these high heat days!!! To reiterate what others have said, If they huddle under a heat source, they are cold, if they stay far away from the heat source and pant, they are way too hot and both cases, they could die from!!!
Summer is tricky, especially for the large fowl!! So go with the chicks behavior, when you are trying to make sure your chicks are in the right environment for them!!! They will tell you, with their behavior, loud and clear!!!
Hope this helps with these horrible hot days...I'm sweating too
and about to jump back in a cool shower, after watering the chicks with their cold water again!
Oh, and I live in the mountains of New Hampshire, so we are probably cooler than a lot of you.
They were fine with that too. Just doing normal chick stuff, not panting and staying wayyy away from the light like they were when I tried the heat lamp on them. They started sleeping all night at 2 weeks old and seemed to have less behavior problems!!
One day shy of 3 weeks, I moved them out to their coop. I opened the windows during the day and closed them at night! I still close the windows, but just before dark, when their coop has cooled down quite a bit! I have been changing their water every two hours with cold water and they will try to huddle under the cold water container. Also they are digging up the shavings to lay on the cooler floor, so today, I put a fan in their coop window. Stayed with them for a bit, to check their behavior, and they seemed to like the air, which was a bit cooler, blowing in over their heads...they are now 3 weeks and 3 days and they have a fan!!!
I will go back out and check them in a bit, as I need to change out their water again...the fan is on the outside of the hardware cloth, so they can't get at it! Both windows, for a cross breeze, are open fully also! I will continue to change out their water for cold water every two hours, or more, if they need it!
It's summer, so the rules of heat are different than in the spring when they need that 250 watt heat lamp. It's a lot more tricky to get the right temps for them! It's about watching your chicks and seeing how they are acting. That is, IMHO, THE best way to get the heat right for them in the summer months, especially with these high heat days!!! To reiterate what others have said, If they huddle under a heat source, they are cold, if they stay far away from the heat source and pant, they are way too hot and both cases, they could die from!!!
Summer is tricky, especially for the large fowl!! So go with the chicks behavior, when you are trying to make sure your chicks are in the right environment for them!!! They will tell you, with their behavior, loud and clear!!!
Hope this helps with these horrible hot days...I'm sweating too
Oh, and I live in the mountains of New Hampshire, so we are probably cooler than a lot of you.
