Heat Down South

[Vadard]

Hey there,

It’s already hot as....well, it’s hot down here in south Mississippi. My australorpes are almost 2 weeks old, and my lamp is keeping the brooder at 85 degrees (at least). Next week, I’ll drop them down to 80.

My question: We hit 87 today and will be hitting mid eighties for several days. Should I ditch the lamp during the day? Even with the lamp raised up high, the temp kept spiking to over 90 today (brooder is in a garage).

I’m thinking about just using the lamp at night. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

At those temps, yes...I would turn the heat off during the day.
Watch their behavior it will tell you a lot.

Is your coop/run ready?

 

[Vadard]

Thanks for the advice. No, so I’ll have to catch up. I was planning on moving them into a small grow-out pen at 4 weeks.

 

[thisjed]

It snowed 5” in northern Illinois on Sunday, ugh. Push the warm weather north asap please!

 

[aart]

Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:

They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

 

[Vadard]

Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:

They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

Thanks so much for the detailed reply. Notes taken.

Now a follow on question: I’ve been seeing watery poop for a couple of days now. I was thinking this was the heat playing out — from the chicks drinking too much water trying to cool down.
Is that a reasonable assumption?

I’m thinking this because they don’t ‘seem’ sick and are energetic and active...and showing lots of feather growth. Also, I’ve been obsessive about keeping them clean based on experience raising quails. Clean, poop-free food and water, and I’m alternating two brooders, cleaning them with Clorox and Dawn each day.

All that said...I’m debating giving them a around of antibiotics in case some cocci has crept in. What do you think?

Thanks!

 

[Kiki]

I turn the heat off completely if I were you.

Cocci is different than coccidiosis.

Antibiotics won't treat coccidiosis...Corid will though.

 

[Kiki]

Lay off on the bleach...that's toooo much.

 

[aart]

Now a follow on question: I’ve been seeing watery poop for a couple of days now. I was thinking this was the heat playing out — from the chicks drinking too much water trying to cool down.
Is that a reasonable assumption?

Yes.
If it doesn't firm up with the reduction of heat, post pics of poop.

Also, I’ve been obsessive about keeping them clean based on experience raising quails. Clean, poop-free food and water, and I’m alternating two brooders, cleaning them with Clorox and Dawn each day.

Not sure what happened with your quail, but doubt you need to clean that much.
Too much of a good thing is too much.

Good chick starter ration and fresh plain water is all they really need.

I don't treat for anything I am not absolutely sure about.....especially AB's.

 

[Vadard]

Ok, thanks aart and Kiki. I’ll watch the poop and report back with pics if it doesn’t firm up.