Heat for 4 week old chicks

[junior67]

Can you post (repost) photos of your set up as it is right now? Is there any way to expand brooder space and/or add more enrichment? Picking is more likely a problem with crowding/boredom so once they're out of the brooder that should (hopefully) clear up, but you definitely don't want it to continue or worsen.

sorry not sure why I didn't see the notice of this! I added a "loft" for them, have started putting in a clump of grass that keeps them busy and got them some cat toys. haven't noticed any more picking since. They have 1 small roost bar, think 4 can fit on it comfortably.

I checked tonight and noticed maybe 4 or 5 of them out of 10 (hard to see and I wasn't turning a light on and waking them up. LOL) were sleeping on top of the MHP. I think the others were under it but they may have been under the loft part but too dark to see fully, there is a very dim blue light in there that doesn't keep them awake and if another light turns on they are up and peeping. LOL I turned the MHP down to the 2nd to lowest level today. I turned it off on Friday during the day but forgot to the last 2 days. Should I just turn it off tomorrow and leave it off and see if they are complaining and then remove it and maybe put in another roosting bar for more for them to do and another place to go? they can sit on top of the MHP but it does take up a LOT of room on them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I checked tonight and noticed maybe 4 or 5 of them out of 10 (hard to see and I wasn't turning a light on and waking them up. LOL) were sleeping on top of the MHP. I think the others were under it but they may have been under the loft part but too dark to see fully, there is a very dim blue light in there that doesn't keep them awake and if another light turns on they are up and peeping. LOL I turned the MHP down to the 2nd to lowest level today. I turned it off on Friday during the day but forgot to the last 2 days. Should I just turn it off tomorrow and leave it off and see if they are complaining and then remove it and maybe put in another roosting bar for more for them to do and another place to go? they can sit on top of the MHP but it does take up a LOT of room on them.

Yeah go ahead and try turning it off and watch their behavior (you can still leave it in for now). If they don't seem upset at the fact that it's no longer putting out heat, you can take it away.